According to LJ,Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn has gotten into a flame war with the Chicago Public Library in his efforts to get a promotion for Margaret Dunne, Acting Branch Manager of the Independence Branch of the CPL.
Commissioner Mary Dempsey responded to his e-mail with the party line: “You suggest that outside individuals should be allowed to influence the City’s hiring processes. You are wrong. All hiring and promotions at the Chicago Public Library follow the city’s detailed hiring process and the provisions set forth in the relevant collective bargaining agreements, only.”
Rehash of the situation in Zorn’s column and even more in his blog today.
Demsey’s Right
My mother showed me this article today and while I normally agree with Eric Zorn, on this one Commissioner Demsey’s right.
Outside influence — even by a columnist of the Chicago Tribune — ought not to have bearing on who gets a job as Library Branch Manager. Zorn justifies this by saying that the Branch Manager is a “community leader”. That’s nice to hear but it adds a frightening dimension to hiring people to run your library when they have to go through this form of vetting.
Re:Demsey’s Right
Then why bother getting the standard 3 letters of recomendation? I agree that outside influence shouldn’t play a role beyond those letters but if she was acting director for two years then something is seriously wrong with this system for her not to get the job. And sometimes that takes outside influence to find out what is wrong and why she didn’t get the position. I’ll bet money it came down to the MLS and that she didn’t have one.
Re:Demsey’s Right
Sorry, but that’s no “Letter of Recommendation” — not for any job I’ve ever heard of. If it had been there’d be no story here.
The first letter intimated that the area “has many neighborhood organizations who are willing to mobilize when their interests are threatened”. This letter was then “seconded” by a well-known Columnist working for a major paper. Both letters came in AFTER the process was over.
This is similar to a number of things, but “Letter of Recommendation” isn’t one of them.
Re:Demsey’s Right
I didn’t say it was, but obviously the idea of letters of recommendation opens the door to outside influence. So to say there is absolutely no outside influence is false.
Re:Demsey’s Right
CPL doesn’t require “Letters of Recommendation” so I’m not quite sure what your point is.
Re:Demsey’s Right
#1 how do you know that and #2 you said “Outside influence — even by a columnist of the Chicago Tribune — ought not to have bearing on who gets a job as Library Branch Manager” That doesn’t sound like you are limiting it to just the Chicago area.