§ 275. Librarians of school libraries. In a school district maintaining an academic department or high school the board of education may employ, and fix the compensation of, a person to act as school librarian who may be engaged for all or a part of the time in performance of the duties of the position as may be directed by the said board. The person so employed, who may be the librarian of the free library, shall be possessed of the qualifications prescribed by the commissioner of education. In all other districts the trustees or board of education may appoint a competent person to act as librarian. In case of a failure of a city or union free school district maintaining an academic department or high school to employ a librarian as above provided, the teacher of English in such school shall be the librarian. In case of a failure to appoint a librarian in any other district, the teacher, or if there be more than one teacher the principal teacher, shall act as librarian. The trustees or board of education shall report to the commissioner of education the name and address of the person employed or appointed as librarian.