Library Board Candidate Q&As

Do you know the candidates? The pool includes incumbents Mary Ellen Durbin, Richard Flint, Jay French, Teri Hock and Colleen Sehy, and new candidate Cathy Melton.

Patch sent questionnaires to all six candidates last month—since there is an open seat for each candidate, we indicated that responses were optional. Two of the candidates sent their answers back.

Occupation:  I am retired as the Executive Director of the Peoples Resource Center,  a not-for-profit serving DuPage residents in poverty.

How long have you lived in the district? I have lived in the district since 1982, 23 years.

Why are you running for a board position?  I have a deep commitment to the public library.  I believe that the library is the greatest gift in our community, next to our school system.

Explain your involvement in other boards, organizations, activities, if any (incumbents please state number of years you’ve served in your current position):  I was appointed as a Lisle Library Trustee in 2009.  I am on several other boards: the DuPage Homeownership Center (providing first-time homebuyers in DuPage with education and assistance, as well as mortgage and foreclosure assistance to beleaguered homeowners); St. Joan of Arc Parish Social Justice and Peace Ministry; founder of DAYBREAK of Lisle—transitional housing for homeless families; Upendo Village (supporting a ministry in Kenya serving impoverished people); two diocesan planning committees; Reach, Inc. in Lisle.

What do you believe the financial priorities of the library district are?  To provide quality library resources to the residents of the library district, for adults and youth, in a cost-effective manner.

What changes would you make to the library’s programs and offerings, if any?  I support a major strategic planning process, to identify our challenges and priorities, and to invest in long-term resources that will make our library a first-class institution.  I’d like to see the library be the most important place in Lisle for district residents, right behind home and the church.

Occupation:  Grant writer

How long have you lived in the district? 20 years

Why are you running for a board position? I have been an active user of the Lisle Library for 20 years and wanted to help ensure that it continues to be a wonderful resource for our community. Explain your involvement in other boards, organizations, activities,  if any (incumbents please state number of years you’ve served in your  current position): I was appointed to the Lisle Library District board in the summer of 2010 to fill a vacant position.  I am also a member of the Junior League of Kane and DuPage Counties.  The Junior League is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism and to improving our communities and the lives of children at risk in our communities.  Through Junior League, I have been involved in numerous community service activities over the past 14 years.

What do you believe the financial priorities of the library district are? The first priority should be to carefully steward the District's resources in these difficult economic times so that the library is able to maintain a consistent level of services for district residents.  Second, the library facility is reaching the age where it will require a greater investment in maintenance and repair in the coming years, and the board needs to plan for this work so that the extra expense does not disrupt funding for services and programs.

What changes would you make to the library’s programs and offerings, if any? I would continue to expand the availability of new technological offerings such as e-books and on-line services that  residents can access from their home computers.  In addition, I would seek more ways to try and engage District residents who are not library users.  We have a great library with something of interest for everyone, and I would love to see more residents taking advantage of its resources.