Don Augustine: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: St. CharlesWebsite: http://Don Augustine for St. Charles Library Trustee-FacebookOffice sought: St. Charles libraryAge: 55Family: I am married with two daughters. My daughters attend Wredling Middle School in St. Charles, District 303. My wife Darice is a stay at home mother, but just completed 6 years of 'lunchroom Mom' at Lincoln School. She is active in St. Charles Mothers Club.Occupation: I am a Regional Sales Manager for Bell Helicopter covering North America and Canada. We offer an electronic record keeping software program for helicopter and fixed wing busines aviation aircraftEducation: B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University, 1978.Civic involvement: Board of Directors, Wheeling Prospect Heights, Chamber of Commerce.President W/PH Chamber 1995-1997Tri-Cities Soccer Coach.Elected offices held: N/AHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The library has reached a point where it has outgrown its current space to serve the current population. The referrendum to expand the library did not pass. I beleive we must find a balance between serving the public in St. Charles and what we can afford. I pledge to listen to Library District citizens and find this balance. But we must find one, because the future is now, the population and utilization of the current library has outstripped the current structure.Key Issue 2 The library must embrace the growing trend of electronic means of communication, books, CD's, DVD's to meet the needs of the public. I beleive we must do more to encourage the use of these media as publishing trends and the library constituants embrace these technology trends.Key Issue 3 To encourage the use of the library for our school age children. Pre-school and graduates and Senior citizens use the library a great deal. I want to grow the use of our library for our elementry, middle and high school students. As a father of two daughters in this demographic, I beleive this group should be encouraged to use the library and its many resources. I beleive they under utilitze the library. We must make the library a destination they want to go to and use.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?As a user of the library, I know first hand the value it provides to our community. We began utilizing it when my daughters were young for childrens programs, reading programs pre-school toddler programs. So our family has literally grown up utilizing the library. Today my daughters use the computer and tech assets there. With our use, I have discovered what an awsome asset the library is to this community. Because I know what an great resource the St. Charles library is I want to give back to it with my service. I want to ensure that this resource is preserved and continues to be able to grow to meet the needs of the next generation of St. Charles families. Meeting those future need of families, Seniors citizens and the entire community is what motivates me to serve the Library District and its citizens.If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are a non-incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.At my first meeting I voted to place the library expansion referrendum on the ballot. I am convinced the library has out grown its present facilities. As a private citizen I worked with the committee to help pass the referrendum. In the future I will, as a private citizen again aid this group. I beleive my experience in sales and marketing will aid and assist in future efforts to pass the referrendum.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes. Every since we moved in, November 1997. Our family took advantage of the programs for young children, so we were early adapters. I first found the 'books on tapes' section. My first taped book was 'For God, Country and Coka-Cola"". Traveling by car for work, I have used tapes, then CD's now electronic books to listen learn and be entertained while traveling. They work great on the treadmill too. I have also used the library when unemployeed. I'll just say I use the library alot, probably more than the average person.Space is usually an issue at libraries. If that's the case at your library, would your solution be to expand the physical plant or make room by doing away with parts of the collection that technology has made less critical? Explain.I beleive in and will work for the expansion of the library. There is no doubt the library needs more space. The best way to meet the needs of the future is to follow the current plan for expansion that has been well thought out, planned, and proposed. However, the library must do a better job of informing the public of why there is this need. As a private citizen I will continue to work to do this.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?There is no doubt technology is having an effect on our library. We must continue to embrace this change. Expanding electronic books will grow the amount of books offered with little or no space taken up (which is currently at a premium). The economy is very difficult right now for everyone. I believe we need to expand the library, but that will not happen until citizens economic confidence comes back. We must continue to work with staff to grow electronic resources, and other 'work arounds' until the referrendum can be passed. The library is more relevent than ever, with the economy down, people hurting. Job search resources, online resources, access to computers, some of the things I used during a period of unemployment are more relevent today than every before for our citizens. The library is more important today than ever!