Brian Gilligan: 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: Mount ProspectWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Mount Prospect libraryAge: 51Family: Married, 1 child Wife: Janice Ann Gilligan (Married 25 years) Son: Kyle Joseph Gilligan (Age 14)Occupation: Professor, Morton College, Cicero, IL (2008-Present) Commander, U.S. Navy Reserve (1991-Present)Education: Argosy University, Schaumburg, IL, D.B.A.,(Candidate), 2010-Present; Devry University, Chicago, IL, MAFM; 2008; Loyola University, Chicago, IL, M.S.I.R.,1997; DePaul University, Chicago,IL, M.B.A.,1990; Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY, B.A., GovernmentCivic involvement: Licensed Notary, State of IllinoisCertified Association Executive (CAE), American Society of Association ExecutivesCertified Meetings Professional (CMP), and Member, Meetings Professional International Member, Association Forum of ChicagolandMember, Teachers of Accounting at Two-Year CollegesBoard Member and Secretary, Consolidated Community School District 59, Elk Grove Township, IL Teacher, Junior Achievement of America, Enterprise in Action/Economics Courses, Chippewa Middle School, Des Plaines, IL Member/Paul Harris Fellow, Mt. Prospect Sunrise Rotary ClubMember, Eucharistic, Hospitality Minister, and Lector, Old St. Patrick#146;s Church Member and Volunteer, Pillars of HonorMember, Honor Flight Chicago Elected offices held: Member, Board of Education, Community Consolidated School District 59 (1999-Present)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I want to maintain a healthy financial structure for the library to maintain services in very challenging times. We should look at ways to develop and sustain partnerships and ventures to identify and qualify for funds from different revenue streams.Key Issue 2 I will support a comprehensive plan to promote the library's services and offerings to the public, and achieve new means to reach the libary's patrons to inform them about the library's initiatives, whether it be other agencies or businesses in the Village of Mount Prospect.Key Issue 3 I would like the library to expand it ability to provide book and music resources in additional print and electronic formats, especially in the areas of culture and heritage, which reflects the needs of our diverse population.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?I have served as a Board member for Community Consolidated School District 59 since 1999. It has been an great privelege and honor for me to be involved with the dedicated, hardworking Board Members and Staff of School District 59. After 12 years of service, however, I thought it was time to try something new and interesting, and still be able to contribute my time and efforts.I have only heard and experienced positive information and feedback about the Mount Prospect Libary, and its Board of Trustees and staff. I want to be able to be involved in the great efforts this the Mount Prospect Library provides for its residents in the areas of services and technology.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.My primary strengths as a school board member lie in the areas of finance, budgeting, and strategic planning. Teamwork and collaboration are important ways to realizing real successes and improvements in District 59. Over the past eight years, I have supported creative initiatives in curriculum, staffing, and technology which address the needs of all of our children. I have advocated enhancements to the supportive technology in our classrooms and library media centers. I have championed various cost savings efforts, including the use of in-house staff to carry out many of our building projects. Innovation and creativity are extremely important to me, especially in programs like Character Counts! and assessment tools such as DIBELS.I want to help the library achieve sustained financial stability; explore and utilize new, emerging technologies; and be responsive to the community's needs and interest.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes. I have been a long-standing member of the Mount Prospect Library since my wife and I moved to the Village in 1988. I usually go to the libary at least once or twice a month to check out books. We are really fortunate in Mount Prospect to have such an outstanding library system, and I hope to promote the wonderful initiatives and programming as a Board Member.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.One of the areas that the library can address and re-visit on an ongoing basis will be to transition to more online reference content and reduce the numbers of newer print materials. In the areas of books, music, and other programming, we need to look for ways to leverage more downloadable video and musical resources. In these ways, we should be able to diversify collections and services to the library's patrons and visitors.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?As a Board member, I will support a wide array of technologies in order to continue to provide the services to meet the needs of both patrons and staff. With a library such as Mount Prospect's, we have to look at providing the resources and services to meet the needs of the community and its residents. The library can serve as a constructive mechanism for patrons to obtain information more effectively and quickly Improvements to such initiatives as a document management system for public documents. Within the library itself, installing applications like Wiki's and searchable databases will allow for the means for residents to receive more enhanced services.