Marti Gorun, 4 years: 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: LibertyvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Cook Memorial library, 4-year termAge: 59Family: Married, two adult childrenOccupation: Retired former English Teacher (36 years), now a volunteer for a variety of organizations.Education: Master of Arts in English, NIU, 1978. +48 hours post Masters.Civic involvement: Educational Director for Gardens for the Gambia, volunteer at the Stevenson Center on Democracy and Save-a-Pet, Master Gardener volunteer, and I work the mobile food pantry whenever I can.Elected offices held: None unless you count President of the Teachers' Union, and Salary Committee chair at Libertyville HS.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: noCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 To maintain the current high quality of the library district and find new ways to serve the public.Key Issue 2 To make sure that the library serves both the technologically savvy users and the more traditional users of the library.Key Issue 3 To find a way to connect the many book clubs in the area so they can see what others are reading, as well as to let local readers know when book clubs are looking for new members.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 am running for the first time as a satisfied customer of the library. Their staff is always professional and courteous, and I have always appreciated the depth of the collection at Cook. Rather than having any issues with the library and the way it is run, I would simply like to support them and offer my expertise as a former teacher, avid reader, and community member. I think there are opportunities to make new connections outside the library, such as Skype programs with authors, offering a Great Books series, or co-sponsoring lectures with other groups.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.Candidate did not respond.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes, 38 years from Cook Library, before that I had one from the Glenview Public Library since I was eight years old. I use my library card almost every week and read a book about every three days.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.Cook has recently solved this problem by renovating their Libertyville branch and opening a new branch in Vernon Hills.I think expansion was the right choice.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?The library is the intellectual hub of the community. Certainly the Kindle's and Sony readers have found a new way to deliver the printed word, but libraries will always be relevant. Many people choose to check out rather than purchase books because they can't afford it, especially in the difficult economic climate that exists today. Libraries have remained relevant by utilizing both technologies, as well as expanding the types of programs that they offer. I see the library as one place where community members can connect with each other through book clubs, programs, author talks, summer reading programs etc. As long as the populace remains intellectually curious, there will be a place for libraries, so I don't believe the library's role will change that much.