Deborah A. Nelson: 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: Arlington HeightsWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Arlington Heights libraryAge: 42Family: children at Thomas Middle School and Windsor Elementary SchoolOccupation: Certified Fund Raising Executive; fundraising for museums and librariesEducation: B.A., Lake Forest College, 1990#8226;Double major in English and Spanish#8226;Certified Fund Raising ProfessionalCivic involvement: #8226;Random Acts of Kindness Club of Arlington Heights, Founder#8226;Thomas Middle School and Windsor Elementary School PTAs#8226;Clearbrook, Northwest Community Hospital Foundation, and Midwest Council for Children with Disabilities, volunteer for fund raising and advocacy#8226;American Library Association, Illinois Library AssociationElected offices held: #8226;Arlington Heights Memorial Library Trustee serving for past 3 years (unpaid)#8226; Currently Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair and Strategic Planning Committee Chair#8226;Appointed in May 2008 to fill the position of former Trustee James J. Bertucci; elected April 2009 to fill the balance of the term; up for re-election for new 6-year term#8226;Previous Board liaison to North Suburban Library System #8226;Completed Basic Training for Library Trustees by North Suburban Library System#8226;Active in library advocacy and legislative affairsHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 1) FISCAL RESPONSIBILITYI'm a current Library Trustee who voted for the unanimous 0% tax levy increase in 2008 and again in 2010 (1% residential increase in 2009). Residents can continue to count on me to listen to our neighbors and work with the Board to hold the line on taxes, encourage resourcefulness and innovation, and respond to the public's growing demands for library services. Key Issue 2 2) EXPERIENCEServing as Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair and Strategic Planning Committee Chair has given me the experience needed to continue as an effective part of the team working on the library's budgets and goals. I have 20 years of professional experience in the non-profit sector guiding museums and libraries in strategic planning, fund raising, customer service and public relations. Now a consultant for institutions across the US, I was formerly on staff at the Chicago Historical Society, Chicago Botanic Garden and Museum of Contemporary Art. My dynamic experiences are assets that I wish to continue applying in my role as Library Trustee.Key Issue 3 3) INTEGRITYBeing an effective Library Trustee takes time and talents that I'm committed to continue giving to our community in this unpaid position.Through good, old-fashioned hard work and a results-oriented approach, I have a proven track record of success that people know they can trust. I understand how to manage a budget and operate within means. Not only have I dedicated my career to working with non-profits, I've been a tireless volunteer since high school, when I was a member of Hersey's Service Over Self (SOS) Club. This past holiday season, I had the opportunity to give to SOS again, for their record-breaking food drive. While volunteering to teach Character Counts in our schools, I founded the Random Acts of Kindness Club of Arlington Heights.I have the demonstrated work ethic, sensitivity, and skills that make me a good representative of the people of Arlington Heights. Respectfully, I ask for your vote on April 5. Thank you.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'm running for re-election to continue serving our community with sensitive and responsible oversight of our Library's policies and budgets, especially in this economy. People are challenged and our library is helping, as in the case of the popular Job Seekers program that made the front page of the New York Times. I'm passionate about the value of library services for all people and want to continue applying my 20 years of non-profit experience toward a cause that truly has something for everyone. Working on a mission that is for all people is enormously rewarding.I've been using our library since I was a little girl, going on to college to relish the smell of books as an English major, and two decades later, serving our community as a Library Trustee and working on embracing a Kindle in the same way as a worn-out paperback. (Thanks to a donation from the Friends of the Library, you can join me in checking one out at our library.)Sure, times have changed, and our library is doing a great job of anticipating the community's ever-evolving needs. Our library has earned a five-star rating for the volume, diversity and quality of its services to our residents.So still, with each new visit, especially during these tough times, I look around and marvel at people of all ages using our library in so many unique ways that add value to their lives. I want to continue to be a part of that, dedicating my time and talents in this unpaid position. Residents can continue to depend on me for fiscal responsibility, experience, integrity and commitment.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 main contribution has been working with the Board to hold the line on taxes. I voted for the unanimous 0% tax levy increase in 2008 and again in 2010 (1% residential increase in 2009). As the Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair and Strategic Planning Chair, I have been on the team that examines and plans the library's institutional goals and financials looking five years ahead. It's a significant undertaking that requires year-round meetings, decisions and recommendations to bring to the full board for vote. While holding the line on taxes, it's been important to balance that with the public's increased demands for library services. That's where creativity, resourcefulness and innovation come in. And so, I feel my other primary contribution has been working as a member of a team that is responsive to the always-evolving demands of the people it serves. Several examples of this I've described below.Sensitive to the needs of all residents including seniors, adults, teens and children, I've got our residents' interests at heart. I will continue to listen to our neighbors, work with the Board to hold the line on taxes, encourage resourcefulness and innovation, and respond to the public's increased demands.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?I've had a library card since childhood. My children have their own cards, too. I use my library card weekly, whether checking out books or an e-reader, reserving a seat for a cooking demonstration, popping in with my kids at the Bookmobile for a movie to watch at home, visiting the new I Can Read area of Kids' World to help my son learn to read, accompanying my daughter to sign up to be a Junior Library Volunteer, placing a hold on an item on-line, or picking it up later at the convenient drive-up window. People keep saying a library card is the most valuable card in their wallet -- I get so much out of it, I couldn't agree more.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.Space is an issue at our library, which many people are surprised to hear is the third busiest single location library in America in terms of circulation. The staff has responded beautifully to adapting usage of the existing space not only in terms of the volume of the collection, but also in terms of the great number of bodies coming through the library each day. There are currently no plans to expand the building, and I've been impressed with the staff's innovative, resourceful and flexible solutions to improve the patron experience with the existing space.On average, more than 2,000 people visit our library daily. In a year, more than 2.6 million items were checked out, while public computers were used more than 167,000 times and over 45,000 people attend library programs. When the economy declines, library usage increases, underscoring our library's vital role and extraordinary value.One example is the monthly executive networking group that holds its meetings at the library, sometimes to a full house in the Hendrickson Room with a capacity of 200 people. The library didn't have enough parking to accommodate this influx, so the staff formed an agreement to utilize the adjacent parking lot for staff, allowing the library spaces to be used by the program attendees and other patrons.In terms of the collection, the library owns 445,104 books, magazines, and audiovisual items as of the count on 4/30/09. The library staff monitors inventory and usage of the collection and reports to the Board. We react accordingly, taking several factors into account. For example, recent findings show that some magazine back-issues have had zero check-outs or very little interest. The magazine collection is therefore being downsized to make better use of the space. In the event a patron wants to track down an old issue, the library staff will help them find what they need on line or through inter-library loan.The Board and staff work together to very carefully craft and adopt the library's goals, strategic plans, long-range fiscal plans, and budgets. As the Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair and the Strategic Planning Committee Chair, I know it's a continual, year-round process. A periodic maintenance report is also made to anticipate what physical aspects of our library need to be serviced or replaced and when. When the carpet in Kids' World needed to be replaced due to wear and tear, the staff realized that as long as the book stacks needed to be picked up to lay the new carpet squares, it would make sense to return them to a floor plan that made more sense for the way children and families use the area and with improved sight lines so the librarians can keep a better watch on children using the space. With fresh paint and several generous donations added on to the project, a reorganized Kids' World was celebrated in January 2011. Children of all ages are delighted by the aquarium donated by Mariano's Fresh Market, while budding readers use the early literacy computer station donated by Arlington Park Racecourse. Patron use of Kids' World included a 13% increase in November 2010 and 14% increase in December 2010. Storytime attendance grew 19% in November 2010 and 40% in December 2010. By rearranging, the space feels a lot bigger and is serving a lot more people.So in all these ways and more, we are working with the space that we have while being responsive to the ever-changing wants and needs of our community. My goal is to continue serving on the board to support this approach.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 Arlington Heights Memorial Library is more relevant than ever, evidenced by the fact that more people are using more items and services than before.Libraries are in the information business. Information is knowledge, enlightenment, and power. What's been changing is the format in which the information becomes available. Our library staff does an amazing job of staying on top of technology advancements and customer demands. At the same time, the staff is weary of new technology that may become quickly obsolete. Blu-rays were added to the collection and usage tracked to show there is demand. E-readers were gifted to the library by Friends of the Library and have been extremely popular. The DVD collection is used so much that on New Year's Eve it seemed nearly all movies were going to be checked out. By contrast, the VHS collection was discontinued in 2010, an example of the evolution of format.Demand for programs has increased dramatically, showing individuals and families are craving inexpensive entertainment and life-long learning experiences. Teens are turning out for cool programs designed with input from other teens. The library has become increasing relevant to our community by way of programs, acting as a hub of cultural activity -- a sort of ""Third Place"" to home and work.All of this demonstrates our library's critical role -- and enduring relevance.Benjamin Franklin is credited as forming the first public library in America. Libraries are different today, though these words by Andrew Carnegie, whether read on paper or on line, still ring true: ""There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library.""