Sue Harold: 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: RoselleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Roselle Library Board (4-year Terms)Age: 63Family: Married, two childrenOccupation: Retired corporate attorney.Education: Northwestern University, B.A. Loyola University School of Law, J.D.Civic involvement: Roselle Public Library District Foundation, Secretary District 214 Community Education Adult Literacy Program tutorElected offices held: N/AHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Based on what I have learned from attending Roselle Library Board meetings for the last six months and from my involvement as Secretary of the Roselle Public Library Foundation, my number 1 campaign issue is to work with the Board and Staff to: (1) identify high priority facility renovation, repair, and capital equipment needs, (2) prioritize those needs, and (3) devise an innovative strategy to incrementally and cost effectively fund for them. While our older Library building is well maintained, repairs and updates are inevitable, and funding must appropriately be secured and allocated to meet these needs. Having benefited from a complete tour of the Library facility given by the Executive Director and from learning what some of these needs are, I believe that this is a key issue for our Library going forward. While no doubt this will be a difficult and complex challenge, effective stewardship of this issue will enable the Library to continue its excellent service to our community. The Board and Staff have a wealth of knowledge on this (and many other issues), which will inform my own views on how best to accomplish this important goal.Key Issue 2 My number 2 campaign issue is to work with the Board and Staff to develop and implement a media/publicity promotion plan for the Library. We have a fantastic Library with an impressive collection and a variety of programs - let's see what we can do to increase awareness of them so more of our residents can benefit. I suggest this based on personal experience and also from talking with neighbors and friends. They are frequently surprised when they hear of particular services and programs that the Library offers. Although all of this information is readily available on the Library's website, not all residents are aware of or actually use the site; and some of our residents don't access the internet. Let's brainstorm about what else we can do to enable residents to know what's going on at the Library that may be of benefit or interest to them, and increase their involvement.Key Issue 3 The Library is an essential community resource. My goal is to contribute to its innovative growth and development, within fiscal constraints, so that we can meet the needs of library patrons of all ages, interests, and socio-economic levels. A survey sent to patrons and non-patrons alike will allow us to obtain their feedback on where the Library should focus its resources and improvement efforts. To make sure we reach everyone, the survey could be online and also included in one of the quarterly editions of the Library Lights newsletter that is sent to all residents. No doubt we will receive comments and suggestions that we can use to make the Library even more of a valuable resource to our communityQuestions 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?The Library is an essential community resource. My goal is to contribute to its innovative growth and development, within fiscal constraints, so that we can meet the needs of library patrons of all ages, interests, and socio-economic levels. A survey sent to patrons and non-patrons alike will allow us to obtain their feedback on where the Library should focus its resources and improvement efforts. To make sure we reach everyone, the survey could be online and also included in one of the quarterly editions of the Library Lights newsletter that is sent to all residents. No doubt we will receive comments and suggestions that we can use to make the Library even more of a valuable resource to our community.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 special contributions you could make.I am interested in the position primarily because of a life-long love of reading and books. So I want to help make our Library an even better place for others with a passion for books like mine to get and enjoy these resources. This passion began when I first learned to read and made frequent trips to the children's section of the Park Ridge Public Library to get piles of books to take home. Also, I watched my father serve our town as president of the Library Board and learned from his example the importance of "giving back" to one's community. My love of reading has continued throughout my life and I was fortunate to share it with my children at the Roselle Public Library during their childhood years. Seeing them so excited to get involved with the summer reading program and earn the prizes is a memory that I treasure. So to be able to use my time and talents in trying to help continuously improve the Library's services for the benefit of the community would be a wonderful opportunity to "give back" to the Library. In my career, I had to use a variety of skills that I think directly translate to service as a Trustee. Serving as senior vice president and associate general counsel at Zurich American Insurance Company required utilization of a variety of skills (e.g., critical thinking, collaboration, decision-making, prioritization, etc.) to resolve business and operational issues. I also had the privilege of serving as president of the Zurich U.S. Foundation, where I worked with the Foundation's board of directors to set strategy, oversee budgets, and allocate Foundation resources, much like the functions our Library Board performs. As a Trustee, I believe I could tap into these experiences and the various skillsets developed throughout my career for the benefit of the Library. I am excited, motivated, and energized about this potential opportunity!Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes. I have had a library card for over 20 years. My husband and I use a variety of the Library's broad array of impressive services. We have taken advantage of its Programs (e.g., Master Gardener assistance, cooking class, presentation on Social Security, etc.) and the Online Subscription Databases (e.g., Morningstar). I have also used the eMedia Library Service one-on-one assistance to get connected to the Library's downloadable eBook collection with my iPad. I have also subscribed to the Roselle Public Library e-news just another great way to stay connected. In addition, the Library is one of my Facebook friends so I see all the frequent, helpful Posts and interesting shared links, which enables me to keep current on all the numerous activities going on at the Library. (I strongly recommend this to other Facebook users!) There is truly a wealth of programs and services offered by our Library, with new ones being added regularly. I often feel like I have only begun to "scratch the surface" of what's available.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 don't believe that expanding our physical plant is a feasible option at this point, so we need to maximize the effective utilization of our current space. Staff has done a good job of redoing certain sections of the library and working within its space restrictions.. That being said, as changes in patron circulation and usage patterns are identified, the Board and Staff should develop a range of options for space usage given existing constraints, including eliminating resources that are readily available online and that patrons feel comfortable accessing online. It can also include an analysis of any parts of the collection that never or infrequently circulate so those can be considered for removal.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?During a difficult economic climate such as we have recently experienced, the need for community library services (e.g., usage of a library's public access computers providing access to the Internet for many who otherwise might not have it, assistance to job seekers, etc.) typically increases while funding (e.g., state grants) may decrease. This can result in fewer hours of operation, reduced staff, decreases in the library collections, etc.. So during a time of increasing need, unfortunately, some libraries may be less equipped to respond to that need. A library can remain relevant by anticipating and meeting the changing educational and recreational information needs of its community. It will add new, digital resources and services while maintaining traditional resources and services. It will recruit or retrain staff with the requisite skills to use and maintain the new technologies and accommodate the shifting need for space and supplies resulting from increased automation and use of digital resources. (To that end, it might be helpful for the Library to form a "Youth Advisory" group comprised of teens with strengths in technology, social media, etc., to gain insight into their knowledge, specific needs, etc.) Hardware will be updated as needed to support the new tools and demands. Also, and perhaps most importantly, a library continues to be relevant by finding the appropriate balance among these various resources and services by effective strategic and financial planning. Ultimately, these on-going efforts promote a strong, literate community and improved quality of life for the residents. The role of the library in the community should continuously and proactively evolve so that the library remains an integral part of the community and not just a building with resources. The library needs to stay relevant and evolve to meet cultural changes such as technology and demographics. But the library's fundamental mission will not change: to be a free place where people can access and share information, and be a community gathering center. The Library's mission statement states this clearly: "... to provide the community with the widest possible access to educational, cultural, and recreational information while increasing awareness of the library and its services. Patrons will have opportunities for learning, growth, and open access to diverse resources and ideas".