Thomas Piorkowski: 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: 24Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Assistant Real Estate AnalystEducation: Bachelor or Arts from Elmhurst College, pursuing Master of Arts at Roosevelt UniversityCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Roselle since May, 2009 - Appointed PositionHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I will push for longer library hours on Sundays during the school year so that children as well as older students will be able to better utilize library resources for doing their homework.Key Issue 2 I believe the library needs to be quicker in acquiring new titles as they become available, whether in print or electronic form.Key Issue 3 The library needs to continue being attentive to the opportunities presented by new technologies. The Roselle library recently began making e-Books available at the Roselle Train Station and I believe we should expand this program and make e-Books available in more locations around the village.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 Library Board because of a longstanding love of the Library and of reading in general. The main issue that motivates me is library availability, both of resources in the library and of library facilities. I understand and appreciate how important library availability is to both students and the community and this is why if elected I will push for expanded hours on Sundays as well as quicker acquisition of newer books.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.The main contribution I can make is dedication. I have lived in the Village of Roselle my entire life and if elected I will do the work necesary to ensure that the Roselle Library not only continues to be the great place it has always been, but that it continually improves its ability to serve library patrons. I believe we can achieve this goal through the increased availability of library facilities and resources.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?I have had a library card at the Roselle library since I was a young child. My dad took my brother and me there when I was in first grade to get my first library card and have had it ever since. I continue to use it about once a week.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.The first solution is better utilization of the current floor plan. We have to ask ourselves if there are any places where space is being under-utilized and if the configuration can be changed to improve the economical use of space. If this is not possible, expansion is more desirable then elimination of certain sections and materials.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?Economic realities have made it harder for libraries to keep up with the technological changes as well having made it harder to serve the communities they are in. Less revenue will mean shorter hours and less resources. But this also means library boards must be more diligent in the allocation of these resources. If there are certain mornings when the library is empty for the first hour or two, this can be a day the library opens later to help save money that can be allocated elsewhere. More feedback from patrons as to what they would like will help reduce money being spent on books that may sit untouched on the shelf. Technology has changed libraries by expanding the missions of the libraries, with libraries now providing DVD's, e-books, and internet access to their patrons. It is important to use these technologies in conjunction with traditional books and not see them as replacements.