Kelli Christiansen: 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: Glen EllynWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Glen Ellyn Library Board (4-year Terms)Age: 43Family: Married to Patrick Ryan, and we live with Wilson the Dog in Glen EllynOccupation: I launched my own company, bibliobibuli professional editorial services, in 2007, putting two decades of experience in publishing to work for agents, authors, editors, and publishers to help make publishing dreams come true..Education: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Northern Illinois University, 1991 (cum laude); some postgrad work at Lake Forest Graduate School of ManagementCivic involvement: Member of the Village of Glen Ellyn Historic Preservation Commission; volunteer with the Friends of the Glen Ellyn Public Library; founder of Chicago Publishing Network; member of Chicago Women in Publishing; etc.Elected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 As a publishing industry insider, I can bring unique insight to the Glen Ellyn Public Library Board of Trustees. Addressing technology, funding, and staffing will require a collaborative effort with board members, library staff, and industry experts to focus on maintaining and improving library access and services within budget constraints.Key Issue 2 Changing technology will be one of the biggest ongoing challenges. I believe that it is important to perform regular assessments of the state of technology at GEPL in terms of demand, access, capabilities, materials, and budget. As more residents demand digital products and e-books, the role of the public library will continue to shift. GEPL, like all libraries, will need to adapt to this change. I'm a book person through and through, but more and more readers are seeking digital books for their e-readers. e-Book lending issues will continue to be of utmost importance as more and more publishers make their books available electronically, often simultaneously with hardcopy or paperback release, though usually at different price points. Equitable access at a reasonable price will be an ongoing issue, and libraries will need to work closely with publishers and the ALA to deal with this challenge. The ALA is working closely with publishers to determine what fair pricing and equitable access looks like. The e-book issue has been a rather contentious one, and many libraries are feeling frustrated by the lack of progress as discussions have been taking place for well more than a year. While libraries strive to make materials available to patrons regardless of format, they must juggle pricing and purchase terms required by publishers and demands and expectations from readers who expect the same access to e-books as they have to printed books.This is no easy task, and it is a fight that GEPL will wage with other libraries and the ALA in the coming months and years. I believe this is something that GEPL library staff and Board of Trustees members, together, will need to monitor closely in order to ensure that Glen Ellyn's residents and library patrons get the best deal possible.Key Issue 3 Candidate did not respond.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 library board trustee because I believe in giving something back to my community and because volunteering is important to me. The Glen Ellyn Public Library is a great community resource, and as someone who has spent her entire career in publishing, I believe I can lend the board some unique insight.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.As a new trustee, I hope to bring my experience in business and publishing to the table, lending the board my expertise and insight into the industry. As a business owner, I keenly understand budgeting and making the most of available resources. As a publishing professional, I understand the changing nature of libraries, technology, and accessibility. As a trustee, I will be able to combine these elements as we help lead the Glen Ellyn Public Library into the future.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 I moved to Glen Ellyn nearly 9 years ago, and although I don't always check out many resources, I do like to use the library as a resource in other ways, including for research and for its various community events. I also volunteer for the Friends of the Glen Ellyn Public Library, particularly with their fundraising booksales.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 library is already working on ways to reorganize space and make it more accessible and useful for patrons, and I support those efforts. The challenge is to balance patron needs with technology, accessibility, and budgets, and although I do not support moving to an entirely digital format like some libraries in Texas are doing, we may well wish to consider additional digital options that would allow the library to carry more materials in less physical spaceWhat impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change? Today's libraries are more relevant than ever, as studies have shown that residents use their libraries more and more in economic downturns. The Glen Ellyn Public Library is a terrific community resource, not just for books, but for databases, Internet resources, various other media, special events, etc., etc. At a time when bookstores are closing in droves, our library becomes an even more important venue for exposing patrons to new authors, for providing them with research tools, and for bringing them together for special events. The Glen Ellyn Public Library has done a great job of providing residents with a number of services, and I support its ongoing efforts to do so.