Ravisankar Kondin: 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: GurneeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Warren-Newport Library Board (6-year Terms)Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Happily Married for 16 years. I have a daughter and a son who attend Seventh and Second grade at woodland school district 50 in Gurnee.Occupation: Project Manager at AbbVieEducation: Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Business Administration(MBA)Civic involvement: I am director and landscape committee chair at Kingport Woods home owner association in Gurnee. I serve as 'Sergeant at Arms' at Abbott Toastmasters club. I am a volunteer at Tamizh Folks of Lake County, a non-profit organization based in Lake County,Illinois.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Candidate did not respond.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The limited parking space at the library is an issue that must be addressed, especially in light of the renovation and expansion project completed last year.Key Issue 2 I think the board must address the ever-evolving digital environment that seems to demand that we Increase the library's e-book collections.Key Issue 3 I think it has always been and remains important that the library's trustees put the taxpayers? dollars to their best use and provide the services residents need without increasing the tax burden to the library district's residents.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?The issue that is motivating me to run is to help the Warren-Newport Public Library District expand its collections and help increase awareness so our library district residents come in to use our collections. I also would like to ensure that the library remains a best-place to work for its employees and volunteers.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 will be a first-time library trustee, but I have nearly 20 years? experience in information technology and will use IT experience and knowledge to suggest improvements to the Warren-Newport Public Library's online collection and presence. My project experience in information systems projects will allow me to offer guidance in executing library projects and activities.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes. I make it a point to visit library each week. Visiting Warren-Newport Public Library over the weekend is a routine that my family and I have maintained for about 10 years and intend to continue.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 am not in favor or doing away with collections as long as a segment of our residents continue to depend on them. At the same time I am cognizant of the limit to which we can expand the existing library's physical space. The board must always look at increasing the physical space within the constraints of the budget. Looking at technology to eliminate all or parts of a collection need to be looked at wherever appropriate, but carefully and in a way that does not affect poorly upon our library users? experience.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?Of course, libraries need to keep up with the changes in our economy and technical world. A library competes in the marketplace of learning, ideas and technology like many other institutions, both for-profit and not-for-profit. And to that point, I think the library can make even better use of the Internet and digital collections than it already does. One way may be to introduce more innovative ways of making the collection accessible to residents?'that could be explored. Warren-Newport Public Library needs to continue to offer a variety of free services and events, such as reading groups and toddler story time. Library should continue to do great job providing services, while keeping an eye to the future technology trends and residents use of library.