Laura Frye: 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: Round LakeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Round Lake Area Library Board (4-year Terms)Age: 36Family: Married, one daughterOccupation: AttorneyEducation: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Excelsior College, 2003; Juris Doctor, DePaul University College of Law, 2007Civic involvement: Director on Board of Round Lake Area Chamber of CommerceElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Balanced budget for the libraryKey Issue 2 N/AKey Issue 3 N/AQuestions 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 enjoy the use of the library as a patron, and I am running for election, after my initial appointment,to ensure that the library stays relevant and viable to serve patrons for many years to come.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 was appointed in December 2012, and have not yet made significant contributions, but I do plan to continue to work with the rest of the board, with an eye toward maximizing our budget dollars, while continuing to innovate new programs for the library.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes, I have had my library card since 2001, upon moving to the area. I use the library multiple times 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.A new building must be built to meet long term needs, but that has to be done within the budget.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?With a tight economic climate coupled with the technological changes, this is putting a squeeze on the library's resources. More people cannot afford to have internet at home, and so, they come to the library to use it. Obviously, the library has finite resources for purchasing computers, and increasing that budget reduces the budget for books. There is also a need to keep up with technologies such as ebooks, audiobooks, bluray, etc. In addition, patrons will need to be offered training in order to keep up with these newer technologies. The role in the community going forward is to move towards a lounge-style atmosphere similar to a Barnes and Noble, where patrons are encouraged to hang out and read, relax, and linger.