Carolyn Drblik: 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: NilesWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Niles Library Board (6-year Terms)Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: I am the mother of a daughter in college and a son who is married. I am a parishioner of St.John Brebeuf Church. I have lived in Niles for approximately 14 years.Occupation: Administrative Assistant at Niles North High School in the Physical Welfare Department.Education: Bachelor Degree of Professional Studies - Roosevelt University, 2003.Civic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Enrich the lives of all residents - young children, students, adults - employed or in transition and retirees pursuing new interests by enhancing, developing and implementing the collections, services and programs of the Niles Public Library which provide valuable knowledge to accomplish each individual's goals.Key Issue 2 Decrease costs to our taxpayers through responsible spending, thorough review of expenses and pursuing alternative sources of funding made available through various private foundations and governmental programs.Key Issue 3 Participate in the future renovations of the Niles Public Library by overseeing the actual progress with the goal of attaining quality results and maintaining costs within our allocated budget.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 believe the Niles Public Library provides an invaluable service to the taxpayers. The library is essential to the vitality of our community and the quality of life for all residents. Highly qualified library staff is pivotal to the continued growth and excellence of our library. I would appreciate the opportunity to participate in the continuation of the library's growth and the streamlining of costs to the taxpayers as a Public Library District Board Trustee. I bring relative experience in purchasing, budgeting and project management both from the public sector and the corporate business world. My years of experience in an educational setting where student learning and success are key factors, would be beneficial in assessing programs, space allocation, new technology options, learning styles, etc. for our library.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.Candidate did not respond.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?I have had a Niles Library card for 10+ years and use it several times per year.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."Doing away with parts of the collection" is rather general. While there is value in both books and technology, I believe before a making a decision to do away with parts of a collection, specific details would be required describing the collection(s). It is possible all collections may not be equal.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?The economic situation has resulted in a decrease in federal funding. At the same time, many patrons are utilizing the resources of our library and increasing demand. While technology and books are costly, both are important to the growth of a library. A viable community is reflective of its public library's resources. Alternative sources of funding by various private foundations and governmental programs may be a solution to offset costs.