Scott Migaldi: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: CaryWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Cary Area Library Board Age: 53Family: I have been happily married since 1994 to Karen Kaufmann MigaldiOccupation: Sr. Research ScientistEducation: AAS Community College of the Air Force AS Elgin Community College BS Electrical Engineering, Northern Illinois University MS Library and Information Science, University of Illinois Urbana ChampaignCivic involvement: I have served on the CAPLD board for two terms and look forward to serving a 3rd term. I am also an Aircraft Commander with the USCG Aux flying mission to support water safety and security on the Great Lakes. I have also volunteered with local amatuer radio groups for disaster prepardness and as a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars to help veterans.Elected offices held: I have served as Vice President and President of the CAPLD Board of TrusteesQuestions 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 role of the library as an information provider to the community is undergoing an exciting era of change. As an information professional I am excited to be part of the focusing the Cary Library on becoming the state of the art facility that serves all members of our community in the most fiscally responsible way possible. Focusing the library on emerging technologies, reaching out to business and house bound patrons to get them the information they need to stay competitive and informed in our society is my main goal in serving in this position. In my past six years serving on the board we have managed to continually improve library services and outreach. Some say why are libraries even needed. They are needed now more than ever. They are portals that can focus people to needed information. Some of that information may be on the Internet. But the library can find quality information and also serves as a guide for people to locate resources they may not even have known to exist.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 contributions you would make.I have served on the board for two terms. In those terms I have been integral to a team that has ensured our budget has been balanced. That our expenditures are used in the most effective way to improve services to the community. We were able to update our library with a redesign that cost the tax payers nothing. We were able to achieve that by smart budgeting. I am proud that we have lived within our financial means and develop long range plans based on responsible fiscal management. I am also proud that we reach out to our leaders in Springfield and Washington to help us with library issues. I arranged a meeting with Rep. Peter Roskum and had him visit our library. I discussed with him the serious issue we have with digital right management and how it adversely affecting our ability to obtain electronic media. Our library also a focus point for our US Senator to discuss with us changes to the US Patriot Act that were hurting library patrons.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes, I have a card! I obtained my card the first day that the Village of Cary Library became the Cary Area Library District. As resident in the non-served unincorporated area of Cary I knew the value of a library. I also now work from home. I no longer can use a corporate library and depend upon the Cary Library when doing some of my research.Space is an issue at many 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.We have been making due with the space that we have and have undertaken a space utilization study that will eventually have us doing some sort of remodeling of the library. Unlike some of our neighboring libraries we are very lucky that we have additional land to grow our foot print on when the time comes to expand the building.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?We live in an information age and are dependent upon being able to get information. However for most people using the Internet is like trying to drink from a fire hose. The library is even more relevant today than ever. Information professionals are trained in finding information, it organizing it and delivering it to patron. The forms of these media are becoming more electronic, the library is also becoming a place where that information can be displayed, printed, delivered to patrons. We are extending the reach of the library beyond the brick and mortar and right into your home or mobile device. For example the library can deliver language training services to your cellphone or let you download a large collection of eBooks. Our online database of periodicals allows people to read many different journals that are difficult to even find on store shelves.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I think it is important that a person serving in this office also be a leader in information science to fully understand the changing role of the library and to represent the needs of local libraries to government and business. CAPLD has been recognized as a leader in future library vision. The University of Illinois has asked me to be their convocation speaker in 2015 to talk about the changing role of the community library and the information profession. It is a recognition by the top library graduate school in the country that what we are doing at CAPLD is setting the tone for the future of library. It is important to me that CAPLD continue to be perceived as a place where boundaries are being pushed.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is a leader in bringing knowledge and information to many in new ways.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?That not everyone is perfect and to be tolerant of all viewsIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?A used book from Friends of Cary Area Library book sale. Where else can you get an adventure for your mind for a dollar?What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Band was my favorite subject. I still love music to this day and play the banjo for enjoymentIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Learn as much as you can. The library is place of unlimited information and adventure