Barbara DuRocher: Candidate Profile

Back to Warrenville Library Board

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: WarrenvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Warrenville Library Board Age: 54Family: Married to John DuRocher. I have two children: Sarah, 23 and Joey, 20.Occupation: Early Childhood and Elementary School Teacher and AdministratorEducation: Waldorf Teaching Certificate, Great Lakes Waldorf Institute and Mount Mary University Master of Public Administration, Northern Illinois University Bachelor of Science, Human Resources Management, Northern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: Library Trustee, Warrenville Public Library District, May 2007 to present Library Board President, 2011-2013 Library Board Secretary, 2009-2011 Library Personnel Committee, 2013-2015 City/Library Task Force, 2009-2012Elected offices held: Library Trustee, Warrenville Public Library District; two-year unexpired term and subsequent full six-year term.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 am seeking re-election to help lead the library through our next building remodeling in 2016 and beyond. As community needs grow and change, the library will continue to change and offer services and programs that are meaningful to patrons. I am excited to be a part of the planning and implementation of the changes coming to the WPLD.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 am a proactive board member providing strategic planning and direction to the Library Director as one of 7 elected officials governing the district. - I oversee and approve an annual budget of over one million dollars. -Leadership positions I have held include President of the Board, Secretary of the Board, Chair, City-Library Task Force, and Chair, Personnel Committee. -As a member of the City-Library Task force, I interface with local government officials on issues that affect both bodies, such as TIF district funding.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?I have had a library card for almost 50 years in four different communities. I use my library card weekly, often several times during the week. I love my library!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.As a part of our strategic plan, the Warrenville Public Library District employs both of these strategies. The WPLD building has some underutilized space that will be reconfigured in the near future. There are also some programmatic needs that will be addressed to better serve certain populations. In order to use our space to the best advantage, some of our current materials will need to be culled, and others will be added. We have already begun to do this throughout the library in anticipation of our remodeling project coming next year.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?Economic and technological changes have an enormous impact on libraries everywhere, and specifically on our library in Warrenville. The library continues to evaluate staffing, program, technological and material needs constantly, and changing them as needed. The WPLD is evolving to meet the community needs of being a place for research, being a place to have access to and learn new technology and being a gathering place. Patrons may have one or all of these needs; meeting them is how we stay relevant.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Joan Almon, Co-Founder, Alliance for Childhood. Joan has worked as an advocate for childrenâ#128;™s needs and extensively for play-based learning in preschools and kindergartens.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Resourcefulness comes from failing now and then and a strong family foundation of love.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would get a liberal arts education in college.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I loved both reading and mathematics. Both have served me well as a teacher, as an administrator and as a library board member!If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Think before you say something: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? If you say no to one of those questions, reconsider.