RANDY HOPP: Candidate Profile

Back to Gail Borden 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: ELGINWebsite: NONETwitter: NONEFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RANDYHOPPELGINILOffice sought: Gail Borden Library Board Age: 65Family: MOTHEROccupation: RETIREDEducation: GRADUATED FROM ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL WITH HIGH HONORS IN JUNE 1969. GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AS A JAMES SCHOLAR WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING WITH HIGHEST HONORS IN JUNE 1972. GRADUATE STUDIES AT THE COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES IN METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING 1972-1974. GRADUATE STUDIES AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY IN METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING 1974-1976.Civic involvement: BIG TIMBER DANCERS 1961-PRESENT. *SONG OF HIAWATHA PAGEANT 1962-1979. GAIL BORDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY *BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS 2004-PRESENT. Which is longer than the last 12 years and more than 150 meetings. Over a longer time and for more meetings than any of the competing trustee candidates, incumbent or challenger. ELGIN TOWNSHIP *BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS 2009-PRESENT. KANE COUNTY BOARD *COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETINGS 2009-PRESENT. *REDISTRICTING TASK FORCE MEETINGS 2010. *FULL BOARD MEETINGS 2015-PRESENT. FOX RIVER WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT *BOARD OF LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS MEETINGS 2012-PRESENT. *BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETINGS 2012-PRESENT. CITY OF ELGIN *WALK WITH THE MAYOR DAVE KAPTAIN 2014-PRESENT.Elected offices held: ELECTED GAIL BORDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEE 2009-2013. *APPOINTED GAIL BORDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES ILLINOIS OPEN MEETINGS ACT OFFICER 2010-2013.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 a candidate for Gail Borden Public Library trustee to serve each of the taxpayers who pays property taxes directly or indirectly through rent on property in the Gail Borden Public Library District, each of the visitors to the library either in person at the main library in Elgin or at the Elgin or South Elgin branch libraries or online at the library website, www.gailborden.info, and each of the visitor-serving employees of the library through consistently representing your interests with both my voice and my vote at each library board of trustees meeting by diligently preparing, reliably attending, carefully listening, independently thinking, actively participating, and steadfastly voting to provide you with the best informational resources: print and digital materials, internet-enabled computers and Wi-Fi, and educational classes, programs, and exhibits while simultaneously responsibly minimizing the tax burden on you by wisely spending your tax money and vigilantly maintaining financial transparency and accountability.None of the current trustees consistently serve you in this manner. Further, each of the current trustees, collectively the employer, are almost always totally subservient to the library director, their employee, which is a reversal of the normal employer/employee power relationship. This has resulted in the board of trustees failing to fulfill its responsibility to exercise oversight of the library director and of the operations of the 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 contributions you would make.As an observer of the Gail Borden Public Library board of trustees meetings, I have already contributed in part to two achievements.1.In 2014, I advocated at a board meeting that the library initiate a subscription to Hoopla, a video streaming service. Within two months thereafter, Hoopla was available through the library.2.In 2015, my persistent advocacy for financial transparency in part resulted in the start of more comprehensive posting on the board link of the library website of the documents and the PowerPoint presentations for each board meeting. I will continue to enthusiastically advocate for more internet-enabled computer resources, for example: Main library1.Expand the Quiet Lab time for visitors in the computer training room, which has 16 computers, to all the time that the room is not actually needed for a computer training class that the library is open.2.Change the five computers in the computer lab that currently can only be used by a visitor with a guest pass to be useable by either a visitor with a Gail Borden Public Library card or a visitor with a guest pass as all the other computers in the lab already are.3.Install 14 new internet-enabled desktop computers at the computer work stations currently without computers on the four computer work benches surrounding the top of the staircase on the 2nd floor that originally all had them. Finally, I hope to serve again as an Illinois Open Meetings Act Officer for the board.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?In the spring of 1959, I and my 2nd grade classmates at Columbia Elementary School in Elgin were taken on a field trip by our teacher to the Gail Borden Public Library in its original building on North Spring Street, which is still standing today, for a tour of all 3 floors led by the librarians. At the conclusion of the tour I and each of my classmates were issued a library card. I have held and cherished my library card ever since, for 58 years. This spans the remainder of the time that the library was in the North Spring Street building, the entire time that the library was in the then newly constructed but since demolished building on the south side of Kimball Street, and the entire time that the main library has been in the grand newly constructed building on the north side of Kimball Street as well as the newly constructed Elgin Branch Library on Bowes Road, and the brand new South Elgin Branch library inside an existing multi-unit building on McLean Boulevard. I have visited each of the 3 main library locations innumerable times and use my library card multiple times each week.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.Main Library There is no shortage of space for either library materials or study furniture at the Main Library. In fact, on the 2nd floor there are three library materials deserts located around the stairs and elevators.1.WestCreated by tossing over 1,000 reference books into the library dumpster.Currently has one table of six internet-enabled desktop computers and certainly could accommodate one or more additional tables of computers.2.EastCreated by moving the original youth area into the Studio 270 Teen Center.Currently has no tables of computers and certainly could accommodate one or more tables of computers.3.NorthCreated by moving the books to the 1st floor market place and into and through the bookstore.Originally had multiple tables of internet-enabled desktop computers taken away in the 2nd floor remodeling project and certainly could accommodate multiple tables of computers again.Currently, there are no laptop computers available for visitor use outside of the Studio 270 Teen Center. A locker with 12 laptop computers, like at the South Elgin Branch Library, could be accommodated adjacent to the information desk.South Elgin Branch Library This brand new library has less than half the floor space of the Elgin Branch Library and is very compact. However, in January 2017 the Gail Borden Public Library purchased all of the other units in that building. The expanded branch library should have adequate floor space for library materials and study furniture. This branch library currently has a locker with 12 laptop computers.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?1.The current economic change in the Gail Borden Public Library District is of slow but steady growth in incomes, property values, and hence property tax revenue to the library. This allows for modest increases in library spending which requires financially responsible and conservative trustees, which I would be.2.The staff of the Gail Borden Public Library have embraced the opportunity to provide the visitors the most current information technology developments, and so do I. Internet-enabled computers, Wi-Fi, digital as well as classical print materials, e-books and e-readers, Hoopla, Roku, and other online services, computer and digital equipment training classes and more are all available at the Gail Borden Public Library, and I enthusiastically support the progressive development of new information technology available for visitors both at all of the library locations and online.3.A library remains relevant to its visitors by providing the information resources and study facilities that the visitors want. Gail Borden Public Library does that, and I share in that dedication to service.4.The primary role of a public library in the community is and will continue to be as a source of informational resources both at the library and online with facilities for study to serve visitors. Technological developments evolve the mode of accessing information. The Gail Borden Public Library is a beacon of light in our community, and I look forward to serving you as a trustee.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.Candidate did not respond.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Candidate did not respond.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Candidate did not respond.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Candidate did not respond.