Hannah Hyman: 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: SchaumburgWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Schaumburg Township Library Board Age: 18Family: My parents, brother and I have resided in Schaumburg for the past 18 years.Occupation: Candidate did not respond.Education: Candidate did not respond.Civic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.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?When I was very young, my favorite place was the kid's section of the library with the Enchanted Forest. I spent hours sitting on the caterpillar, or at least trying to, reading as many books as I could find by my favorite authors. Even if I outgrew the forest and began to use the library as more of an academic hub than a fantastical escape, I still appreciated all the resources made available to not only myself, but the other patrons. Before and throughout my academic career, the library has been a source of information and help. I hope to begin to further expand the services that helped me and to implement new ones to assist the community in navigating the offerings of the digital age.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 would lead the effort to expand resources available to students and their families. For the past few years, many of my friends and I have used the open teen spaces to study for standardized tests, classes, AP tests, and to prepare college applications. I think that it would be wonderful to offer programs, or even have someone on staff part time, to assist students and their families with the college process, be it with essays, the main application, or financial aid. Currently, there are a few classes being offered through the library. However, I don't think that they're nearly enough to assist students along this process as they're only for one night at a time.As well as focusing on students, I would also focus on adults who are seeking to get ahead or keep up with the changing job market. There are currently a lot of classes for adults that focus on polishing up resumes; I think that we should offer classes that focus on what can go on a resume instead. Basic and advanced coding, as well as web design, are potential avenues that could really help to add to any resume!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 as long as I can remember; when I was little, I walked out of the library with at least seven different books every time I went. In junior high, I did a massive amount of research and checked out lots of CDs and sheet music. My brother and I even used our cards to make videos with our friends in the green screen room for a while. Now, my library activity is mostly use of the discussion rooms for studying, group projects, and the occasional extra debate team practice, with a healthy amount of philosophy books on the side.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.I don't feel as though space is limited at the library; that may, however, be due to the fantastic renovations that have recently been completed. However, it is necessary for libraries to update their collections to follow suit with technology. The library has historically phased out materials that are no longer popular or necessary due to updates, and I would continue in that tradition where appropriate.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?In my opinion, the role of a library has always been to act as an educational hub outside of a school environment. As such, it should adjust its programs and resources to meet community demand for technology. Furthermore, as technology becomes more prevalent in day to day as well as professional life, I believe that the library should expand its programs to assist individuals who don't know technology as well as others; it would not make sense to offer technology that few people would know how to use without an explanation on how to use it. So, not only should libraries be able to offer the technology that people want, they should also be a place to teach people the technology, as well as, as always, a place for reading and exploration.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Besides updating technology and supporting the expansion of programs for teenagers, students and adults looking to learn new career skills, I also believe that a library as large as ours must especially be conscious of our ecological footprint. I would ideally like to put some research into moving at least part of the energy sources the library uses to renewable sources; even if it would, as of right now, be infeasible to use all renewables, I believe that at least preliminary research into updating the library's energy infrastructure would be wise. Not only would it be eco-friendly, it would provoke community conversation regarding how we all can be a little more green.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; she has always fought for what she believes in.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?There are certain things you just can't control in life; you can, however, control how you react and what you learn from them.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Nothing. I believe that my failures have helped me to grow as an individual, even if they weren't particularly fun.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Definitely speech class. It's helped me with debate, as well as public speaking and my overall confidence. I also loved history class.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Knowledge is power, and its responsible use is to help others.