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Sung (Peter) Cho: Candidate Profile

Palatine Library Board

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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: PalatineWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Palatine Library Board Age: 34Family: 1 brother and 3 sisters. I'm the middle child. The civilized one. The peacemaker.Occupation: Insurance / Financial AdvisorEducation: U.I.C. GraduateCivic involvement: Palatine JayceesElected 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?I wanted to be more involved in my hometown. I realized that while I've called Palatine my home since my senior year of high school in 2001, I really haven't been involved or participated to the level that I believe that I can and should. When I learned that there might be an opportunity for me to contribute in what small way I can, I decided to give it a try.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'm not a "young" person, but I don't think I can be considered am "old" person either. Being the age I am, having the friends I have, and coming from a immigrant family, I think I have access to the thoughts and view of different age demographics and cultural demographics of our community. If anything, I hope to be able to bridge the gap among the difference in our community, help letting all voices be heard and considered.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?I've had a library card ever since I can remember. Library was an essential part of my growing up, as I know that it is for many of our neighbors. It was my place of education, entertainment, connection, and even a source of income for me personally. My second job ever at the age of fifteen was at a library, shelving books. My first job ever was actually with Daily Herald, as a newspaper delivery boy.I use the library quite often. I love reading both fiction and non-fiction. I use the resources at library anytime I need to research something. I use the technology available at the library when my home equipments are not sufficient. I even have a book from the library on my desk as I'm answering this questionnaire.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.If I had a choice between a physical book and a tablet (e-book), I rather hold a book in my hands. But with today's technology, I think we can utilize to make more physical space for certain resources may be considered less critical to the cloud/virtual world. I also think that the relationships with other libraries in the area play a critical role in this matter also. I think in the near future, more content will be available to patron in electronic-form, but that they would still have access to a physical copy if needed, even if it's borrowing from another library through an inter-library system. As microfilms have replaced archived newspapers, the same will happen for majority of the contents that we access physically today.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?I think the notion that library is becoming irrelevant due to the fact that more people have access to the "great internet" is not 100% accurate. In my opinion, I believe that library is a hub of resource. It's not just a place for archaic books, which will become irrelevant. No matter how advanced and extensive that technology might develop, there is one factor that the library will have an edge on: Human connection. The librarians, friends we make through the various and ever-growing library events, the memories that families will make visiting the library together, the experience of visiting the library itself in person, and on, and on, that resonates with the human side of us. Topics might change, tools might change, but I believe that library will also remain 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.Howard Schultz. Not for his political views, but how he overcame his origins and built his visions which is currently enabling so many people's lives.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Being thankful for everything: the big, the small, every minute, every second of my life. Being thankful.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Traveling more in college years.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English. It helped me secure jobs, express myself better, stay creative, appreciate books/writing, and more.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Think about what makes you happy, then don't be afraid to actually do it.