Jean Bednar: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: ElginWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Gail Borden libraryAge: 50Family: Married to Paul Bednar; sons Wyeth (18) and Tanner (16).Occupation: Candidate did not respond.Education: Bachelor of Arts - English, University of Utah 1986Civic involvement: Vice President of the Gail Borden Public Library Board of Trustees, GBPL Foundation board member, board member of the Jan Ehrenberg Scholarship Foundation, volunteer for Fox Valley Theater Company, Children's Theater of Elgin, PADS of Elgin, YWCA Leadership Luncheon, Willow Creek Community Church, Historic Elgin House Tour, and lifetime member of Gifford Park Association.Elected offices held: I have been both appointed and elected to the Gail Borden Public Library Board of Trustees.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I don#146;t really have a #147;key issue.#148; I just want to continue to spread the message that our library is an award-winning, successful community center for the district, and it's clear that the mission of the administration/staff is to provide for its patrons through innovation and service.Key Issue 2 Candidate did not respond.Key Issue 3 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 have been a student, a life-long library user, a business owner, a homeowner, a community volunteer, and a mom. All these things, plus my position as a Library Foundation board member, contribute to my decisions and capacity as a Trustee. I believe that our library is a shining example of excellence in downtown Elgin. I am privileged to serve there and want to continue.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 a supporter of the library, I was originally part of the successful referendum campaign committee. I was later invited to join the Foundation Board and then appointed as a Trustee. I took part in fundraising efforts for the Buy-A-Brick campaign when the new library was being built, I was a co-chair for the Dinos on Parade fundraiser when we had the Giants exhibit. I have been actively involved in helping behind the scenes with many library events, including the Abe Lincoln Inaugural Ball, the Discovery 2010 Science Exposition and the tile mural fundraiser at the Rakow Branch Library. I was also a presenter at a joint meeting with the Aurora library and library foundation when they sought input from GBPL on library referendums and positioning for the 21st century.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?I got a library card when my husband and I first moved to Elgin (1988). I carried my plain white, type-written card laminated in cracking plastic for over 20 years before it finally succumbed to wear and tear. So now I have a shiny colorful new card. To answer the question, yes, I have a library card. I've had it for 22 years, and I use it a lot.Space is usually an issue at 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 able to do both of these things in recent times - expand and remodel an area of the library that was much needed (the teen area) and purge parts of our collection that were no longer needed. The GBPL staff is excellent at managing these sorts of decisions and bringing sensible solutions before the board.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?A library is so much more than just a warehouse for books. Libraries have become community centers - places where people can go to research jobs, learn languages, battle depression (yes, GBPL has all these things) and also access computers, listen to music and of course, read. We are fortunate that our library is thriving in this economy; this is mostly due to our creative and frugal staff. Despite the state of financial affairs in Illinois, GBPL continually offers new and relevant services to its patrons, both in the physical building and on the internet. And the current board has been able to grant the staff the freedom to make our library an award-winning venue well within budget.