Emily Gilbert: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Emily Gilbert

City: Hoffman Estates

Office sought: Schaumburg Township District Library Trustee

Age: 34

Family: I am married to Geoff Gilbert of Schaumburg and we have a two-year-old daughter, Alexandra. I am the daughter of Nan and Doug Van Eynde of Lake in the Hills, IL.

Occupation: I am an academic librarian at Rasmussen College in Rockford, IL

Education: I have a Master of Science in Library and Information Science from Drexel University and a Bachelor of Arts in French from Carthage College

Civic involvement: I have attended most of the library board meetings for the past year.

Previous elected offices held: None

Incumbent: If yes, when were first elected? No

Website: HTTPS://emilyforschaumburg.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/emilyforschaumburg

Twitter:

Issue questions

What are the most important issues facing your library district and how do you intend to address them?

Schaumburg Township is incredibly diverse: over 40 percent of the population speaks a language other than English at home, and 30 percent are foreign-born - more than double the rate in Illinois as a whole. I feel it is very important for the library to support these patrons through foreign-language materials and through literacy and citizenship programs, and I want to ensure that these initiatives remain a priority in the years to come.

Furthermore, it is important to me that the library's collections are depictive of all of its patrons. Every visitor should be able to see themselves represented in literature, media, and other materials - and they should be able to learn about others in substantive, meaningful ways, too. For example, children should be able to check out books with protagonists who are diverse in race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, and physical ability, and adults should have access to media from non-Western creators. I am strongly committed to diversity and inclusion and will work to ensure that representation remains a priority in the library and that patrons are encouraged to explore literature and media outside their comfort zone.

Why are you running for office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what is it?

Since becoming a parent, I have become more active in my community, and I wanted to get more involved with the library specifically because it's my favorite place in the Township. I'm a professional librarian and I'm passionate about the way libraries enrich the lives of their patrons. Out of curiosity, I attended a program on library workers in elected office at the 2017 Illinois Library Association annual conference, and I realized that I could bring a lot to the library board through the unique perspective of being both a patron and a librarian. I have attended most of the board meetings over the past year to prepare, and I am excited about the opportunity to use my strengths to serve my community.

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.

If elected, I will be the only trustee who is also a librarian. In the 10 years since getting my Master's in Library and Information Science, I have worked in college libraries and feel strongly about the contemporary challenges facing the field, such as equitable access, intellectual freedom, and closing the digital divide. I plan to be an advocate for such values on the board.

Also, while the library is well-loved by its patrons, there will always be citizens in our community who underuse the library or don't use it at all. Promoting awareness of the library is something I already do among friends and family, and I look forward to more impactful support if I am elected as a trustee.

Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?

I have had a library card since preschool, and part of the reason I became a librarian is because of the endless fond memories I had from my library growing up. I attended all kinds of story times and craft programs at my hometown library in Algonquin - and checked out piles and piles of books with every visit. I was also a regular attendee of a monthly poetry and open mic program as an adolescent, and the teen librarian who ran that program was my mentor throughout library school.

I got a card at the Schaumburg Township District Library shortly after moving to Hoffman Estates in 2008, and I've had one ever since. I'm still an avid reader, so I use the library all the time to check out books - both in print and on my tablet. I've also used many of the databases available to library patrons - especially Consumer Reports before any home-improvement purchase. Plus, my daughter loves to play in the enchanted forest in the Kids Zone and check out new picture books, so she's already hooked, too.

What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?

Libraries have always had to evolve with technology to best serve their patrons. As a child, I learned to use card catalogs to find materials, and now patrons can access the library's entire holdings with a few taps on their smartphone. Libraries used to offer vinyl albums and cassette tapes, and now there are services like Freegal for streaming and downloadable music. People may most closely associate libraries with books, but a modern library like ours offers much more! Jobseekers can attend programs and consult with career coaches to make their search more effective. Community members can take ELL courses, practice English, and prepare for the U.S. citizenship exam. Curious residents can learn about the history of the township or trace their family linages. Budding crafters can improve their skills with courses through CreativeBug. And the library serves as a community meeting space, especially with the new Commons and Workshop areas on the ground floor. The library already does a great job of looking to the future with its evolving spaces, and it should continue to promote its expanded services to the community to raise awareness of all it has to offer in our changing society.