Cook Memorial library board candidates have different reasons for running
The candidates for the Cook Memorial Public Library District board have very different motivations for running.
Six people are vying for four seats with 4-year terms in the April 2 election: incumbents Wendy Vieth, Nathan Johnson and Jim Larson; and challengers Karen Singer, Jennifer Banek and Gayle Tavares.
Operating libraries in Libertyville and Vernon Hills, the district serves residents of those towns, as well as Green Oaks, Mettawa, Indian Creek, Mundelein, Lake Forest and neighboring unincorporated areas.
The candidates discussed why they're running and other issues in Daily Herald questionnaires.
Johnson, a Vernon Hills resident who's been on the library board since 2010, said he's occasionally been the only board member from that village and wants to ensure its residents are represented.
Johnson, who works in information technology, said he's focused on the expansion of the Aspen Drive Library in Vernon Hills, a roughly $6.8 million project that's just getting underway and should be completed this fall.
Vieth, a Libertyville resident who joined the library board in 2008, said being a trustee has been an honor, and she hopes to extend her service.
A sales manager in the gift industry, Vieth said making sure the Aspen Drive Library expansion is completed on time and on budget is a priority.
She also said the libraries must keep up with patrons' changing needs, providing new technological products, subscription services and creative spaces as they evolve.
Banek, a Green Oaks resident who's never held public office, said she's running because residents "should take a vested interest in leading community initiatives."
A certified registered nurse anesthesiologist and a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve, Banek cited the district's aging bookmobile as a top concern and said she wants to explore options for maintaining the service.
Larson, a Libertyville engineer who's been on the board since 2015, said the libraries must remain public access points for information and knowledge, especially in the internet age.
Singer, a travel agency administrator from Vernon Hills, said she's running because of her lifelong love and respect for libraries, their employees and their patrons.
She said she's passionate about library programs, particularly events that can build cultural and ethnic awareness.
"There is so much cultural richness to learn about," Singer said.
Tavares, a Vernon Hills resident who's never held public office, called libraries "an integral part of the community."
"I feel that I can use my skills and experience to contribute to providing lifelong learning for all community members in the district," said Tavares, a retired teacher.