Candace McCreary: 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: StreamwoodWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Poplar Creek Library Board Age: 60Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Sociology ProfessorEducation: BA University of Southern California MA College of William and MaryCivic involvement: Girl Scouts of USAElected offices held: 2009-2015 Poplar Creek Public Library District Trustee 1995-2005 Fire/Police Commission Village of Streamwood 1993-1995 Village of Streamwood Board of Trustees 1991-1993 Fire/Police Commission Vilage of Streamwood 1987-1991 Plan Comission Village of StreamwoodQuestions 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 am running for my second term, I feel the need that all the citizens of our district need representation and I don't feel that has always been met.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 have lead the initiative to have a Salary Structure Compensation Program to be able to justify taxpayers dollars spent on salaries in the library. I am in the process of leading the initiative to tie work performance to merit increases. I lead the initiative to raise the minimum wage that the library pays to $10.00 per hour. I also co-sponsored initiatives with past Trustee Schroeder for a better website that included transparency of the Library's financial documents and policies.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes, since 1986 or 1987 when I moved here from California. I use it weekly for books, videos and museum passes.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.We have enough space in the library but it needs to be better utilized with more comfortable furniture to encourage reading in the library.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?Our library is a 21st century library, and has computers, ipads and printers available on site and we have web-based printing available from home to be picked up at the Main library. We have free scanning technology available to patrons. We are in the the current process of doing our strategic plan for 2015-2020 and we are going out to the community with a survey to see if a media lab is wanted by our patrons for video and audio recordings before committing taxpayer dollars to this idea.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I would like to see a better more pro-active approach to customer service in our library.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis because he speaks truth about topics the church has not been willing to address in the past and I am not Catholic.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To listen carefully what is being said and what is meant by it.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Not being afraid of asking the boy I liked in high school to the prom.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Sociology, it helped by knowing how to deal with others from other backgrounds and to have an open mind.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Life is to be enjoyed and so should everything you do.