Ron Friedman: Candidate Profile

Back to Warren-Newport Library Board 6-year term

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: GurneeWebsite: N/AOffice sought: Warren-Newport Library Board 6-year term Age: 54Family: Older brother Joel, younger sister Linda. Father, deceased (2008); Mother, Ann; raised in Skokie, moved to Gurnee in 2007. I'm between marriages and a happy dog dad to my American Eskimo named Koko.Occupation: For-Word Thinking Writing Editing Services, ownerEducation: Master's in English Education (Lehman College, Bronx, NY); Bachelor's in English (Northeastern Illiois University (Chicago); Northwestern University School of Continuing Studiesâ#8364;#8220;Business Writing and Communication; Trustee Training Silver Certificate (North Suburban Library System; mine was the last awarded before the NSLS closed its doors)Civic involvement: Founding officer and current president of Hutchins Oaks Townhome Association (elected to third two-year term); Lake County Sheriff's Office Outstanding Achievement Award (Spring 2013 Citizen Police Academy); Warren-Newport Public Library District board vice president (elected trustee in April 2009); Greater Waukegan Development Coalition participant/attendee; Invited to deliver commissioned poem for UMMA fundraising event, Waukegan 2013; Participate in various open mic poetry nights (e.g., ArtWauk, Swing State); local activist working to hold local taxing bodies accountable to their constituents: the taxpayersElected offices held: Warren-Newport Public Library District trustee, elected to six-year term, April 2009. Elected secretary to Hutchins Oaks Townhome Association board, 2007. Elected president to Hutchins Oaks Townhome AssociationQuestions 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 love my community and have always loved libraries. After serving on my townhome association board and learning parliamentary procedures and Illinois statutes concerning condominium and master associations I saw a posting in the library about vacancies for the upcoming election and thought it would be a good fit for my skills and knowledge. I have continued to learn a lot about public libraries and its funding sources and expenses after serving for six years. I believe my skills and knowledge would continue to benefit the district. I ask questions others don't. I've gotten push-back, and that has helped me rely on principles. Public office demands respect. That respect goes all the back to our Constitution and the founding principles that support a deliberative body deciding issues collectively for the good of the most, not the best for the few. The library has seen monumental changes, in technology, programming, renovations, and the board has had difficulties. Some of those difficulties are in the past, some need to be resolved so the library's constituents continue to get what they ought to expect to get: The very best services in reading and viewing materials along with engaging presenations for all age groups. The district also needs a more tightly focused mid to longer term strategy, which I think includes smaller space(s) along the west, north or south stretches of the district borders. One central location lacks the convenience many of our patrons desire.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.Believe it or not, the trustees did not have email addresses when I came on the board in May 2009. One of my first challenges was to persuade the board that having an email address would help trustees communicate more effectively with each other and those in the community who might want to connect with the board. I love to learn so an early initiative I helped lead was to create a trustee development committee. Besides being appointed by my peers on the board to serve on the finance committee, I was given the opportunity to chair the trustee development committee for about two years until the new board voted to revoke its "charter" so to speak. I was the first to videotape board meetings and broadcast them on Comcast's public access channel and spearheaded the effort to make board meetings transparent to the public by creating a policy for the library to videotape its open meetings. This measure was voted down several times, argued against by the former library director before a new board finally approved the action. Since then all open board meetings are video and audiotaped and posted to the library's website. I have attended Illinois Library Association and American Library Association forums, conferences and library law workshops and legislative breakfasts, continually gaining new insights and information to help our library district be the best it can be. I am asking the voters for an opportunity to continue to do that to the best of my abilities.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?I have had a library card in every town, city or village I've lived and love visiting and hanging out at libraries outside of my district too. University and college libraries have been hidden gems of discovery during my life. I practically grew up in the Skokie Public Library, spent many hours in the New York Public Library when I lived in New York during the 90s. I have had a WNPLD library card since 2007 or so when I moved to the area from Buffalo Grove, where I frequented the Indian Trails and Northbrook Public Library. As a trustee, I attended a University of Chicago Graham School of Continuing Studies tour of the then-new Mansueto Library, and a half-day forum on four library topics presented by library professionals. I use my library card about a few times a month, mostly my phone to renew books and the website to place holds or order an inter-libary loan (ILL) book. I also use the library's small meeting rooms to get work done.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.The space problem at Warren-Newport Public Library was resolved by the previous board in approving an $8 million expansion and renovation program. This successfully allowed the staff to do their best work in a less cramped environment, behind "the house" areas that the patrons would be unfamiliar with. The patrons benefited too, with updated lighting and design elements, new areas created for the district's important demographics, such as the teen space, children's reading room, small vending area and new small and larger meeting rooms used for the library's many excellent programs funded by Friends of Warren-Newport Public Library District, the district's unsung heroes and in a very real sense its most consistent "guardian angels." Parking space is the continuing and prevailing problem but there is not much the board can do except consider purchasing adjacent or nearby properties to create more parking. Rather than look at spacing inside the library building as a problem, however, I see it as an opportunity. An opportunity to grow and expand the library's collections and users by looking to a satellite location, such as other library districts have done. Indian Trails Public Library, for example, primarily serving the Wheeling and Buffalo Grove areas, rented a small storefront in a strip mall. I see people inside reading and checking out or returning books every time I'm by there. We could have something like that, helping those who may not want to schlep "all the way" to our one O'Plaine location (not including the Bookmobile!).What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?The economic impact on libraries has been huge. No I take that back, it has been H-U-G-E. As a result of loss of state funding the North Suburban Library System (which was headquartered on Dundee in Wheeling) went kaput. It was forced to close its doors, wonderful organization comprising the very best and most committed librarian professionals. (Some WNPLD employees cut their librarianship teeth there.) Our library retains system services through RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System), which formed in the aftermath of NSLS's demise, but the economic effects have come from the disastrous housing bust in 2008 and beyond. The valuation or rather the devaluation of home prices and stagnant housing market has a direct negative effect on the revenue the library can count on. As these projected revenues dwindled, the previous director presented many fiscal challenges to the board that we continue, along with our talented and exuberant new director, confront. Technology helps libraries despite the rumor that libraries are irrelevant because of technology. First of all, the library allows its users to save a lot of money taking PS3 or Nintendo video and computer games out for free. The library offer downloadable books and audiobooks that aren't cheap if you had to buy them. Technology has a cyclical nature too. People of all ages know the truer value of sitting and relaxing in a public place with others and not isolating in front of a screen at home all the time. Libraries are cool and fun. Period.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The library serves as a touchstone of learning in the community. Because Warren-Newport Public Library is a district library, its reach extends to many communities: All or most of Warren and Newport Townships, including Gurnee, Wadsworth, Park City, Wildwood, Grandwood Park, Old Mill Creek, and portions of Grayslake, Millburn, Lake Villa, Libertyville and Waukegan. Its responsibility to learners of all ages in all school districts remains immense. Our staff libarians and advocates do a great job fostering and furthering ties to the educators and students within our district, but that certainly could be an area for further innovation and bridge-building. Our young ones today could be lost if we fail to show them the wonders that a library brings and provides. A look into local government is one door we could help open. I am passionate about the "of the people, for the people, by the people" country we inherited from our founding mothers and fathers. Why not partner with civic classes at the high schools for examples of a local library board meeting? Perhaps sponsor a debate club meeting where we learn from each other what Robert's Rules of Order parliamentary procedures are all about? Why they're crucial to holding effective public meetings? I would like to see students get out with video cameras and tape other public municipal organizations. Nuts-and-bolts democracy in action. I would like to explore documentary or local film festivals. The large meeting room would be a perfect go-to destination for the culturally savvy.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Sojourner Truth. She could have played it safe and nobody would have blamed her. But she risked it all to save so many.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?That sometimes the best, most productive, safest action I could take was open a book. And read the day away. Again and again.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I don't live in the world of If, And or But. And neither do you. Every day is a do-over. Let's do better.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English was my favorite subject and pretty much still is. It helped me learn from others, experience vicariously, and read voraciously. And write pretty well.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Pursue interests with passion, thoughtfulness, persistence and patience. Pray past temporary obstacles and commit to the one undying Teacher to help love others, especially enemies.