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Endorsements: Tenyer, Lucas for Barrington Area Library board.

Two incumbents and two challengers are seeking the two available six-year seats on the Barrington Area Library Board of Trustees.

All four are capable leaders with a clear appreciation for the library and the services and programs it offers.

Denise Tenyer, a business owner and educator from Barrington, is seeking her second term on a board she has served variously as both secretary and treasurer, in addition to working on leadership committees. She is deeply familiar with the challenges and opportunities facing the library and speaks with energy and passion about the many ways the library strives to connect with patrons and the community.

Jennifer Lucas, also of Barrington, was appointed to the library board just as the pandemic was beginning to rage in the summer of 2020. She brings the experience of an attorney and the activities of a community volunteer with numerous agencies and initiatives to the race in hopes of gaining a full term in which to help the library emerge from the impact of COVID-19.

Johanna "Josie" Croll, of Barrington Hills, is a particularly compelling challenger who, in addition to her familiarity with the library's offerings, has dug deep into its financial operations and has concerns about the size of the institution's cash reserves.

Anne Ordway, a commercial real estate sales professional from Barrington, rounds out the field with a desire to help the library keep up with technological innovations and the "perspective of an avid user and insatiable reader."

It is always encouraging to see such a capable group of candidates vying for local office. Only two can be elected here, however. Tenyer's high degree of knowledge about library operations and her leadership experiences on the board make her a natural candidate for endorsement. Lucas is still finding her footing on the library board, but even so, she has nearly a year's head start on the challengers in studying the library's workings from the inside.

We are impressed with Croll's passion and depth of research on financial matters, and we recognize that her independent voice could be useful on the board. But no one denies that the library is well-run, both in terms of its finances and its programs, and given their inside experience on the board and clear passion for the library, we are drawn to Tenyer and Lucas. They are endorsed.

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