Daniel Matzkin: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Daniel Matzkin

City: Lake Zurich, IL

Office sought: Ela Area Library Board 4-year term

Age: 33

Family: Wife (Lauren), one daughter, one son

Occupation: Accountant, CPA

Education: Marquette University BA, Loyola University of Chicago MSA

Civic involvement: Lake Zurich Lions Club

Previous elected offices held: None

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected?

Website:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MatzkinForLibraryTrustee

Twitter:

Issue questions

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

Community outreach and fiscal responsibility. I want the library to take an increasingly active role and be a beacon of learning in our community. The library should be impactful for all members of the community, including the youngest members, to our senior population. That begins with a library where all are welcome to fuel their quest for knowledge. That can be a parent taking the first steps to develop their child's literacy, elementary school children attending story time in a different language, high school students researching college scholarships, or one of our senior citizens learning a new language or skill. In addition, it is imperative that due to the library receiving its funding through tax payer dollars, we must be diligent in how we use those funds. It is important that we are deliberate and calculated in our spending to make the library financially efficient. As a certified public accountant, I have experience in fiscal responsibility and project management, which I am confident applying on the library board as a trustee.

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

What motivates me is a call to service for our community. Growing up, the library was an incredibly exciting place to go. It was a place outside of school that continued to reinforce that powerful message that continuously seeking knowledge is important. As our community continues to grow, I feel it is essential for everyone to have that same opportunity.

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 would be a voice for the families who are raising young children in Ela's library district. All families have a vested interest in the library's continued success, not only as a place for children to experience the joy of reading, but also as a place for a lifetime of learning. In addition, I would also bring my financial skills as a certified public accountant. I frequently deal with finance, taxes, and budgets. It is my goal for the library to be an example of fiscal responsibility.

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 I was a child. My family and I use our library cards frequently.

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 been impacted both by economic and technological changes. The economic impact, speaks to the fact that libraries are funded by taxpayers. We have a responsibility to eliminate wasteful spending, in order to allow the library to pursue investments that keep our library moving forward. By moving forward, we will keep our library relevant in the technological age. My view is that in order to stay relevant in the technology age, we must listen to our community and ensure that the library is fulfilling its promise to give the members what they need, in order to achieve its mission and promise. That can be anything from, increasing the number of books that the library has on hand (paper, e-books, etc.), having classes to teach the most cutting edge technology, providing access to DVDs, video games, or simply a safe place for community members to meet and discuss new ideas.