Jillian Roase Bernas: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Jillian Rose Bernas

City: Schaumburg

Office sought: Board of Library Trustee, Schaumburg Township District Library

Age: 36

Family: Angel Garcia, husband

Occupation: International Relations Manager

Education: Bachelor of Arts, Saint Mary's College - Notre Dame, Master of Education, University of Notre Dame, Master of Public Policy, Universidad de Chile, Master of Arts in Public Policy, University of Chicago

Civic involvement: Township of Schaumburg, Mental Health Committee Member (2016 - present), Secretary (2018 - present), Rotary Club Member, Schaumburg - Hoffman Estates Rotary Club (2016 - 2018), Schaumburg AM Club (2018 - present), ESL Teacher, Church of the Holy Spirit (2015 - present), Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association, Member (2017 - present), Schaumburg Historical Society, Member (2016 - present), WINGS, volunteer (2016 - present)

Previous elected offices held: Schaumburg Township District Library Trustee (2015 - present)

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? 2015

Website:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillianRoseBernas/

Twitter: @jillianbernas

Issue questions

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

The Schaumburg Township District Library Board is preparing for various capital improvement projects to the building that will come due in the next five years and will require considerable funding. A needs assessment was recently conducted on various systems in the building and we will work on a plan to prioritize these needs and map out a financial plan for their fulfillment. I intend to work towards a plan that carefully provides for these projects over time by dedicating resources every year from our funds and tax levies instead of raising additional resources by going to referendum. Although a changing world has impacted how our library is being utilized, we still continue to welcome large number of patrons and visitors to the building. We need to make sure we steward our resources wisely so that our community can rely on great library infrastructure for many years to come.

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

The Schaumburg Township District Library is run by outstanding professionals. I always hear compliments from patrons about our staff and the important work they do. We already have many experienced librarians on staff with great ideas. I see my role on the Board as an advocate for the taxpayers in our district, to approve a budget that respects taxpayer resources and to oversee policies that govern the library and make it a great place. Working for my community and being a voice of reason motivates me to seek reelection. I serve as a counterbalance so that great ideas stay within budget and serve the community while correctly stewarding their dollars.

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.

Asking good questions is important, always. Sometimes people stop asking questions because they feel like they know everything already or they are embarrassed. When I first was elected to the Board, I started asking questions about how we had been budgeting our dollars and what we could do to help taxpayers. There were people that didn't like this and called me ignorant because of it. I have learned that people get defensive when the status quo is questioned, but I continued to ask good, sometimes hard questions. After a while, I noticed my colleagues begin to ask more questions too. This has been my biggest contribution and has especially proved important as we began the undertaking of important capital improvement projects, like renovating the first floor of the building. It also brought us to a compromise this budget cycle and lowered the percentage increase of the tax levy over the previous year. I will continue to work on behalf of taxpayers and help bring them the best services at the most reasonable cost.

Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?

I have always had a Schaumburg Township District Library card since I was a small child in the community. I was born and raised here in Schaumburg and learned to read at the former library location on Library Lane. I used materials there to complete research projects and study, and continued those activities at the current location when the building was built in 1998. In college and graduate school, I saved money on textbooks, checking them out of the library instead. I took Excel classes there to be more marketable and get one of my first jobs. When I lived abroad, I would download books for the long trips there and back and now I check out the collection of travel books for international work trips. I have recently become acquainted with the new online lending platform Hoopla and regularly check out the online materials. My husband and I were married last year and he moved to Schaumburg. He now has his library card too.

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 Schaumburg Township District Library collects various metrics and uses them to monitor changes in library use. This helps the Board make informed decisions. This data also helps us anticipate the needs of our patrons. There are various macro trends that have impacted our library. For example, more individuals are accessing information on their personal devices instead of using the library computers. We responded by improving our systems to accommodate that level of usage while providing more places to charge these devices. At the same time, we are monitoring library computer usage and using that information to help make future purchasing decisions. This data is reviewed on a monthly basis and compared against previous years. We also refine the data collected when needed. It helps us provide library services that anticipate changes in the fast-paced world around us instead of just reacting to them.