RAILS Board of Directors Election - Candidate Profiles

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
Currently, I am on the Planning Committee for the Resource Sharing Alliance, representing academic libraries. As previously mentioned, I was a member of the subcommittee for the Future of Library Systems in Illinois. I previously served as the recording secretary for our local chapter of the League of Women Voters. While living in Kansas, I was the vice-president for the academic section of the Kansas Library Association. In my professional capacity, I am the Learning Resources Center Coordinator and sole librarian at Black Hawk College, East Campus. As such, I direct the daily operations of the library, media services, and our Independent Learning Center. This involves being responsible for budgets, supervision of staff, collection development, library instruction, and other relevant duties.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
Work experience: Leadership positions at Naperville Public Library, Illinois Library Association, American Library Association; New York Public Library; New Jersey State Library; Chicago Public Library; Yale University; Brown University. Significant contributions as a member leader in ALA, ILA and other library associations. Particularly relevant to advocacy are - serving on the inaugural ALA Advocacy Committee and, as ILA President, working to establish the ILA Advocacy Committee. Active in local civic and service organizations. As a consultant, worked with libraries, associations, municipalities, school districts. Served as VP in a human resources company, owned an allied health practice.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
As the Director of the Joliet Public Library, I have led a large urban/suburban library that is a part of a predominately rural system and the largest member of our LLSAP. This experience has provided me with an understanding and appreciation of the needs of libraries of all sizes and types - knowledge that will be extremely beneficial as we merge five disparate systems. Throughout my career, I have shown myself capable of productively and proactively working with elected officials, the business community, and community organizations to further the mission of libraries and build the relationships necessary to ensure their continued success and growth. I have also been an active member of the Missouri Library Association, ILA, and ALA - having presented at conferences and served on several committees. Finally, my membership on the Communications Subcommittee of the Merger Design Team and the Funding Taskforce of the Future of Illinois Library Cooperation group has given me a strong grounding in the issues, challenges, and potential solutions that the Board will be acting upon as it moves forward.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
I have been the church council chairman for my church for the past 2 years and a council member for a year before that. I also lead a missions team to Arizona every year for the last 8 years.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
Current memberships and activities: American Association of Law Libraries Technical Service Special Interest Section Member, Awards Committee, 2009- Member, Editorial Board, Technical Services Law Librarian, 2008- Chicago Association of Law Libraries Member, Awards Committee, 2008-2009 Member, Community Service Committee, 2009- Member, Internet Committee, 2010- Illinois Library Association Metropolitan Library System Member, Academic Advisory Committee, 2009-2010 REFORMA: The Association to Promote Library Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking Co-chair, Recruitment and Mentoring Committee, 2003-2005 Wisconsin/Illinois Innovative Users Group Board member, 2008-2010 Chair, Local Arrangements Committee, 2010 national Innovative Users Group conference Previous selected activities: * 20+ years professional library experience in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Illinois * Founder of Colorado Springs Interest Group of the Colorado Library Association, to encourage multitype networking

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
Currently serving on PLA (Public Library Association) committees: RWA Awards committee, International Librarianship and Marketing Committees. I am also a member of the LLAMA (Library Leadership & Management Association) and ILA (Illinois Library Association)and the Adult Reading Round Table. Positions I've worked in the library: shelver, circulation clerk, outreach and homebound delivery, manager of youth/young adult services and adult services departments. I've volunteered for the Boy Scouts and at church to teach religious education classes.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
I was a Public Library Director in both PALS (in Savanna 1983 -1995) and ALS (in Towanda 2008 - present) so I've learned to adapt to the diverse culture of various systems while working at the front-line level. As Director of Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center, I worked with librarians in the five library systems of the MITBC service region, so I know many rural and urban librarians from my first-hand experience of actually visiting their libraries and listening to their stories. During my 15-year career at Alliance Library System, I was a management team member, Youth Services consultant, newsletter editor, web supervisor, as well as communications/partnerships director so I understand the workings of a library system - from the inside out - so to speak. I serve on the Executive Committee of the State Board of Rural Partners, a public/private partnership of state and federal agencies and private sector corporations, now in my fourth 3-year term. This board consists of people from across the State. I have experience lobbying on behalf of libraries in both D.C. and Springfield. I am past president of the Bloomington-Normal chapter of the Association of Women in Communication and winner of their Crystal Award for crystal clear communication, along with other marketing awards. I have experience talking to reporters to explain library issues in a manner that matters to the public. I am a proven communicator and plan to actively communicate relevant system information to member librarians. I am a member of the Illinois Library Association Marketing Committee and served on the 2010 Conference Planning Team. In addition to my degree in library science, I have a Master's in counseling which gives me unique insights into consensus/relationship building. Named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker in 2005, I believe I have the broad vision required to favorably influence the development of library service in Illinois. If my imagination could conceive of PIGS, The Great Librarian Recruiting Adventure, The Veteran's History Project video, and The Libraries Matter Campaign, I believe I can help to envision a new and promising future for Illinois library systems. I'm willing to represent you and listen to your needs!

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
I am an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. I was elected as a trustee to the Homewood Public Library District in 2005 and I was just re-elected for another six-year term. I have served as president and vice president of HPLD. In 2010, I was elected to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Library District. I am also a member of the American Library Association and the Illinois Library Association. I have served on the Homewood Zone Board of Appeals and I have aided other community organizations.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
I have over 50 years of experience in public service, having begun my career as a page at the Campbell, California Public Library my sophomore year in high school; 1960. I then went on to serve as a draftsman for the City of San Jose, California, and retired in 1997 as a Professional Engineer with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (BS in Electrical and Environmental Engineering; MBA in Accounting). I then took an MS in Computer Science and worked in that field until 2009 when I fully retired.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
In addition to regular financial and policy issues in Berwyn, as board President I managed the hiring of a director, steered our Strategic Planning committee, and am currently helping to shape the long-term use of a financial bequest. During my term on the MLS board I was an active participant in the Future of Illinois planning through ILA along with actively lobbying for systems funding in Springfield. My day-to-day work is as Director for Membership Development at the American Library Association, a position which keeps me very current in trends around the profession and allows me access to a wide community of support for libraries.

Please note any activities or areas of expertise that would be good background experience and of value to the RAILS Board:
My professional skills include strategic planning, government relations, organizational development and programing. Having a career in association work, I understand the infrastructure needs of an organization designed to serve the needs of "members" that require a specific range of resources and support. I have (or currently) serve on the Board of community organizations, educational foundations, associations, chamber of commerce, tourism and convention bureau and a public library. A common factor is the need to provide the needed value-added scope of services and resources in a cost-effective manner. These are just a few examples of my professional background and experience in terms of how I would serve the needs of RAILS.