Aurora Library Board Questionnaire


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2	Please enter your name below exactly as it will be shown on the ballot.	Why are you running for Library Board and what qualifications do you have for that position?	As a board member elected at large, how will you ensure equal access to resources and relevant programing for all residents within the APL district?	What do you think the Library is currently doing well and what do you think can be improved upon?	How would you improve or defend current policies or processes related to transparency and accountablitity in regards to Aurora Public Library administration and management?	How can the Bookmobile be utilized optimally to better serve underserved populations?	What is your vision for the future of the Aurora Public Library and safeguarding its funding?	What is your position on censorship of literature and art?	After the election, how will the Board publicize the process and deadline for filling the two open Board positions, and what qualifications will you look for in candidates?

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4	Melinda Riddick	Aurora resident, who was appointed to the Aurora Public Library Board in 2018 and seeking election to the Aurora Public Library District Board in 2021 to continue service. Wanting to ensure that all residents that the Aurora Public Library District serves are meet.	Ensure current accessibility is maintained and if any known gaps are identified quickly work to resolve	Aurora Public Library District is doing a good at maintaining operations and services that meet the community needs it serves and also actively participating in seeking/developing other areas for continual enhanced service to the community.	Ensure that the Aurora Public Library District maintains transparency and accountability in accordance with the policies and procedures in the Bylaws of the Library.	Ensure proper staffing, set a regular cadence schedule for visits, and establish programs/events that meet needs for the areas the Bookmobile will serve.	Vision for Aurora Public Library District is to be on the forefront of offerings, programs, and services for the community that it serves. Plus maintain funding for the Library and investigate other applicable venues if viable.	Censorship of literature and art should be in compliance with any guidelines and requirements of Illinois law.	Board will follow the guidelines and requirements given by the Illinois Board of Elections for filling any open positions. Qualifications of candidates will also follow any guidelines/requirements by the Illinois Board of Elections.
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6	Matthew J Orr	I am running for the Library Board because I feel it is a great way to serve my community and when I previously ran for alderman in 2019, I talked with numerous residents about the West Branch Library which had a non-binding referendum to keep it where it is currently. I'm also a Democratic Precinct Committeeman in Aurora and active in the community.	As an board member, I would work with the community to offer satellite events sponsored by the Aurora Public Library District, In an effort to bring more programs to underserved neighborhoods throughout the City of Aurora.	I believe the library has done an outstanding job at providing programs virtually throughout the pandemic to residents. I think one area where we can improve is informing the public about all the different things a library can do for you other than just to read a book.	I would follow the Open Meetings Act and make sure the public has knowledge of decisions being made by the board.	I think we can utilize the bookmobile to serve underserved neighborhoods by surveying underserved areas of Aurora to bring more access to residents.	I would like have the library because more of an asset to residents while being fiscally responsible and striving to not raise taxes of the library district.	I support some censorship of literature and arts but understand that we do have the freedom of speech and we shouldn't completely erase the past for works of art or literature because of the times they were created in.	After the election, The board will publicize applications for the Library Board and qualifications that I will look for in candidates are how active they are in the community, as well as their knowledge of the library district.
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8	Joseph Filapek	I have over fifteen years experience working for, and in the service of, public libraries. Combined with my experience as the current vice-president of the Aurora Public Library District, I will bring knowledge of current APLD strategic initiatives along with an understanding of library trends and best practices. The public library is a uniquely democratic institution that has the ability to serve individuals from cradle to grave, and I believe the strongest communities invariably feature a strong and responsive library. I wish to remain on the board of the Aurora Public Library District to see that the library remains an indispensable resource for our residents.	Achieving equity in our programs and services can only be accomplished through intentional action. Two of the most important ways for a library board to take this intentional action is through policy setting and strategic planning. As a board member, I will commit to evaluating library policies through an equity lens that will require library policy be crafted in a way that is equitable to all residents. This is particularly important for polices related to use of library materials, the library collection development policy, and our policies on library programming. The APLD board recently added Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as a component of our strategic plan, and as a board member I will see that this strategic initiative be reflected in our initiatives.	First and foremost, the Aurora Public Library District has a dedicated staff committed to providing our residents with quality service. The library has built strong relationships in the community and has partnered with organizations vital to our residents to support the important work they do. Moving forward, the library can continue to strive for a consistency in programs and services across all of our facilities. While our users may see one particular library location as their "home" library, it is our goal for residents to truly see APLD as one library with multiple locations and to have a consistent experience wherever they go.	Transparency and accountability are most readily achieved through effective and regular communication. To improve upon our existing processes, the library board can work with management to see that regular reports are made available to the public - and to make sure these reports are produced in such a way that are logical and easy to understand for taxpayers. The board should continue finding ways to engage with our users, scheduling additional "listening sessions" as we did in 2019 and to continue rotating board meetings at different locations. The library does not belong to the board, to the staff, or to any other subset of individuals - it belongs to the people of the Aurora Public Library District, and it is thus our obligation to keep our residents informed.	For many of our residents, the Aurora Public Library District Bookmobile IS the library. It is important that we are strategic when considering the routes and schedule the bookmobile follows, so that it may be utilized by the greatest number of individuals. As with any service, the bookmobile does not exist if people don't know what it is or how to use it. So our marketing and outreach to communities that will benefit the most from the bookmobile needs to be prioritized.	The Aurora Public Library District is positioned to play a critical role as we move towards a post-pandemic period. Job seekers and small business owners will increasingly look to the library for resources. Students will need the many electronic resources available to them in support of their learning. And those who have discovered or re-discovered their love of reading during this pandemic will depend on the library for discovery of their next great read. The library will need to do all these things and more as we move forward, and will need to do so in a way that combines traditional services and resources with the digital/virtual environment. All of these things require adequate and sustained funding. As a board member, it is my responsibility to see that the library has adequate funding to support our mission. This will be accomplished through strategic budgeting, advocating our legislators on a state and federal level, and pursuing grant funding opportunities as they become available.	I believe that freedom of expression through literature and art is foundational to a democratic society. And as one of our country's most democratic institutions, it is crucial that libraries reject attempts to censor material. While the library has an obligation to abide by the policies that guide material selection, having a collection that presents differing viewpoints is crucial to fostering an informed, critical-thinking citizenry.	I would expect APLD to utilize our website and social media to find additional candidates for the two open Board positions, in addition to traditional word-of-mouth promotion. It is my hope that the Library will also reach out to other organizations and networks that will ensure we are recruiting a diverse pool of candidates. While the most critical qualification for a board member is a commitment and desire for the library to succeed in serving the community, it is important that the board accurately reflects the diversity of Aurora in all possible ways.
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10	Paul LaTour	As a lifelong supporter and patron of public libraries, I believe they are an essential part of any community. And the Aurora Public Library District is no different. Becoming a Trustee would provide me an opportunity to play a role in the continued success of the library. In addition, my decision to run for the position came from my desire to give back to the community my wife and I have called home since 2004. My qualifications include having a working knowledge of libraries after earning a Library Technical Assistant certificate from Joliet Junior College last summer. I also have experience in leadership positions as a past member of the Board of Directors for Culture Stock, an Aurora-based community arts organization. Libraries are important to me and I will approach my duties responsibly and with enthusiasm.	Public libraries are built on providing equal access to resources and relevant programming. As a Trustee, I will be a strong advocate for ensuring this continues at APLD. I will support the staff in responding to censorship efforts and to see that every resident of APLD is provided equal access to materials and programming.	Under its current leadership, I believe the library is doing many things very well, including how it has handled the ongoing challenges of COVID-19. I’ve been impressed with how well the management and staff have responded to the pandemic, which includes creating Curbside Hold Pickups and Browse & Go services, and arranging ways in which patrons can still use the public computers. This shows the staff’s willingness to ensuring access to materials for as much of the community as possible. I often use the Curbside Hold Pickup service and can attest to how smoothly it runs and what a valuable service for Aurorans to have at this time.	Under the current leadership, I feel the administration and management do a fine job in the areas of transparency and accountability. The Your Library 2020 and Beyond campaign was an excellent example of that. Among other steps taken to explain its request for a $14.7 million levy increase, a dedicated a page on the APL website was created so community members could see the details for themselves about why the increase was necessary. There is also an extensive FAQ section at the bottom of the page. In the future, I would ensure that anything we propose to do with taxpayer money will be made clear to the community through all necessary means of communication.	The first order of business regarding the Bookmobile would be to complete the process that has already begun to replace the existing vehicle. It is vital for the Bookmobile to meet the community’s needs and the APL Outreach Services Department seems to be meeting that goal (or at least before COVID hit, putting the program on hold). I wrote “seems” because I am not familiar enough with the program yet to assess how well it is responding to underserved communities. As a Trustee, I will champion efforts to reach our underserved populations and the Bookmobile provides one way to do that by meeting them in their neighborhoods. Outreach is an important part of this whole process.	My vision for APLD’s future involves continued growth and meeting the needs of our community. Libraries are reinventing themselves in the 21st century and I want to make sure APLD doesn't fall behind. Funding can be a tricky enterprise but as long as we are open with our budget needs and can provide concrete reasons for every dollar spent, we will be going a long way toward safeguarding the library’s funding. The bottom line is, nothing should be a secret about what we do, especially when it comes to the budget and how tax dollars are being spent.	I strongly support the tenets of the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read statement (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement). As a Trustee, I would encourage the library leadership and staff to trust their knowledge and expertise when assessing the merits of what items belong in the library’s collection without undue pressure from outside groups or individuals. Regarding art exhibits and displays, I support the APLD’s current policies (https://aurora.libnet.info/images/pdfs/aurora/Exhibit_Display_Policy.pdf). If an item or items are found to be in violation of the permitted uses, the process and reasons for removal will be made in a transparent way to the public. My background includes serving as the American Society of Journalists and Authors’ representative to the national Banned Books Week Committee for two years, which I believe gives me a unique perspective on the topic.	This is something that will need to be discussed in depth once the new Trustees are seated. For now, I can say that I will push for this process to be as open and transparent as possible. We will likely publicize the positions through local media as well as the library’s social media channels. Qualifications should include the same ones that are in place for the election: candidates must have lived within the district for at least one year. Also, a person is not eligible to serve as a library trustee who is in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the library district or has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony. (75 ILCS 16/30-20(e))
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12	Ryan Cytryn	Ryan has over 20 years of experience in the areas of management, operations, finance, human resources, and client interaction. He has a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in finance, and a Master’s in manufacturing engineering. He is a past board member at a volunteer ambulance corps, where he provided leadership oversight of human resources issues, and participated in the development of a new state-of-the-art headquarters. He currently works as a manager in the STEM field, with responsibility for customer- and business-driven process improvement activities at multiple sites across the US. He is running for the Library Board so that he can bring his broad background and deep understanding of utilizing best practices to best meet the needs of the community. He will work with the Library Board, staff, and the public to continuously enhance the quality of the services provided to the people of Aurora.