> Why are you interested in serving the Bedford community in this capacity and what do you consider your primary qualifications?
I have extensive experience as a Board member of non-profit organizations, and it has been a privilege and a delight to serve as a Bedford Library Trustee for the past 12 years.
I was an integral part of developing our last two 5-year Strategic Plans, helped write the guidelines for the use of Library endowment assets, played a key role in our successful application for a Federal grant, and initiated numerous outdoor improvements. This I continue to do.
If elected, I would provide continuity and an historical perspective useful to the Board. I’m deeply committed to the mission we share: to thoughtfully craft Library policies, and oversee their implementation; to safeguard our State and Municipal funding; to support our staff and administration; to facilitate free and open access to information, and information literacy for all; and to stalwartly support the public right to intellectual freedom.
> What would your “dream” Library look like?
My “dream” library would continue to provide state of the art information and media services (books, e-books, audiobooks, music, film/video, periodicals, etc.) as well as engaging programming for all members of our diverse community, young and old.
It would provide access to new, cutting edge technologies (I’d love us to get a 3-d printer and two large Apple computers), serving Bedford as a vibrant nexus of collaboration and innovation.
It would include two laptop bars, comfortable leather seating, as well as a pay-by-the- cup coffee/tea machine, on our underutilized “mezzanine” (third floor).
It would also offer additional lovely outdoor seating, improved bike racks, and beautiful decorative plantings. And it would showcase works of public art on our campus, such as library-themed mosaics, to decorate exterior walls that are now uninspiring bare cement.
> Bedford’s demographics are changing. Our population is aging and we have an increasing number of residents whose primary language is not English. How can the Library reach out to and better serve these populations?
All of us on the Board consider how to best serve the evolving needs of our growing and changing community.
One way to reflect and celebrate the breadth of cultural, linguistic and age diversity here in town is to expand our bilingual and foreign language collections, and to increase the scope and frequency of programs we offer. Additionally, we can strengthen and enhance our outreach to and collaboration with entities such as Bedford Celebrates Diversity, the Multicultural Fair, Bedford public schools, Youth and Family Services, the educational and cultural facilities at Hanscom Air Force Base, as well as the Council on the Aging. Trustees can address these challenges directly by putting them on our agenda and soliciting input from the groups mentioned above. Additionally, we need to work with creativity and courage to thoughtfully overcome resistance to change and new ideas that can at times reside in any governing body
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