Politics & Government

Meet Your Candidates: Laura Frisch, Morton Grove Public Library, Board of Trustees

Candidate Laura Frisch runs for one of the six-year term seats on the library board.

Laura Frisch is running for six more years on the Morton Grove Public Library Board of Trustees, the seven-member group responsible for shaping the library's fiscal and operating policies, after she joined the board in the fall of 2010.

According to the PROLibrary website, the incumbent teaches classes at the Morton Grove Park District. She writes columns about animals, arts and crafts and occasionally family coupon deals for Morton Grove Patch, and does volunteer work:  Evanston Animal Shelter, Morton Grove Farmer’s Market Committee, founding member of the Friends for the Niles Township Food Pantry, co-leader of the Morton Grove Camp Fire USA troop, and committee chairperson for the Park View PTO.

Members of the library board serve six-year terms. This year, three seats are up for six-year terms, and one seat is up for a two-year term on the library board. Two organizations are campaigning for spots on the library board: B-PAC (Mark Albers, Paul Berg, David Calimag and Catherine Peters) and PROLibrary (Bernadette Fahy, Laura Frisch, Lawrence Levin and Renee Miller, a write-in candidate). 

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Calimag and Fahy are vying for the two-year term spot, while all other six candidates are campaigning for the six-year term spots.

Morton Grove Patch collects the library enthusiasts' notes with the same Q&As for each candidate, publishes them in alphabetical order, and does not change submitted answers in punctuation, style or content.

Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Now then, let's get down to the questions:

Patch: How would you assess the state of the library’s budget?

Frisch: The library’s budget is carefully prepared every year and is accessible to the public. To be sure, the increased public use of the library and building maintenance and repairs has necessitated certain increases to the budget over the years. But even over the last five years the annual budget has gone both up and down, again depending on the needs of the library and its patrons. At this point the budget is up around 10% while use of the library in some areas has increased well over 100%.

Patch: If expenses need to be reduced, exactly what would you cut? Be specific.

Frisch: Some expenses have already been reduced, such as the health insurance for staff which was changed last year and now costs $60,000 less. By using our maintenance personnel, several of whom are talented craftsmen, to create more accommodating spaces in the library, we can save money by not having to hire outside contractors. Those are just some of the ideas the board has brought to the library.

Patch: If more revenue needs to be raised, exactly what would you propose? Be specific.

Frisch: The library’s ability to raise funds is severely restricted. We can neither issue bonds nor carry any debt. The library cannot charge for any programs, lectures or services.  Our interest income  went down from around $87,000 to around $2,000 in the past year. Thanks to the Friends of the Morton Grove Public Library, we are able to acquire some items we might not have had room for in the budget. For example, they recently raised money to buy two new mobile computers for patrons’ use. I agree with trustee Bernadette Fahy, who suggested at a recent board meeting the possibility of seeking out local business sponsors for programs and activities at the library.

Patch: What’s the best way for the library to keep up with changing technologies, such as the way people access books and materials? (Example: eBooks, iPods, and developing technologies).

Frisch: My experience working with editors at Scott Foresman Publishing Company helped me better understand how these companies produce books and technology for libraries and public institutions. I see the best way for us to keep up with new technology is to do what our technology department is already doing, keeping abreast of new trends and what is available while also keeping track of what our patrons are asking for and checking out of the library. Unfortunately, publishers like Harper Colins are now limiting the use of e-books to 26 check-outs which makes them too costly an item. The library offers numerous technology-focused classes every week, such as Tech Savvy Mondays and Web Wednesdays, along with our Tech Fest coming up this month.

Patch: Is the library adequately providing the following, or do you feel these need to be adopted or augmented: computers, study rooms, reading areas, drive-through book drop-offs, self-checkout stations, refreshments/food. Would you suggest any others?

Frisch: Our library provides many computers, but we often have patrons asking for more. Our compromise was to install a wireless network throughout the building. We lack study rooms and because of the building’s limitations that is a situation we have not been able to improve, although by storing older magazines in the periodical and reference room we have created  more quiet reading and work space. As a patron I appreciate our drive-through book and DVD/ CD drop-boxes. The library has looked into self-checkout stations but decided that the drawbacks (cost, space constraints, staff needed to supervise and troubleshoot the checkout process, and the inability to check out anything other than books) outweighed the convenience of fast check out. I am not against the occasional snack in the library. When our patrons get really hungry, they are a wonderful source of income for the surrounding businesses. MGPL brings business into town.

Patch: Does the wireless connection for patrons need to be upgraded?

Frisch: The library upgraded its wireless connection throughout the building in the past few months. You can now turn on your laptop anywhere and link up to the World Wide Web.

Patch: What is your favorite childhood book? What are you currently reading?

Frisch: Now that is a hard question. Being a teacher and parent of youngsters I read hundreds of children’s books every year. I would have to pick “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White, because I also have a brother named Avery, and I love how the characters are able to work together even though they are so different and when many of them just don’t like each other. Currently I enjoy reading historical fiction, biographies, parenting, cooking, education, art and dog behavior books. Its a wide range of subjects, but I tend to be involved in a variety of activities and so is my reading. Tonight I will be reading “Time Out Chicago” a weekly magazine with the latest activities and arts going on in our area.


Patch: Is the library adequately reaching out to diverse populations, i.e., people with primary languages other than English, people with visual difficulties, others?

Frisch: I am always impressed by the diversity at our library, even walking into the Baxter room this past weekend it was a reflection of our village as it has grown. We currently offer many items in various languages. The library is starting to work with local schools to assist in implementing ESL programs to provide support for those seeking to learn English as a second language. I have used several of the large print books from our library at Bethany nursing home when reading to a resident. We also recently won third place in the Play Away contest, which will add to our volumes of books on tape.

Patch: Does the library get adequate feedback from patrons? If not, how would you increase the flow of communication? Be specific.

Frisch: I am in the library several times a week, and often talk with fellow patrons about services, books and other materials. Whenever anyone has a suggestion or a complaint, I refer them to the staff and the director. Ben Schapiro, the library director, walks around the library during the day and if you are there you will probably run into him. He and the staff have always been open to talking about the library with myself and other patrons whom I know. Residents can also post comments through the website and speak at the open board meetings the second Thursday of each month.

Patch: Does the library need upgrades to its facilities? Be specific.

Frisch: The library was built in 1950, with additions in 1962 and 1980 (the Baxter room and other areas). Most of what you see outside when you enter is from the last addition. We are near the end of the lifespan of the boilers and roof, we have had to budget for the replacement of parts of these systems and will need to continue to do so for several years to come. Items such as carpeting and lighting need upgrading, but we are limited because of the materials and their replacement would be cost prohibitive. We are also not ADA accessible and again, to remedy this problem would be too costly and limit the number of books and other media we could carry, which is already short many items for a library that serves community of our size.

Patch: What else would you like voters to know about your positions on issues, point of view or qualifications?

Frisch: As a mother, teacher, community volunteer and library trustee I have had the opportunity to get to know many people in our village. It is those people that I think about when I volunteer my time as trustee at the Morton Grove Public Library. I came to this village to be part of it and help create a place that my children would grow up in and that we could enjoy.   


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