Running on Reading - Library Board Trustee Election

I’m James Ferguson and I’m running for New City Library Board Trustee. My wife, Monica and I have been homeowners in the area for 11 years and have raised our two kids, Oliver (9) and Parker (7) here. I want to do more for the community and the Library Board is exactly the type of action I’d like to get involved in.

You might wonder what a Library Board is and what it does. Essentially, the Board works with the Library Director to make decisions as to how the library spends its money. It manages the business and property of the library. With the New City Library under renovation, you can imagine the discussions popping up as it prepares to re-open next year.

As a Millennial parent, I recognize the unique challenge of raising kids in a digital age. While technology has offered countless options of interesting ways for children to learn and grow, screens can be addicting. The New City Library offers a healthy balance, providing services and resources across both digital and analog that help kids explore their imaginations and learn so much.

One aspect of the library I’ve been enjoying a lot recently is the free audio books available through Libby. I had no idea this existed a few years ago, but now that I’ve discovered it, I have been using it regularly. I’m sure I wasn’t alone in my lack of awareness for this and other digital services like Hoopla that allow you to utilize the library resources from anywhere. There are thousands of ebooks, audio books, and movies available to borrow at the push of a button.

This is where my day job in digital advertising comes into play. I’m not suggesting the library runs an ad campaign, but there are many ways to get the word out about some of these items that we could tap into. With the New City Library renovation well under way and the re-opening planned for the middle of next year, I want to ensure that everyone in the community understands the vast resources available to them just down the street or through their mobile device. All of these things are possible due to their local library.

You can read more about my background and my intentions for the Library Board here.