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Home My WebLink AboutCC Library Board 2016 AppointmentCITY OFtWOWIW::� Agenda Item No 3_b no Meeting Date: January 4, 2016 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: City Clerk Prepared by: Esther Beirne City Manager Approval: File No.: 9-2-3 SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF JOSH LIBRESCO AS MEMBER OF THE SAN RAFAEL BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES TO THE END OF APRIL, 2019, DUE TO THE RESIGNATION OF HANNA RODRIGUEZ-FARRAR (CC) RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council appoint Josh Libresco to the Board of Library Trustees, filling the unexpired term of Hanna Rodriguez -Farrar, to the end of April, 2019. BACKGROUND: On May 18, 2015, Josh Libresco and incumbents, Hanna Rodriguez -Farrar, Melanie Cantarutti and Sean Prendiville were interviewed by the City Council to fill three, four-year terms on the Board of Library Trustees. Melanie Cantarutti, Sean Prendiville and Hanna Rodriguez -Farrar were reappointed; however, Hanna Rodriguez -Farrar resigned on December 12, 2015 due to her inability to attend meetings on a consistent basis. Staff subsequently contacted Josh Libresco who expressed his eagerness to serve as a member of the Library Board of Trustees, completing the unexpired term to the end of April, 2019. Enclosure: Application - Josh Libresco FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: 9-2-3 Council Meeting: 01/04/2016 Disposition: Josh Libresco appointed to SR Board of Library Trustees Received CITY OF SAN RAFAEL APPLICATION TO SERVE AS MEMBER OF -rime: BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES 0Vr,.',lorV'c, file: NAME: C s cc:' city of San Rafi lei STREET ADDRESS: s e- CITY/STATE/ZIP CODE: <S. ") -el\ ) c,/,\ 0) '3 RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL FOR YEARS PRESENT POSITION: NAME OF FIRM: BUSINESS ADDRESS: *HOME & BUSINESS PHONE: *E-MAIL ADDRESS (optional): EDUCATION: L -e- Y PARTICIPATION IN THE FOLLOWING CIVIC ACTIVITIES: e - MEMBER OF FOLLOWING CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS: <,- -e- -,- CX �k'� -i"-1 MY REASONS FOR WANTING TO SERVE ARE: -S e -e - DATE: SIGNATURE: Filing Deadline: Mail or deliverfo: Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2015 City of San RaYqel, Hall, Dept. of City Clerk Time: 5:00 p.m. 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209, San Rafael, CA 94901 * This information will be kept confidential, to the extent permitted by law Josh Libresco Supplementary Questions Participation in Civic Activities • Coached in the San Rafael Little League [baseball] for nine years for my son, from t -ball through juniors. • Coached in the San Rafael soccer league for four seasons for my daughter and two for my son [he played travel soccer after that]. • Coached five seasons of CYO basketball for my son, some in San Rafael and some in San Anselmo. • Active with the Stapleton Theatre Company in San Anselmo, both as a performer and as a volunteer, for the past 14 years. Also helped occasionally with the Stapleton School of Dance. • Sometime speaker at local middle schools and high schools on polling and public opinion research. Membership in Civic Organizations • Bay Area Non -Profit Consultants Group (member) • American Marketing Association (former Board member; formerly in charge of all Bay Area programs) • Princeton Club of Northern California (former President; still an active member) • Princeton University (active participant in alumni affairs; organizer of events; interviewer of prospective students) Reasons for Wanting to Serve First off, I should say I love libraries. I enjoy visiting libraries, browsing the stacks, and relishing the opportunity to be surrounded by books. I use San Rafael Library's inter -library loan system to get books from other County libraries [and beyond], but I also enjoy going directly to other libraries in the County to pick up books. I have visited 11 of Marin's libraries to track down books that I saw were available through an online search. I travel to New York for business fairly often, and generally spend my time between meetings in branches of the New York Public Library system, rather than hanging out at Starbuck's. I am also a big believer in reading books, rather than just newspapers, magazines, and online sources. I have read at least two books a month for the last 20 years or so, in addition to the other reading I do. I try to read on a wide variety of subjects, including science, history, sports, public affairs, and fiction. 2 I realize that libraries, in San Rafael and elsewhere, now offer a wide variety of multi -media options for reading and learning, and that is all to the good. Even so, I believe it is important for today's students to explore beyond the worlds of their computers and their phones. Reading online tends to be a selective exercise — you only read at the Websites that you are familiar with, rather than taking a broader approach to the world. (That is also why I still like the broad -brush approach of newspapers.) As San Rafael works to design a new library, I would love to be able to help create the right balance between the electronic resources of the future and the traditional resources provided by books, periodicals, and newspapers. I think there are important roles for each. I also think the San Rafael Library can continue to play an important role in offering educational programs for the children in our community, and for the adults as well. Given my experience in organizing programs, I may have a few ideas that could be helpful. Now you know why I am interested in serving on the Library Board, but why should you be interested in me. Here are a few reasons: • I have worked for several decades in public opinion research and marketing research, and can provide counsel on how to explore the views of our community. • 1 have conducted research for a variety of non-profit organizations, including organizations focused on education, transportation, health care, and the arts, so I have some knowledge of how non -profits work and how they can operate effectively. • 1 have served on non-profit Boards, and been able to increase membership, increase attendance at events, and improve financial solvency. • 1 am a strong public speaker, and can help to advocate for the Library at community events. Overall, I have a strong interest in helping the San Rafael Library to thrive in the years ahead, and I believe my qualifications will help me to make a significant contribution. I hope you will consider me.