13 August 2019
The library candidate; photo credit:Emily Gilbert

“I’m not really a joiner.” The words fell out of my mouth before I really knew what I was saying. I had said the same thing so many times in my life that it felt like a cliche, but I realized in that moment that it had been a while since I had given it much thought. It was late 2017, I was at the ILA Annual Conference and someone had just suggested I join an organizational committee to get more involved in professional development, but I didn’t feel like I had enough to offer. I had hung back from similar opportunities throughout my academic and professional careers, always thinking I was too nervous or too antisocial. I was a shy, introverted person for a lot of my life, and putting myself out there for public scrutiny sounded like a nightmare.

At that same conference, I attended a session called “We Should Run: Library Workers in Public Office.” It was my 7th or 8th conference as a professional, but the first time I had ever raised my hand in a session to ask a question. Despite years of being a wallflower, I could feel myself start to open up a little as I realized that the library board might be a good fit for me. I had already been a devoted patron of my local library for almost a decade, and as a librarian myself, I have a deep knowledge of library issues and a passion for connecting people to information sources. The library board felt like an organic way for me to use skills and interests I already had to get more involved in my community.

That afternoon at ILA, I thought that maybe I should look into running. I talked with friends and family that night, and was met with sudden and aggressive support at my spark of an idea. So I started attending board meetings. I remember being flustered the first time someone asked me to state my purpose for being there, but over time I got to know some of the staff and trustees, and I soaked up information about the library. Over time, it became easier for me to envision myself in that role, so when the time came, I gathered signatures and filed my paperwork.

My campaign was a whirlwind of activity that I never expected. Much to my surprise, others in my community noticed that I was running, and I was met with unexpected support from some wonderful, civically engaged neighbors. I printed flyers, held a meet and greet, and spoke at two candidate forums. I also canvassed my district and met so many voters, some of whom cared a ton about their library. On election day, I went to my polling place and tried to contain my excitement as I voted for myself, and then I spent that evening refreshing election results on my computer with my husband. I was edged out of a board seat by 234 votes, but I am still astonished that it was that close. I was a former non-joiner with a shoestring budget and zero connections in local government or politics, but I still got over 5,500 votes, and I’m really proud of that.

I still feel that I have a lot to offer my library, so I plan to run again in 2021. But no matter what happens, I’m so grateful for what was an absolutely life-changing experience. I call myself a recovering shy person, and I honestly believe that everyone who feels that way should run for office. It helped me realize what I was capable of, and has given me a newfound confidence that I have a voice worth hearing and ideas worth sharing.

Our guest blogger today is Emily Gilbert. Emily is a Librarian for the School of Health Sciences at Rasmussen College. Rasmussen has campuses across the Midwest including five in Illinois. 

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Comments

Thank you for sharing this,

<p>Thank you for sharing this, Emily! What a fantastic story. It's amazing what we can learn about ourselves and the world around us when we break out of our comfort zones.</p>