Victory!!

The voters of Carol Stream made their voices heard loud and clear on Election Day as they swept out Michael Wade and his running mates and elected all five of the STL candidates to fill the open seats on the Library Board. The margin of victory was large and decisive, and it is clear that Carol Stream residents were ready for a change and a new beginning.

The Support the Library Carol Stream organization would like to thank the many fine citizens of Carol Stream for supporting our cause, endorsing our candidates, and mobilizing the vote on Election Day. Our victory is a shared success, and we could not have done it without the help and passionate support of the many Carol Stream residents who rose up to “take our library back”!

Former Director Ann Kennedy summed up the feelings of many people on our committee in her statement in the Daily Herald: "The American system of government is not broken when a group of concerned citizens can rally against bad government and give it back to the people.”

The healing process on the Library Board has now begun, and we are confident that the newly elected trustees will help turn the page on one of the darkest episodes in the history of our library and begin to restore integrity and decency to our library and our community. Congratulations to our new trustees Jim Bailey, Bonita Gilliam, Patricia Johnson, Edward Jourdan, and Nadia Sheikh!

A Special Endorsement From Lynn O'Dell

The five STL candidates recently received a special and very meaningful endorsement from Lynn O’Dell, the original Library Director and a highly respected citizen who guided our library for 41 years from 1964-2005. There is not a single person in our community who has invested more time or effort into our library than Lynn O’Dell, and so her endorsement is especially significant to voters in this important election. Here is the text of her endorsement:

“I hope you will join me, Lynn O’Dell, in supporting Jim Bailey, Bonita Gilliam, Patricia Johnson, Edward Jourdan, and Nadia Sheikh for the open trustee positions on the Carol Stream Library Board. I know them personally and you can believe me when I say they will continue Carol Stream Library’s tradition of excellent service to the public. As Director of the library for 41 years from 1964-2005, I can proudly say that there was always a supportive and ethical Board of Trustees during that time. I’ve remained close to the library since my retirement and can assure you that during my tenure and the years that followed, the leadership has always acted ethically. Prior Boards have never committed illegal actions, misappropriated funds, or neglected their duties. These accusations made by the current Board leadership (Wade, Clark, Galle, DeRango, and Jeffrey) are completely false. Former Board members have been accused by these people of not listening to Carol Stream residents and this is far from the truth. The 2010 renovation project is proof that the elected officials were listening and provided much needed space for patrons to view the collection, access computers, and enjoy the relaxing and inviting atmosphere.”  –Lynn O’Dell

Lynn O’Dell’s endorsement comes on the heels of the major endorsement by the editors of the Examiner of Carol Stream who were extremely critical of the current board and wrote “A major housecleaning is in order and a group of very active and concerned library patrons has stepped up with mops in hand."

Darrel Malcom, Republican Committeeman from Bloomingdale Precinct 18, also endorsed all five STL candidates and wrote that “the outcome of local election for local offices probably impacts us more regarding services and taxes we pay.” The library race is not a partisan election, but high praise from a respected conservative leader underscores the fiscal responsibility that Jim Bailey, Bonita Gilliam, Patricia Johnson, Edward Jourdan, and Nadia Sheikh will bring to the Library Board.

Election Day is Tuesday, April 9. Please take time to vote for these outstanding candidates to restore integrity to our library board.