Why do you want to serve on the Board of Library Trustees?
The library has been a vital partner to the three nonprofits I’m involved with and many community efforts over my six years in Watertown. As an engineering leader in mental health care, I bring strategic and budget planning experience to help the library navigate growing needs with limited resources, and I’m ready to focus my energy on continuing its impact.
Tell voters about your background and qualifications for being a Library Trustee.
I grew up in a rural area where the library opened doors for me to become the first in my family to finish high school, college, and graduate school. Later, while volunteering as a teacher in northwest China, I helped create a small network of libraries sharing books and CDs among villages through fundraising so my students didn’t have to walk hours by cliffs to borrow a book. My background in community advocacy and outreach will help ensure our library continues to reach as many people as possible and uplift every voice in our community.
How can the Watertown Library better serve residents of Watertown?
The library can best serve residents by continuing its strong legacy while ensuring essential services aren’t impacted by funding uncertainties. It should continue to expand access to digital and diverse literary forms, and further empower community leadership and partnerships to shape programs that reflect Watertown’s evolving needs.
The Library may face funding issues in coming months and years. How can the library maintain and even add services in difficult economic times?
In challenging economic times, the library can focus on high-priority services guided by community feedback, such as the annual survey. By exploring creative funding sources and building partnerships with local and regional organizations, we can design engaging, low-cost programs. Collaborations like the one between the Chinese American Association of Watertown and the Boston Dragon Boat Festival show how community connections can bring new resources and opportunities to the library.
Looking at recent events when a group of residents had a disagreement about the Watertown Summer Reading list, and said they did not feel like there was a way to be heard by the Library — do you think the Library administration and Board of Trustees handled the issue appropriately, and would you like to see similar issues handled differently if they arise in the future?
I believe the library handled the situation professionally — defending the freedom of literature while respecting established policies and processes. The administration and Board also continued to provide open platforms for dialogue, such as the monthly Trustees meetings, ensuring that community members have opportunities to share feedback and be heard.
During your campaign, what was the biggest issue or concern for voters when you spoke to them about the Library?
The biggest concerns I heard from voters were about uncertain funding as the demand for essential community services grows, staff being stretched thin by rising needs, and the difficulty of reserving available physical spaces due to high demand — since the library remains one of the few welcoming gathering places in Watertown.