Meet Oak Lawn Library Board Candidate Kimberly Brightmore

My name is Kimberly Brightmore and I am running for the Oak Lawn Public Library Board of Trustees. As a life-long resident of Oak Lawn, some of my earliest and fondest memories are of the Oak Lawn Library. I have participated in numerous programs and checked out countless books over the course of my lifetime. I am a product of Oak Lawn education, having attended Sward, McGugan, and OLCHS. I went on to receive my undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, as well as two Masters degrees from Loyola and DePaul. My mother used to say, “Readers are leaders.” As a high school math teacher, I always promote reading as a way to understand our world, and my suggestion is always to go to the library. As Oak Lawn residents, we are blessed to have one of the best libraries in all of the Southside.

On any given day, our library runs numerous programs for our community. Whether it be enjoying Toddler Time, celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday, or leading money smart programs, the library is full of opportunities to gain knowledge and have fun. There is something to suit any and all ages.

I am running for Library Trustee because of my desire to maintain the programming and services that our library currently offers. I want our library to continue to provide for our community in the future. My hope is that someday, future children in our town will have the same incredible experience that I had growing up. Our tax dollars are spent wisely in the hands of the library. I encourage those who want to know more about how the library spends tax-payer dollars to look through the library’s financial reports.

The Oak Lawn Library spends much of its budget on salaries and benefits. This is so our library attracts and retains the talents and skills of librarians and staff. Our library is as wonderful as it is because we have some of the most knowledge and educated librarians in the area. My goal is to maintain a budget that allows us to continue to produce the quality programming that we currently offer.

As a math teacher, my students often ask me the question, “When am I going to use math in my daily life?” Looking at your tax dollars, here’s a potential breakdown for what the library offers you. At $300 for the entire year, you can:

-Check out a wifi hotspot if you are without internet at home (worth at least $15 a month)
-Check out a movie for free for up to 2 weeks (or $14 from Redbox)
-Check out 20 books a year (or $200 if bought on Amazon)
-Attend a movie screening (or $12 if seen in theaters)
-Attend a yoga class (worth $15 a class)
-Attend a STEAM/STEM class with your child (worth $10 a class)
-Have your High School child take a practice SAT test (worth $48)

Our library provides so many services and programs for our community. As library trustee, I will ensure that our library continues to provide for the residents of Oak Lawn.