"With gratitude and humble heart..."

Well, as I write this, votes from 10 of the 12 precincts on the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Web site have been posted. While we wait for the final count, we'll reflect. At least, I will.

For me, there is an overwhelming sense of how much I owe the many old and new friends who helped this campaign. Some took precinct lists and phoned their neighbors. Others went door to door talking to people and leaving bookmarks. A few opened their homes and gave me a chance to talk to neighbors they'd invited. A few arranged for me to talk to groups such as Rotary and Kiwanis. Others made it possible for me to speak to groups that gave money to the campaign. Finally, my wife, Monica, has served tirelessly and brilliantly as my campaign manager and Margaret De Beixedon is keeping the accounts straight and reports to the California Fair Political Practices Commission accurate, as Treasurer. I owe all of you a great deal.

It used to seem odd to me when a successful political candidate professed humility after being elected to an office. I could understand 'pride.' I had trouble with 'humility.' But not any more.

So many people offered encouragement. Friends lent their considerable talents to the various campaign tasks. Some assisted in meeting the expenses of the campaign. Some offered valuable advice on how to go about organizing things. Others quietly commended me to their friends and distributed my literature. One designed my bookmark and another the graphic on this page. I realize now that when a candidate says, "I could not have done it alone," that is the truth.

So as I look forward to how things will turn out, I realize how very grateful I am to many, many people. I promise to do my best to justify the trust you have afforded me.

In the lap of the gods?

What an interesting expression! "It's in the lap of the gods." I understand the point but I don't see the picture. I don't think of gods sitting down. Gods do things. That's why people have to take them seriously. They don't just sit. And, then, when they rise to swing into action, does what is in their laps simply fall to the ground? If so, why would anyone put anything of value in their laps in the first place? I just don't see it.

Anyway, that's where my campaign is right now.

Several of my friends walked precincts for me on Saturday, for which I am grateful. Others have been 'passing the word' on my behalf to their friends. And, very happily, others have helped underwrite some of the costs of the campaign. To all of them and you, I say a hearty "Thanks!" This has been one of the most interesting experiences of my life. And that's a fact!

So, it's in the lap of the gods. Tomorrow we vote. If we stay up late enough, we probably will know how it turned out. I am "cautiously optimistic," as they say.

The next step is for the County Supervisors to validate the outcome of the election. Then, on December 10, there will be a ceremony at the Library at which the newly-elected trustees will be sworn in and officially begin their four-year terms of office.

That same evening, from 5:30 to 7:30, Thomas and Richard will be hosting a reception for all the friends who have helped in this campaign. We will gather at 1720 Braeburn Road, and celebrate. We look forward to hearing that you can come and to seeing you on December 10th.

Then the work begins on a new Strategic Plan for the Altadena Library District and that is squarely in our laps.

How to find your polling place

Some friends were out precinct walking on my behalf today and wanted to know where the election polling places are.

There are several. The easiest way to find yours is to click on the VOTE button on this page, over there on the bottom right. That button will take you to a form on the LA Registrar of Voters Web site. By typing in your own address you’ll find your polling place.

You can also go directly to http://www.lavote.net/LOCATOR/ .

See you at the polls!

The final week

At this stage of the campaign and with a blog to write, what should be its theme? There will be a final push this weekend to get out the vote on November 6. Is it too soon to take a short look back?

Last June the Library Board was seeking a candidate to finish an unfilled term. Monica wondered if I was interested.

For me, it was an idea that's time had come. I have signed petitions, sent letters, marched, carried signs, stood on corners and written checks for all kinds of causes and issues. And I have been left with a vague sense of doing something good. But I have also had a nagging question whether my efforts were really having any kind of impact. This past summer I was looking for a place where I could make a difference. We all want that, don’t we? We want to know that we are engaged in meaningful activity that will have positive outcomes.

Previous experience as a librarian, a life-long love of books and learning, experience as an administrator and board member, retired with time to spend on things I want to do – serving on the Altadena Library Board seemed a natural fit.

This fall, when the election was announced, I filed to run. That announcement had re-energized me. I wanted to work on behalf of our community and the Altadena Library District. It is an excellent resource for our community. It merits our deepest respect and most active support. It also is faced with challenges for which it needs a broader financial base. I want to help the Board meet these challenges. I also want to help it expand its life-enhancing literacy services.

So I am running and the race is in the final phase. It has been a real pleasure to advocate for the Library to numerous individuals and groups. It has also been satisfying to know that there have been issues raised and discussed on e-mails through the community. It has been exciting to find so many people interested in the Library's well-being, especially after learning that the Library is under our community’s control. People are talking about the Library. There has actually been an election campaign taking place and I am not the only candidate campaigning. That is very exciting. I sense this effort is a worthy one, and that it will make a difference. My efforts will have an impact. Wow!

Be sure to vote next Tuesday!

A new endorsement

The Democratic Club of the Pasadena Foothills invited me to speak at their meeting last Thursday night. David Datz and Mark Mariscal were also there. We are three of the four candidates for the Altadena Library Board. Before the meeting started, we had a chance to get to know each other a bit. It was immediately obvious that we were running for the Board and not against each other.

Each of us had three minutes. Basically, we all said the same thing. We need to explore new sources of funds and to update the 1998 Strategic Plan as the first step. I emphasized the need for expanding our Literacy Program. Each of us praised the quality of the Library and its staff. We were clearly on the same wavelength.

I was especially pleased by something Mark said. He was the last to speak. He ended his talk by saying that he originally planned to vote only for himself and David. Now he was going to vote for the three of us. That was nice to hear.

And I was happy to learn later that the Democratic Club of Pasadena Foothills has endorsed me, along with the two incumbents. For a full list of my endorsements, visit the Smart Voter Web site at http://www.smartvoter.org/2007/11/06/ca/la/vote/hubbard_t/endorse.html

I think the next four years are going to be especially good for the Altadena Library. Let me count on your endorsement by your vote on November 6!

The word is out!

It was refreshing to find that the Star-News has finally realized that there is an election going on up here in Altadena. The results will probably not be the lead item on the November 7th "Morning Report" or the banner headline in the LA Times. That's okay. It's just that democracy is working up here. We're preparing to vote.

One of the major issues before the Board is implementation of their Five-Year Plan to complete the work necessary to bring the Library into compliance with requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

It was suggested that the Library should not be spending money to provide accessibility for disabled patrons. "The public as a whole is being disadvantaged for this extremely small group."

My thought is: the Library should be a resource for everybody, not just the hale and hearty. I am saying, "Look for new sources of revenue for this." There are foundations and governmental agencies that will not buy books, but they will help fund an ADA remediation project. The Board must assist staff in searching out these entities and ask them. And in order to make "the ask," the Library needs a Strategic Plan. That is the first step in broadening the financial base and the Board must take it.

It was also stated that, in the past, "elections were not held." Sitting members stepped down so that their replacements could be appointed. Perhaps the complainer should reflect that this is not how things are done in a free society.

I know that the Altadena Library Board is not a major player in the political game. But it has to be a sign of something good that the number of candidates is bigger that than the number of vacancies. If printing and mailing ballots to registered voters, securing polling places and poll workers, and counting and reporting votes so that the people have a chance to choose their public servants costs money, well, that's the way democracy works.

Anyway, if the Board is able to broaden the Library's financial base the way I think it can, the Library will be able to pay for the election and more.

Stay tuned!

The future of libraries

Last night, Polytechnic School celebrated its 100th Birthday by having Larry Mantle talk with Steven Sample and Jean-Lou Chameau about modern trends in education. As you know, Sample and Chameau are presidents of USC and Caltech, respectively.

Their conversation was informative and stimulating. We must equip our students to hold their own in the emerging international market for highly-skilled workers. Our colleges and universities are being seriously challenged by institutions all over the world. Beginning in elementary schools, we need to improve the education our children and young people receive. But we knew that.

At one point, in answer to a question, President Sample said something that I want to share with you. The question was, "With all the research material on the Internet, what is the future of libraries?"

His response was beautiful. I don't have the exact words he used, but he reassured me. He said that we need libraries because libraries bring people together. They nurture human contact. They remind us that the search for understanding is best done in the company of others, not in isolation. I suppose that there are wise monks somewhere who might disagree, but my experience has been that he's right. As Margaret Wheatley says, "You know something. I know something. And, together, we know something more."

Education and its product, wisdom, do require other people. And a good place to find those people is at the library.