From the Candidate: Lydia Chiappetti

Name: Lydia Chiappetti

Age: 54

Party, position seeking: Democrat — Simsbury Public Library Trustee

Family information: When our family moved to Simsbury from New Jersey 11 years ago, I was happy to be back in my home state. Upon arrival, I became active in the Latimer Lane PTO. This was my first point of contact with Simsbury parents and the library, both at Latimer Lane School and the public library.

My two children attended Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford where I was the president of the Parent Association, working closely with the parents, administration, and trustees.

Many of the fundraisers were directly linked to the library and its resources.

Our daughter is a recent college graduate, class of 2011, and our son is currently a junior in college. Although my husband works in NJ during the week, we are committed to staying in Simsbury, a town and lifestyle that is hard to replicate.

Political experience: None

Other experience: Last year I was a member of the gubernatorial campaign and, subsequently, the governor- lieutenant campaign staff for Mary Glassman. I took on the responsibility of scheduling all Mary’s political appearances and worked closely with our team and that of Ned Lamont, her running mate. It was through this joint endeavor that I worked with many of the Democratic committee members and found myself inspired to continue helping Simsbury. The town library has always been a passion of mine and I feel this is an arena where I can truly make a difference.

I am a participant in the East Hill Writers Group and a 10-year member of the La Bonne Douzaine, a French-speaking book group. As an avid cyclist, I enjoy using the Farmington Rails to Trails system on a regular basis.

Statement: The library is a central meeting place in our town and society. Since the rise of online resources and e-books, borrowing books from the library has become secondary to its other functions.

I would like to be a part of our resource center that services its town residents by providing a meeting place for technological support and networking. The library has served and continues to serve that purpose for the town of Simsbury.

I am an extremely dedicated and detailed oriented person who enjoys being part of a team charged to improve its public library. My years as president of the Parent Association and trustee of Kingswood Oxford School have prepared me for the demanding work required of a board member.

In this era of financial restraints and cutbacks, it is more important than ever to elect officials who will represent a town’s interests. I feel compelled to serve knowing that the health of our library system is vital to a successful community.  The library budget issues are central to its health and well being. Having worked with tight budgets at an independent school in the area, I come to this election with knowledge in this field and without an agenda, only an open mind promising to listen to my fellow board members, staff, and friends of the library and make the best decisions in order to keep our institution thriving well into the next few decades.