Form Name: Boards and Commissions Application
Unique ID: 1307935144
Applicant Information
Name Nili Helman – Caspi
Are you a Sunnyvale resident? Yes
Description Area Residence Notice:Unless otherwise noted, your principal place of residence must be in Sunnyvale. You must live in Sunnyvale at the time of appointment and at all times during service on a board or commission.
Current Main Residence
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Email
Phone
Are you currently a registered voter in
Sunnyvale?
Yes
When was the last time you voted?
Month/Year
11/2024
Have you ever served on a City of
Sunnyvale board or commission?
No
Have you attended a meeting of the City
Council, or a board or commission?
No
Have you attended meetings of the
board(s) or commission(s) for which
you are applying?
No
Board or Commission Selection
First Choice Board of Library Trustees (R)
Applicant Qualifications
-
Nili Helman – Caspi
What motivated you to apply for this
board or commission?
I've always been an avid book reader and have extensive knowledge in foreign literature through my college education.
I attend a lot of various activities offered at the public library and would like to be more involved in the selection of a variety of programs and book offerings, to strengthen the diversity as it appears in the city population.
I am interested to serve diverse populations, including children, adults and elderly, and giving space to residents whose mother tongue is not English.
I work with different populations at work and am passionate about people from different socioeconomic backgrounds having access to library resources as well as the joy and enrichment that comes from reading.
What skills or attributes can you bring
to this board or commission?
I am detail oriented, methodical, by the book yet very creative and thinking out of the box when solving issues. I have organizational skills that could be an asset in organizing events at the library to promote various causes.
I speak several languages such as Hebrew and French, that could be a tool to grow interest in the library offerings and events.
I am currently taking a general class to get certified as a board member.
The primary role of a board or
commission member is to provide
advice to City Council on policy issues
that are within the scope of the board or
commission. What steps would you take
to effectively exercise this specific
board or commission role?
As a first step to exercise a role on this board I would study the current issues being handled by the board to better understand what are its goals and where they are currently at.
Once I have that information I will check what is working and what is not working from what has been done in the past, so that the goals can be achieved.
For example, there used to be an in person movie club before COVID-19 which was moved to Zoom and never got back to the in person format.
I will work with the other team members to understand the possible reasons for this phenomenon, and by reaching out to patrons to get feedback as well.
Education – List college degrees,
majors and any relevant training or
experience that demonstrates your
ability to effectively serve on this board
or commission.
BA - English & French Language & Literature
MA - History of Art
In my job in healthcare I was in charge of delivering BookMobile services by the Santa Clara County Public Library for residents in elderly care facilities. I successfully increased the number of subscribers and was able to offer them various library services according to their interest and abilities.
Nili Helman – Caspi
Describe your involvement in
community activities, volunteer and
civic organizations.
I enjoy volunteering for many causes and in my job run 2 hospice volunteer programs in San Jose and Oakland, creating opportunities with our non-profit foundation.
I am a certified CERT volunteer with the City of Sunnyvale, certified as a counselor for prevention of domestic violence, certified counselor on a national emotional support (suicide) hotline.
I have also served as a member on the visual arts committee to the City of Mountain View, and a member on the age friendly committee of the City of Sunnyvale.
I currently serve on the second term on the advisory committee to the City of Sunnyvale on accessibility.
Description Area The City has a Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and an Attendance Policy (7.2.19), 2 G (II) that appointed members are required to follow.
Do you have any concerns related to the
above code and policy?
No
Are you willing to accept a temporary
appointment for the remainder of an
unexpired term?
Yes
Board or Commission-Specific Questions
Board of Library Trustees
Community demographics and
technology are constantly changing.
What do you think are the principal
issues the Sunnyvale Public Library
may be addressing over the next few
years?
I think a main concern for the library is the fact our traditional reading methods are changing and the way we get our information. For a library to be successful it must understand the new trends and have a good mix of resources, so that it is not considered as an ancient institution that patrons are no longer interested in visiting.
I've heard people say that books are not needed as one can use a tablet, for example.
On the other hand, listening to books while driving is a great way to still "read" but adapt to a way that is more technological than a hard copy book.
So I think being able to cater to different methods of "reading" consumption and offering programs on site is a key to success.
Demographic Information
Your age Prefer not to answer
Your gender Female
Nili Helman – Caspi
Description Area LGBTQIA+ Identity (LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and the “+” is an all-inclusive way to include additional terms used to describe one’s gender, romantic, and sexual identities for those who do not identify with heterosexuality or the gender binary.)
LGBTQIA+ Identity No, I am not part of the LGBTQIA+ community Race or Ethnicity (select all that apply) White
Do you speak a language other than
English?
Yes
Which languages? Hebrew, French, Italian, Polish
Household Income Prefer not to answer
Residence - Are you a Prefer not to answer
Do you live in a Prefer not to answer
Do you have any other identities* you
would like to share with us?
Veteran abroad
Your Agreement
Description Area IMPORTANT NOTICE – READ BEFORE SIGNING:By selecting both “Yes” and “Submit Form” below I am adding my digital signature to this application. I am also agreeing with the following statements:All statements I have made on this application are true and correct.I authorize the City of Sunnyvale (City) to investigate the accuracy of this information.I release the City from all claims and liabilities arising from such investigation.I acknowledge that any false statement on this application will be grounds for the City to deny my appointment. A false statement discovered later, will be grounds to dismiss me from my appointment at any time.I acknowledge that any false statement on this application could lead to criminal charges.
Charges could fall under California Penal Code, Section 115 or other applicable law.
I agree Yes
Your full name Nili Helman - Caspi
Date Jan 22, 2025
Nili Helman – Caspi