Form Name: Boards and Commissions Application
Unique ID: 1336346878
Applicant Information
Name Kerstyn Clover
Are you a Sunnyvale resident? Yes
How long have you lived in
Sunnyvale?
6 years
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
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?
Yes
Briefly describe what you learned
by watching or attending a
meeting of the City Council,
board or commission. What
improvements would you
suggest?
The structure of the meetings is very organized. I found the library board of trustees meeting to be very interesting and really appreciate that the library staff have an opportunity to present various work projects. It did feel that it ran a bit long due to questions that started on-topic for the presentation but ventured off topic into other potential library projects or plans, so it might be valuable to consider a time limit on board questions or adherence to the topic, depending on if this is a frequent occurrence or considered to be an issue by others.
Have you attended meetings of
the board(s) or commission(s) for
which you are applying?
Yes
Kerstyn Clover
Office Use Only
Date Received:
__________
Voter registration
Office Use Only
Date Received: __________
Voter registration verified:
On: ___________________
By: ___________________
Date Received:
Voter registration verified:
On:
By: ___________________
4/21/25
4/22/25
MH
How many meetings have you
attended?
1 Board or Commission Selection
First Choice Board of Library Trustees (R)
Applicant Qualifications
What motivated you to apply for
this board or commission?
I really love the library - this library, and libraries in general. When I was a child, the library was the only place I could go to access the internet and get on a computer and now I work in information security and live in Silicon Valley. It feels important to me that, especially given our location, the library continues to be a facility that helps lift up the least privileged by providing fair and open information access safely, as well as providing a variety of learning and entertainment possibilities for everyone.
What skills or attributes can you
bring to this board or
commission?
In the last board meeting, a staff member presented on
generative AI and its possible implications and uses for everyone and the topic of keeping patrons' information private was also discussed. I have been working in information security for over a decade and have a passion for protecting security and privacy in a world that increasingly collects and commodifies personal information. I have experience working across varying skill and interest levels to provide training and awareness around security and technology topics and could provide insight into what the industry is looking for, if technology education and career preparedness is of interest for the library's multi-year plan. I have also spent some time working in program management and
department planning at various jobs, so I have time management skills and some understanding of budget projections and workload management. I'm also just a huge lifelong library user: I've used inter-library requests for books and movies, I use the online streaming options, and I read dozens of books a year via ebooks and physical books, so I'm familiar with the library's current offerings.
Kerstyn Clover
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?
My understanding from reading the provided policy manual is that the best way to achieve this is to remain open-minded to the community during library board meetings, to apply good
judgment to various points of view, and to select what seems most effective for serving the city's population. I would try to attend current/future and review past meetings both for City Council and the Library Board in order to understand the key functions, concerns and interests as well as get accustomed to the standard procedures of the meetings so that I can be as effective as possible. If possible, I would also be very interested in getting to know more about the library's operations and information on the different populations of people who use the library, or are under-served by the library, to serve as context.
Education – List college degrees,
majors and any relevant training
or experience that demonstrates
your ability to effectively serve
on this board or commission.
Degree: Bachelor of Science from Defiance College - major in Digital Forensic Science, minor in Art
Professional certification: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Training: Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) (this training provides a whole-community approach to understanding a community's needs and goals for emergency planning, and teaches how to effectively scope, budget, plan and design preparedness exercises and programs to help a given community become more prepared and resilient)
Describe your involvement in
community activities, volunteer
and civic organizations.
Specifically in Sunnyvale, last year I attended the city's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training and
joined the CERT deployment team. Whenever possible I attend the monthly training/review meetings and joined a recent deployment to look for a missing person. I enjoy attending local activities like the Art and Wine Festival and supporting local whenever possible by doing things like helping to build lighted arches for the Heritage district project or just ensuring I buy some Girl Scout cookies from my local scouts. I'm looking forward to taking one of the city's adult swimming lesson offerings this summer and appreciate that it is much more cost effective than private lessons.
More broadly, I've volunteered in the past at places like local animal shelters and running clubs, and I help organize a monthly book club and weekly crafting event.
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.
Kerstyn Clover
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 that public sentiment will likely continue to split regarding technology, with some people feeling that increased technology usage is a pathway to being competitive in job markets, and other people feeling that the availability and attention demands of technology are detrimental to everyday life. We can see this in public sentiment both for and against generative AI as one example, and in ongoing and increasing state and local legislation around things like age verification for social media and use of mobile phones in schools. I think this could represent a divide for the library, where it will be important to both provide digital resources to support the population that seeks to use them, and also to maintain things like physical media catalogues (DVDs, CDs, books) and offer non-tech classes and events for those who wish to re-introduce or increase their more "real world" interests and skills. I also think it will be extremely important for the library to continue ensuring that patrons can have a safe and private library experience when using library systems, buildings, and materials as this ensures free exploration of ideas and free expression. Many people are feeling apprehensive about money and it seems forecast that coming years will lead to more people reducing their spending; it is my understanding that Sunnyvale Community Services for example has served increasingly high numbers of Sunnyvale families recently; this will likely increase usage of library resources, so the library will likely see higher costs for item replacement, building wear and tear, and so on.
There may also be some conflict from new populations using the library for the first time, if this means a significant population of people do that, and potentially an increase broadly speaking in the unhoused and very low income populations of the city that may turn to the library for assistance in finding resources and support beyond the library system.
Kerstyn Clover
Our main library's infrastructure
is aging, with ongoing
maintenance issues. The 2024
library bond measure, intended
to solve those issues, failed.
What solutions do you suggest?
I would start with understanding which issues are highest priority, taking into account the potential increased costs that would be incurred if something failed vs. the costs of repair and maintenance, as well as potential downtime to the library and its systems in the event of a failure. If a cost/benefit and priority analysis shows clear choices (for example, that plumbing must be updated due to high risk of flooding damaging equipment) a first line consideration could be determining whether city or state funds are allocated for urgent building repairs/updates, or could be requested.
If the costs needed for the updates are comparatively small and it is feasible, some sort of community fundraising effort could also be considered, or proposal of a smaller bond designed to address the issues identified as urgent or necessary for supporting existing functions without the expansion aspects.
Another potential option could be seeking outside partnership, although obviously this must be done with caution to avoid undue influence by a corporation or individual on the library. With these risks in mind, it seems possible that some of the proposed expansions would represent some sort of naming opportunity with funds also earmarked for (again as example) the plumbing issues.
Demographic Information
Your age
Your gender
Description Area
LGBTQIA+ Identity
Race or Ethnicity (select all that
apply)
Do you speak a language other
than English?
Household Income
Residence - Are you a
Kerstyn Clover
Do you live in a
Do you have any other identities*
you would like to share with us?
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 Kerstyn Clover
Date Apr 08, 2025
Kerstyn Clover