Form Name:
Unique ID:
Boards and Commissions Applicat ion
1447439 111
Applicant Information
Name
Are you a Sunnyvale resident?
How long have you lived in
Sunnyvale?
Clyde L Graham
Yes
5.5 years
DaeRleoefle:I:
4/2/26
--°" 4/2/26
..,. __ M_H _
Clyde Graham
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 appo intment and at all times during serv ice on a board or comm ission.
Current Main Residence
Email
Phone
Description Area Employment NoticeCity of Sunnyvale emp loyees may not serve on a board or comm ission.
I am a current City of Sunnyvale No
employee.
Have you ever served on a City of No
Sunnyvale board or commission?
Have you attended a meeting of No
the City Council, or a board or
commission?
Have you attended meetings of No
the board(s) or commission(s) for
which you are applying?
Board or Commission Selection
First Choice Board of Library Trustees (R)
Applicant Qualifications
What motivated you to apply for
this board or commission?
I want to be more involved with the residents of Sunnyvale in some capacity, and I am very passionate about the public library system. I think that I have both knowledge and experience that would benefit the City of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale Public Library.
What skills or attributes can you
bring to this board or
commission?
First and foremost, passion and enthusiasm. Currently I am a technology consultant focused on IT and desktop support. I am currently focused on building my skills and knowledge regarding AI offerings. I am also partially retired, and so I have much time I can offer for the role. My formal background is Software QA, and I have worked for companies such as Apple, and Microsoft. I do use ebook library assets, and evangelize such to clients and others.
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?
Individuals with a technology background are not exactly unusual in Sunnyvale, but I would approach this position with both passion and respect, sharing my long experience in technology and indirectly with information services to the council. I am very good at building rapport with individuals and turning that into long lasting relationships.
Education – List college degrees,
majors and any relevant training
or experience that demonstrates
your ability to effectively serve
on this board or commission.
My educational background is an Associate Degree from DeVry Institute of Technology in Electrical Engineering, but at this point, that's almost 40 years old. I have worked retail management, help desk, technical support, disability management phone support, Software QA, and now consulting.
Desktop IT Support, Vacuum Parts Supply, Santa Clara, CA 2023 - Current
Disability Adminstrative Specialist, Standard Insurance Corp., Portland, OR 2022 - 2023
US Department of Commerce, Census Bureau - 2020 Decennial Census Enumerator
Software Quality Assurance Engineer, Razer USA Ltd., San Francisco, California 2017 - 2020
Software Quality Assurance Engineer, Apple, Inc., Cupertino, California 2007 - 2017
Software Test Engineer, Microsoft Corporation, Mountain View, California 2003 - 2006
Software Quality Assurance Engineer, Connectix Corporation, San Mateo, California 1998 - 2003
Clyde Graham
Describe your involvement in
community activities, volunteer
and civic organizations.
This is an area that I don't have a lot to show, but as mentioned previously, I am partially retired at this point and want to put more of my energy into my community. One thing that I am working towards at the moment is qualifying for my Amateur Radio Technicians license so that I can support the Santa Clara County ARES/RACES/ACS organization. I anticipate gaining my Technician license this year.
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
Clyde Graham
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?
First, there's the issue of the failed bond measure, and our main funding path for the Public Library remains unresolved.
Serving a large multilingual and immigrant population. Sustaining and expanding multilingual collections and support for this portion of our community.
Digital Equity is huge. While there is a significant and dominant tech industry population, there is also a substantial lower income resident population that have significant access gaps. Digital literacy, internet literacy, and basic device access are crucial.
Sunnyvale is almost ground zero for AI development and the library will be seeing growing demand to help residents understand AI tools, evaluate AI-generated information critically, and also AI's impact on employment. This is an emerging need that most public libraries are still figuring out - Sunnyvale has a unique opportunity to be ahead of that curve.
Homeless outreach is also a concern. During the 2020 Decennial Census I enumerated a number of homeless encampments in the South Bay, and to some extent, they're not even aware of what services are available to them. This is a too often disregarded community and I think we can do better.
Returning to digital equity, the impending opening of the Lakewood Branch is a concrete opportunity to close that equity gap in north Sunnyvale.
Clyde Graham
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?
The immediate priority is addressing critical maintenance and safety issues from the general fund to prevent deterioration from becoming a liability or service disruption. Phased renovations targeting those needs would also represent a more achievable ballot threshold than a full replacement.
For supplemental funding, we should pursue state and federal grants for infrastructure and technology - they won't replace a bond, but can fund meaningful targeted improvements in the interim. Sunnyvale's large corporate presence also opens the door to public-private partnerships: naming rights, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants are all worth exploring.
On the bond itself, the core problem was a combination of the two-thirds threshold and a misinformation campaign on the tax impact. Community outreach, education, and coalition building need to happen well before a future ballot - not just during the campaign. The Chamber of Commerce and Silicon Valley
Leadership Group supported the measure; we should build on that coalition. Ballot timing is also worth analyzing - voter composition in an off-cycle election may be more favorable than a presidential year turnout.
Voter Registration Requirement
Description Area If you are a applying for the Board of Library Trustee, Heritage Preservation Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Personnel Board or the Planning Commission, you must be a registered voter in Sunnyvale.
Are you currently a registered
voter in Sunnyvale?
Yes
When was the last time you
voted? Month/Year
November 2025
Your Agreement
Clyde Graham
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 Clyde Lee Graham
Date Apr 01, 2026
Clyde Graham