As a licensed pharmacist who now works in IT for health care services, Sarah Verbyla hopes to get more involved with the library as a trustee. She is running for a seat on the Rochester Board of Library Trustees.

Verbyla said that she has learned that taking a step back to look at the bigger picture can be beneficial.

“Sometimes the smartest thing you can say is, “I don't know, let me get back to you on that,”’she said.

Verbyla has also learned in her experience with IT that every action can affect something unrelated.

“I just always take that step back to see how this will affect everything else, you cannot just have your blinders on.”

As a six-year resident of Rochester and a lifelong library visitor, Verbyla said she decided to run to get more involved with the library.

“I just think that's such an awesome resource for anybody, for children, for parents, for seniors, for everyone,” said Verbyla. “ I just want to get more involved with the library and help remind people [that] libraries aren't just books anymore.”

While looking over the library’s five-year plan, Verbyla said that she noticed one of the goals was to improve outreach to millennials. Millennials are people who are born between 1981 and 1996 according to the Pew Research Center.

“I am smack dab in the millennial generation. So it just seemed like something that I would love to kind of help get more involved with,” she said.

Verbyla discussed potential programs such as neighborhood meet-and-greets

She said it would “ be great if the library could act as a community center, where people could just gather with no other preconceived notions just to get to know each other.”

When it comes to the issue of the removal of controversial books, Verbyla said that she plans to “Help the library in its pre-existing policy.”

Verbyla said that the library’s greatest strength is its resources that are available for all Rochester residents.

“It doesn't matter if you have $1 million or no dollars, the library is always there to serve,” she said.

Verbyla is facing challengers Jane Taylor and Heather Alford for a seat on the Rochester Board of Library Trustees in the town election on Wednesday, May 24.