Former Yorkville mayor appointed to library board

After serving four years as Yorkville’s mayor and 13 years on City Council, Valerie Burd is reentering public service, this time as an appointed trustee on the Yorkville Public Library Board.

At their Feb. 25 meeting, the City Council approved Mayor John Purcell’s appointment of Burd to the nine-member board.

A 37-year resident of Yorkville, Burd said she was honored to serve and uphold an institution that is a central point for the identity of the community. She said the library has become a place that inspires the minds of both young and old.

“I’m in favor for holding up the library, protecting it, and making sure it’s there for the next generation to enjoy,” Burd said. “As libraries have evolved, they have become places of community where people go to try out different activities. They have exercise clubs, they have book reading clubs and clubs for writers. All these different groups attract people to come together. It’s a great way to bring different backgrounds together and provide them the opportunity to sit down and get to know each other.”

Burd served as Ward 2 alderman from 1998 through 2007, then as mayor from until 2011. Burd said she honed her skills and love for public service while serving as a journalist and covering Yorkville City Council meetings.

Burd said besides her love for literature, she was inspired to serve on the board following a right wing group previously calling for the Yorkville Public Library to ban some books.

“I’m not in favor of banning books, I think that’s for the librarians to figure out,” Burd said. “I helped organized a group with the American Association of University Women to go around and support different boards when they were being attacked. Our message wasn’t political, it was about telling them they were doing a great job and not to let those certain people upset them. They certainly don’t represent the 25,000 people who live in Yorkville.”

Burd said she loves how valuable of a resource the library has become for both the school district and the overall community.

“You have to applaud the current director and her staff for coming up with creative ideas to reach out and bring more people into the library,” Burd said. “It’s such a great resource for the school district, that’s such a good partnership to have.”

Since serving as mayor, Burd helped publish the Chamber Community Guides, highlighting the community of Yorkville and the businesses that call it home. She also is the chairman of the county’s Environmental Health Advisory Board and is on the Senior Services Advisory Board.