A librarian runs for political office (or Cincinnatus looks outside the Ivory Tower)

Librarians have long been activists for social and political causes outside of their profession; however, few take the crucial step and actually run for political office at the local, state, or national level. In March 2014, after being involved in local and state politics for over ten years and volunteering for political campaigns at the local, state, and national level, and with some encouragement from individuals I knew in political and academic circles, I threw myself into the political realm by registering to run as a (moderate) Republican for a House seat in the Utah Legislature. Little did I know that, as an academic librarian, this would be an incredible learning experience. I wish to emphasize that this is not an article on how to run for office (there are numerous articles and books that discuss this subject). Rather this is an overview and case study of an academic librarian who became involved in the political process and exercised his right to run for office to represent the community in which he resides.