

The pictures here show the view from the inside of Parkland College Library. I took a visitation tour to interview Anna Maria Waltkin the library director who had spent 19 years working in this library. She is a British graduate student but because of her love for art she became an Art librarian and now she is the library director at the Parkland College.
BACKGROUND OF THE PARKLAND COLLEGE
Parkland College is a comprehensive community college mainly geared towards rendering academic services to the community students as well as international students. They offer academic, vocational and community courses such:
- Heating and cooling engineering
- Nursing
- Radio technology
- Dental hygiene as a course as well dental services rendered to the community for just 10 dollars to clean your teeth and mouth.
- Veterinary technology medicine
- General education to list but a few.
They are the biggest feeder school to the University of Illinois and most of their students are top grade students. In summary having got an brief in dept information about the background of the college, I started my interview by asking the following questions.
WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE COLLEGE?
Ans: The mission of the college is to engaged community learning such as vocational and technical courses as well as educational courses.
HOW IS IT LIKE IN TERMS OF STRUCTURE IN THE LIBRARY?
Ans: Well before it’s used to be like president, one executive vice president, deputy chairman and faculty staff. But now it is the president, four vice president, directors and faculty staff.
IN TERMS OF POSITION IN THE COLLEGE STRUCTURE WHERE CAN YOU PUT THE LIBRARY
Ans: The library is under the academic services mainly because they serve the academic curriculum and our collections needs to be current to meet the current curriculum. We don’t keep collections because that is not our mission. The library is the only place where the community can come and use our computers freely. Our computers are without pass words so it’s open to every users.
TAKEN OVER THIS JOB WHAT WAS AND EVEN CURRENTLY YOUR CHALLENGE?
Ans: Holding on to resources quite honestly. In most cases I had to look at my budget knowing well that their is not enough money but I don’t want to be seen as an idiot always asking for money because there are other departments.
Secondly, making sure that people understand what we do. It has always been a challenge and I think it will continue to be a challenge to let people know what we are doing. In short there is so much to do in terms of resources and to let people know what we are doing.
BUT IN SOME CASES YOU SUCCEED RIGHT?
Ans: Yes
WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIES USED IN YOUR SUCCESS
Ans: You have to pick up your fights. Pick a fight “you know what I mean”? It involves persistence dialogue but you have to time that persistence so that you won’t be seen as trouble maker. So in short be ready to pick your battle, get the timing right and show that you are a team player. Keep the momentum going is also important.
WITH YOUR LIMITED BUDGET WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU APPLY IN THE ACQUISITION OF MATERIALS
Ans: I do a lot of shifting around the budget. If for instance I had to buy online publications and at the end it was not being used by the users, in the next budget I will shift that allocated money to other area that is of urgent need. I don’t give the money back I always spend that money. The only thing that I don’t have control over is the staffing.
CREATING SPACES IN LIBRARIES IS NOW A PREREQUISITE. SO HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CREATE SPACE FOR USERS
Ans: Oh yes, we create spaces every year to meet the demand of users. No body has threaten us about spaces because I have other colleagues who said their spaces has been used as offices because of their student number is down but in our case it’s different. Student collaborative spaces has been created and it is well used.
End of interview.
Thank you so much for answering my questions.