Parkland READS is back!

The Parkland READS book for 2015-2016 is Matthew Crawford's Shop Class as Soulcraft. The book challenges readers to re-think how we define and value work in the 21st century. The Philadelphia Inquirer's reviewer wrote that the book's "thought-provoking themes are well worth considering. . . as millions of unemployed Americans struggle to find work, any kind of work, let alone work that suits their skills and talents and offers, in Crawford's words, 'a tighter connection between life and livelihood.'"

The goal for next year is to focus on the nature of creativity in the workplace, and that includes creativity in our own work place. The book raises questions about the value of a college education and it's a book you'll want to discuss with colleagues across the campus.

I'll be posting more information about activities for students, book groups for faculty and staff, and other creative ideas evolving from themes raised in the book. Look for that next fall!

For the 2016-17 year, we'll have a new theme and I'll be looking to faculty and staff to help choose a book for the 2016/17 year this coming November so that more faculty can actually adopt the next book as part of their courses. This year, I'm behind so Crawford's Shop Class as Soulcraft is aimed more towards our own professional development, although I will be teaching it in all of my English 101 courses so if anyone else wants to adopt the book in fall, I'll have some materials and assignment ideas and will be happy to share those.

If you have questions, thoughts, suggestions or ideas, I'm the go-to person for all things Parkland READS. The program is fully supported by Parkland's library, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, academic and student services. It's truly a cross-campus initiative and I look forward to your input about this book and future projects related to Parkland READS.

Amy Penne, Ph.D.

Professor of English

Parkland READS Coordinator

Parkland College

2400 W. Bradley Ave.

Champaign, IL  61821

217-353-2028

Free Coffee and Tea NOW until May 14th

Each year the Library provides free coffee and tea to all students, faculty, and staff to help get you through the last few days of the semester.  Please feel free to grab a cup, or go green and use your own mug.

Good luck on your finals!

Wayback Wednesday: A Little Something Wild

This week is NationalWildflower Week, and May is the perfect time to appreciate the naturally colorful beauty of native flowers at any one of the various nature preserves we have available to us through Champaign CountyForest Preserve District. 

While we can’t pick the wildflowers, we can dig into Parkland’s roots, where we can learn about an agreement in which Parkland College became the first community college in the country to manage and use Nature Conservancy land. This was Grandma Patton’s Woods, named for Jane Cade Patton,  one of the first settlers of European descent in the area, and donated by her descendants.  In 1975, Dr. Lewis J. Stannard, a trustee of the IllinoisChapter of the Nature Conservancy, met with the Parkland biology staff and Dr. Donald Swank to propose that Parkland lease the 14 acre tract of wooded land at a rate of $10 per year. By 1977, Parkland faculty, staff, and students had become stewards to the land, which was to be used for educational and scientific research purposes. 

Former Parkland professor, Earl R. Cruetzberg (see also, Parkland prairie restoration), was instrumental in this project and used his sabbatical that same year to establish an interpretive nature trail. During his time at Parkland, he also designed coursework using the land, promoted its use through open houses, and created many interpretive brochures, including this one identifying the wildflowers that could be found in the woods.

Also known as Grandma Jane Patton’s Timber Nature Preserve, the area is located in northeast Champaign County, County Line Road (3600 N) and County Road 2500 E, six miles north of Gifford on 2500 E. It is an example of a native oak-hickory forest. Today the land is owned by the Champaign County Forest Preserve.  

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Wayback Wednesday Extra: 

“Grandma” Jane Cade Patton (1824-1921), wrote her memoir, Remembrancesof a Pioneer, which is now part of the digital books collection available through the University of Illinois Library.

This information was gathered from Record Group 7-8, Series 4 of the Parkland Archives. 

Wayback Wednesday is a feature of the Parkland College Archives. If you have ideas you'd like to see in future posts, email us at archives@parkland.edu. The Archives is open to faculty, staff, students, and the public by appointment.