Always remember, at GRCC, you are surrounded by people who want you to be successful and are ready to walk with you on your educational pathway. We are here to help!
Meet Nan Schichtel. Nan is a is a GRCC grad - as are four of her five brothers. Nan credits GRCC for giving her family the opportunity to get a college education, and she is honored to work with the GRCC students today as the Information Literacy and Outreach Librarian in the Library and Learning Commons.
Nan provides library service and collections for students interested in careers in medical assisting, pharmacy tech, phlebotomy, craft brewing, culinary arts, dental, exercise science, medical and dental pre-majors, nursing, occupational therapy assisting, political science, and radiologic technology.
She introduces them to resources that will enable them to be successful. Usually those are GRCC library resources. But sometimes those resources are people, collections or organizations in the community. Like the special collections at the Grand Rapids Public Library, the GVSU library, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum and their Grand Rapids Community Archives and Research Center.
"When I see students with a dream, I want to enable them to reach that dream and to prepare for an ever-changing world of work,” she said. “As a former classroom teacher, I especially like seeing the light bulb go on as students learn how a professional database works, and how they can use special database features to meet their assignment requirements and personal interest goals."
Nan's professional background includes teaching at Grand Rapids Catholic and Kalamazoo Catholic schools, and substitute teaching at Grand Rapids Public Schools. She also held the position of Off-Campus Librarian & Access Services Librarian; Health Sciences Librarian at Grand Valley State University, and Assistant Library Director, Serials and Instruction Librarian at Aquinas College.
A Grand Rapids historian, Nan sits on the Grand Rapids History Detectives Committee and is a member of several local organizations related to her varied interests. She is also a United States Junior Chamber of Commerce Senator, the Trustee & Secretary for the Grand Rapids Historical Society and sits on the ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database Advisory Board.
Nan is here to help GRCC students from all walks of life interested in a multitude of careers, but she is the most enthusiastic about helping students who want to get out into the working world to help others.
You can connect with the library team through email library@grcc.edu and by phone (616) 234-3872, or by stopping in the Library and Resource Commons, 140 Ransom Ave NE, in Grand Rapids.