At the time the position was part-time and my son was still in pre-school and I wanted a work schedule that allowed me to not have to keep him there the entire day. 

 

That’s a hard one. With interacting with so many people there’s lots of stories. Happy to say, mostly all good. I remember the interviewing process. I had to meet around the table with the operations committee that consisted of about 6 librarians. They all asked me questions and smiled the entire time. I think it was love at first sight on both sides. I also remember one conference getting on the elevator with some of the attendees and one librarian saw my name badge and shouted loud, “You’re Kim Parrott, I finally get to meet you”! That felt really great and almost like I was celebrity. Lastly, I remember my first trip to DC which is home for me so that was not the exciting part. The exciting part was meeting with the legislators and hearing the library advocates talk about how important libraries are to them. That’s where I gained a passion and respect for the profession and happily through my position, took on the role of helping NC libraries and librarians remain strong and vibrant.

Being able to be a part of the many facets of librarianship and working alongside those who work in the profession. My inspiration comes from working alongside librarians who are passionate about the work that they do from day-to-day. 

Now that’s another hard one. I want to first say, ALL librarians and library workers are my heroes. However, to name a few names, first would be Dale Cousins. Actually, she was one of the smiling librarians that was around the table during my interview. I have worked with her in her roles as Operations Chair, NCLA President, and Development Chair. We have had a great working relationship over the years. All of the Presidents during my time are heroes to me. Each one led the association forward in different ways that has contributed to the success that we see today. I also admired Mary Boone and Cal Shepard for their state leadership. Both showed a great deal of optimism during times that NC Libraries were faced with many challenges. My heroes are also every single person that sat around the table at the many Executive Board meetings volunteering their time to be part of something bigger than them. Wanda Brown is also a hero to me because of her heart of compassion for those who are underrepresented in the library community.