An important part of the mission of The Petroleum Institute’s Foundation Program is to help students develop as independent learners. To this end a Foundation Faculty member, Janet Olearski, was recruited in August 2002, to undertake the role of Learning Enhancement Coordinator. At that time the Foundation Program operated out of Zarkuh Building (Building 1), while the Bu Hasa Building (Building 2) was just a construction site.

The Petroleum Institute Independent Learning Center was eventually set up in March 2003 in the new Bu Hasa Building. Initially, only nine or ten computers were available for use, there was a very small collection of books and no borrowing was available.

ILC Coordinator Janet Olearski (left) with Head Librarian Valerie Gondek (right)

In September 2003 the Petroleum Institute Library was set up by its first Head Librarian Valerie Gondek, and the Library and the Independent Learning Center occupied the same premises on the second floor of the Bu Hasa Building.

Staffing was limited to one part-time assistant in the ILC and one full-time assistant in the Library. Between 2003 and 2006 the Library and ILC collections grew, more staff were recruited and more resources were made available to students. The most popular resource has always been the ILC computers, through which students can go online, use Moodle, and access the Virtual Drive.

In the summer of 2006 the Library moved its collection to the newly-constructed Habshan Building and the ILC was able to expand its operation into the area previously occupied by the Library, and offer students more comprehensive facilities and a larger collection of resources.

August 2006 marked a new development in the history of the Petroleum Institute – the opening of the Arzanah Building for our first intake of female students. For this venture the Library andthe ILC will again join together to offer a comprehensive study and research space for students.  A scaled-down ILC set up shop in the Arzanah Library/ILC space in September 2006, with a small collection of books, audio cassettes and CDs, videos and DVDs.  Watch this space for the latest news about the Arzanah ILC.