diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9c2da5b..8e1bcc1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ See doc/api.md for detailed information about this interface.
 
 * Building and Installation
 
-First, you'll want to customize include/config.h as detailed from
-include/config.mk.h, then build via running ./build.sh
+First, you'll want specify your server and channel as well as bot username
+and a password. This can be done either with command-line options or in a
+specified credentials file.
 
 This'll require a few libraries:
 libircclient-dev libsqlite3-dev build-essentials
diff --git a/include/parse.h b/include/parse.h
index 2245b26..efa4e01 100644
--- a/include/parse.h
+++ b/include/parse.h
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ DECL void parse_command(char  * cmd);
 DECL int  parse_creds(char const * creds_file);
 DECL void clean_creds(void);
 
+DECL int  parse_admin_list(char const * admin_list_file);
+DECL int  is_admin(char const * user);
+DECL void  clean_admin_list();
+
 DECL char * remind(char * who);
 DECL void set_repo(const char * const who, const char * const link);
 DECL char * dump(void);
diff --git a/src/parse.c b/src/parse.c
index ca99038..d0799b1 100644
--- a/src/parse.c
+++ b/src/parse.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #define PARAMS_COUNT 5
 
 creds_t creds = {0};
+char ** admins = NULL;
 
 enum cred_param_ids_e
 {
@@ -177,7 +178,6 @@ fail:
   return 1;
 }
 
-
 void
 clean_creds(void)
 {
@@ -189,3 +189,74 @@ clean_creds(void)
   FULL_FREE(creds.server);
 #undef FULL_FREE
 }
+
+DECL int
+parse_admin_list(char const * admin_list_path)
+{
+  #define ADMIN_LIST_INIT_SIZE 8
+  /* prealloc with 8 */
+  size_t current_array_size = ADMIN_LIST_INIT_SIZE;
+
+  FILE * stream;
+  size_t lines_read = 0;
+  char * line = NULL;
+  size_t nread = 0;
+
+  admins = calloc(ADMIN_LIST_INIT_SIZE, sizeof(char *));
+
+  stream = fopen(admin_list_path, "r");
+  if (stream == NULL)
+  {
+    PERROR(1);
+  }
+
+  while (getline(&line, &nread, stream) > 0)
+  {
+    if (++lines_read > current_array_size)
+    {
+      /* double the space*/
+      current_array_size *= 2;
+      realloc(admins, current_array_size);
+    }
+
+    admins[lines_read - 1] = line;
+  }
+
+  /* set up array end marker for proper clean-up later */
+  if (lines_read + 1 > current_array_size)
+  {
+    realloc(admins, current_array_size + 1);
+  }
+  admins[lines_read] = NULL;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+DECL int
+is_admin(char const * user)
+{
+  /* No Gods, no Masters */
+  if (admins == NULL) 
+  { return 0; }
+
+  for (size_t i = 0; admins[i]; ++i)
+  {
+    if (!strcmp(admins[i], user))
+    { return 1; }
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+DECL void
+clean_admin_list()
+{
+  if (admins == NULL) 
+  { return; }
+
+  for (size_t i = 0; admins[i]; ++i)
+  { free(admins[i]); }
+
+  free(admins);
+  admins = NULL;
+}
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