ANNOUNCEMENTS: University Librarian Note

This week for the first time since I started at Illinois (two years ago!) I was able to attend the Mortenson Center Associates showcase and graduation ceremony – what a fantastic cohort of Associates and a chance to learn from them about all they’ve experienced this past month, and how it will influence the opportunities and challenges they are confronting.  It was also an opportunity to see and appreciate how many of you have contributed to the Associates program, either by being a library buddy or a session leader or in some other way.  I want to recognize that effort, with a particular shout-out to Clara, Peggy and Emily for their painstaking planning, intensive and immersive work, and incredible good work on this program. Read more…

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Library Building Project Update – 7/1/25

Tom Teper, Associate Dean and Associate University Librarian for Collections and Technical Services

Construction continues apace, with our most recent site observation from the architect estimating that the project is 9% completed. As of June 26^th, the architect noted that since last week, the following work is in progress: CMU walls were removed from the east pavilion side walls, the overhang on the east pavilion has been almost completely removed, the plaza paver removal is underway, miscellaneous interior demolition is ongoing, and the installation of shoring for excavation of the elevator shaft and loading dock is scheduled to be completed this week. 

Below are an assortment of photos from the exterior work currently underway.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Cheers for Peers

Library Human Resources is happy to announce this month’s Cheers for Peers submissions. The following Library employees have been cheered by their peers:

• Angela Watters
• Grace Flavin
• Cait Coker
• Tony Hynes
• Caroline Szylowicz
• Molly Banwart
• JP Goguen
• Emma Wise
• Carrie Lingscheit
• Dana Miller
• Elizabeth McNutt
• Lynne M. Thomas
• Chloe Ottenhoff
• Ana Rodriguez
• Quinn Ferris
• Geoff Ross
• Jake Culbertson
• Steve Bermingham
• Paul Foster
• Xavier Sanchez

To view the detailed Cheers for Peers submissions please view the Growing People blog.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Recognizing Excellence

Please share your award, recognition, or grant! To initiate a request for publicity, employees (or their supervisors) should submit this Awards/Recognitions/Grants Publicity Request Form.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Senior Administrative Team Meeting Minutes

Please see the meeting minutes as follows:

• June 12
• May 28

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Collection Development Committee Notes

The most recent meeting minutes of the CDC are posted at:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/staff/committee/collection-development-committee/

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Content Access Policy & Technology Meeting Minutes

The meeting minutes of CAPT (including workgroup reports) are posted at:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/staff/committee/content-access-policy-technology-capt/

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FACILITIES NEWS: Facilities Update

Tim Newman, Assistant Dean of Libraries for Facilities

For a complete list of projects in planning and construction, please visit wordpress.library.illinois.edu/staff/facilities.

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BUSINESS NEWS: International Travel Update

Kim Johnson, Associate Director of Fiscal Operations

Before requesting a meeting with the Business Office to arrange payment for international travel, the employee must first enroll in international travel insurance and provide proof of enrollment to the travel arranger during the travel arranging meeting. Payables now requires that this proof of insurance be uploaded when submitting travel charges through Emburse Enterprises.

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BUSINESS NEWS: Reimbursement Update

Kim Johnson, Associate Director of Fiscal Operations

University Payables is a system wide office that reviews expense reports for all three campus, as well as the system and extension offices. All travel and other reimbursement expense reports for travel or purchases made prior to July 1, 2025, regardless of funding source, must be departmentally approved in Emburse Enterprise in order to post in FY25. This will help give University Payables adequate time to review and post these. (Travel to ALA would be considered purchases made prior to July 1, 2025).

Any travel and other reimbursement expense reports made after July 1, 2025 will not be submitted until July 14, 2025.

Please Help the Business Office in keeping track of your funding.

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BUSINESS NEWS: Event Funding

Kim Johnson, Associate Director of Fiscal Operations

The University has rules between how to transfer funds from different types of funds. When a Library faculty or staff member receives funds to support an event from another unit, it could be from a different fund type than how we are supporting the event. (An example, the Library is supporting a Workshop with gift funds, however two other units are wanting to use State/ICR funding.)

We are well versed in how to transfer and expend funds from different funding sources. In order to help you navigate the different funding terrain, please include us in budget discussions. We can provide you with the best way to keep track of all your expenses for the event and help with getting unit support.

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HR NEWS: Filled Positions

• Nina Dokeva – Library Specialist – Slavic Cataloging – Acquisitions and Cataloging Services – Starting July 14, 2025
• Erin Simon – Applied Health Sciences Librarian – SSHEL – Starting July 21, 2025

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HR NEWS: Departures

• David Lottes – Senior Library Specialist – ACS – Retiring, last day July 31, 2025

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HR NEWS:  Academic Professional and Faculty Open Postings

• Head – Acquisitions & Cataloging Services Librarian – Acquisitions and Cataloging Services – Finalizing Search

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Staff Events Calendar

To see the most up-to-date staff events calendar, please visit uiuc.libcal.com/calendar/staff.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: CARLI: From Analog to Digital: The Journey of Digitization

July 2 at 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Registration

This presentation explores the transformative journey from physical to digital formats, using the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida as a case study. We will walk through the step-by-step digitization process, from selection and preparation to capture, metadata creation, and long-term digital access. Attendees will gain insight into the key tools and technologies that power modern digitization workflows. The session will also highlight critical questions institutions should ask before launching a digitization project—such as identifying priorities, planning for scalability, and ensuring accessibility. Whether you’re just beginning or refining your digitization strategy, this session offers practical guidance rooted in real-world experience.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Library WordPress Accessibility Cohort Training

Although it can seem daunting, ensuring web-based content is compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a matter of systematically addressing different elements of a website. In this one-hour training we will go through those elements: color, headings, images, links, multimedia content, and other miscellaneous tips.

Please note the training agenda for each of these sessions is the same but is being offered five times to facilitate potential attendees’ availability.

• July 7 at 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• July 8 at 2:00–3:00 p.m. (online)
• July 9 at 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• July 10 at 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• July 11 at 2:00–3:00 p.m.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Library CPR/AED Training

The Library is holding CPR/AED Training classes on Wednesday, July 9th, for any employee (faculty, staff, and GA) who is interested in becoming certified. The training will be 2 hours and consist of AED/CPR training, Narcan training, and the use of bleed kits. Class size is limited to 16 per class and will be held at the Main Library in Room 220.

Please contact Christina Bonse at bonse2@illinois.edu for registration.

• July 9 at 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
• July 9 at 1:00–3:00 p.m.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: CARLI: Digitization at the National Archives

July 9 at 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Registration

Denise Henderson [Director of Digitization for Research Services at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)] will discuss the history of NARA’s digitization program, including the design and creation of a state-of-the-art Digitization Center at the agency’s College Park facility. She will also highlight some of the major digitization projects that NARA has undertaken to make more records available online and available to everyone. Hosted by FLVC.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Coffee for 5 with Claire

July 15 at 9:00–10:00 a.m.
Registration

Let’s have coffee! this monthly gathering is designed for casual, small-group conversations. These will be virtual on Teams, and we hope you can join us there.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Receiving Feedback – Professional Development Series

July 15 at 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Registration

We will explore key lessons and practices from Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen (authors of Thanks for the Feedback) on how to effectively receive feedback, which can ultimately lead to stronger relationships, trust, and collaboration.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: CARLI: Digitization Projects Showcase

The CARLI Preservation Committee is delighted to showcase digitization projects at Illinois libraries as part of the Summer Digitization Webinar Series in partnership with the Florida Virtual Campus.

July 16 at 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Registration

• Project 1: “Using Multispectral Imaging to Augment Digitized West African Manuscripts” presented by Stephanie Gowler, Northwestern University Libraries

July 23 at 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Registration

• Project 2: “Collaborative Preservation at the Crossroads of Science and History: Digitizing the Barnard Atlas” presented by Christina Miranda, University of Chicago Library.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: CARLI: Cultural Competence in Leadership

July 22 at 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Registration

Understanding and implementing cultural competence is an important leadership quality. This webinar will explore the meaning and history of cultural competence and how leaders can implement this skillset into their management, supervisory and leadership toolkit. This is the 3rd webinar in a 3 part series

Join Dr. Suzanne Morrison-Williams, EdD, MPA, BSc as she discusses:

1. Defining cultural competence
2. Explain the importance of cultural competence in organizations
3. Define how cultural competence is used and displayed in leadership
4. Explain how to develop cultural competence as part of leadership strategies
5. Examine how to create and develop internal strategies to increase leadership skill and potential in teams.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: CARLI: Summer Book Bash: Dazzling Debuts with J.B. Hwang, Lucas Schaefer, & Penny Zang

July 24 at 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Registration

Join J.B. Hwang, Lucas Schaefer, and Penny Zang as they share their enthusiasm for libraries and chat about their debut novels during this webinar hosted by LibraryLinkNJ. All attendees will be eligible for a chance to win book-related prizes from our sponsors.

• J.B. Hwang received her MFA in Fiction from the University of Florida, and her short fiction and translation can be found in The Temz Review, The Denver Quarterly, Oxford Magazine, and december magazine. She lived in San Francisco for eight years and worked as a mail carrier during the pandemic. She currently lives in Philadelphia.
• Lucas Schaefer’s debut novel, The Slip, will be published in June 2025 from Simon & Schuster. His work has appeared in One Story, The Baffler, Slate and other publications. He lives with his family in Austin, Texas.
• Penny Zang’s debut novel, Doll Parts, is forthcoming from Sourcebooks in August 2025. She is from Maryland and graduated with an MFA in Fiction from West Virginia University. Her work has appeared in the Potomac Review, Louisville Review, and South 85, among others. She lives in South Carolina, where she teaches English.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: Creating Focus – Professional Development Series

July 30 at 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Registration

We will explore recent research findings by Dr. Gloria Span about how an increasingly virtual world can affect attention span, as well as tools and techniques for restoring balance and helping us focus and manage our time better.

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EVENTS AND TRAINING: CARLI: Summer Book Bash: Book Buzz with Chronicle, Levine Querido & W.W. Norton

July 31 at 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Registration

Chronicle, Levine Querido & W. W. Norton, publishers of award-winning fiction and nonfiction, share their noteworthy books for Summer and Fall 2025 during this webinar hosted by LibraryLinkNJ. All attendees will be eligible for a chance to win book-related prizes from our sponsors.

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