De-Stress Fest Spring 2018!

Posted on April 29, 2018 by AR

Feeling the pressure of finals? We sure are! Come spend Reading Day on May 3rd at the UGL and blow off some steam. Check out our schedule of the day’s events!

All Day

An orange UGL lanyard with homemade buttons of an avocado, tatiana maslany, a dog in a field, Uggles, BB-8, and tina fey

Make buttons of the things you love like avocados and Tatiana Maslany!

What: Crafts, origami, and button-making
Where: Upper level, front of the library
Spend your day making crafts with paper, pipecleaners, and pet rocks! Make a button for your backpack, lanyard, or jean jacket with the UGL’s button-maker!

What: Long Night Against Procrastination
Where: Writers Workshop
Join the Writers Workshop in the Long Night Against Procrastination. Get help from writing tutors all day long until midnight!

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

A photo of Altgeld hall with the text "Illinois - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign counseling center" overlaid in white text

The Counseling Center is here to help!

What: Counseling Center
Where: Upper Level, front of the library
Feeling the stress of finals season? The counseling center is there for you! Get help and resources from the Counseling Center all afternoon!

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

What: Research and Writing Consultations
Where: Outside patio tables
If you’re still powering through those final research papers, the UGL is here to help! Bask in the sun and spend some time with a one-on-one research consultation at one of our outdoor research consultations.

What: Bubbles, games, and sidewalk chalk
Where: Outside the UGL
If you just need a break from the library, come outside and play games! Sidewalk chalk, board games, and bubbles will be outside the UGL on the patio all afternoon!

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

What: Word Games with the Writers Workshop
Where: Writers Workshop
Exercise your brain and have fun with Bananagrams and other word games at the Writers Workshop!

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Roll for Initiative!

What: Pathfinder Character Creation
Where: Undergrad Library, Group Room 11
Take your RPG playing to the next level and create your own custom character with the help of the UGL’s Game Masters in Residence!

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

What: Research and Writing Consultations
Where: Consultation Corner

Cram in some last minute research and writing help at the Consultation Corner!

8:00 pm

SURPRISE! Show up at the UGL at 8 pm for a sweet surprise!

8:00 pm – Midnight

Yes, you can still play Street Fighter 2

What: Vintage Video Games
Where: UGL Gaming Center
Missing your old school video games? Come play with the UGL’s RetroN, a 10-system console capable of running SEGA, Game Boy, NES, Genesis, SNES and more!

Poems for April!

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Zander Miller

April has indeed been cruel–

Nary a blossom, not a dang bloom.

We’ve ratcheted between spring and winter

Like a merry-go-round with a stutter.

But April is also national poetry month!

A time to remember language has worth;

It bears meaning and can strive for Truth

No matter what twitter tells you.

And though verse may seem too hard and tragic

Remember that the world does match it.

The key to meaning in both’s to see

There are plenty of people with the same feeling.

If finding them remains a pain in the neck

The UGL has always got your back.

–

Here’s just a few of our recent poetry titles! Click on the titles to find them in the Catalog!

Nancy Takacs’ The Worrier:

Erica Lewis’ Mary Wants to be a Superwoman

Kevin Coval’s A People’s History of Chicago (with a forward by Chance the Rapper):

Rita Mae Reese’s The Book of Hulga

And if you still just don’t know what the big deal is with poetry, here’s T.S. Eliot’s On Poetry and Poets to break it down

National Mental Health Awareness Week

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Zander Miller

Self-care is an important part of your mental health. For National Mental Health Awareness Week (April 23-27), we are highlighting resources and events around campus to help you #finishstrong and be healthy!

The Counseling Center

An oldie but a goodie, talking to someone when you’re feeling stressed, anxious or depressed is always a good option. McKinley Health Center has counselors who are here to help you! Schedule an appointment by phone at 217-333-3704 and check out more info on the counseling center website.

A gif of a yarn gnome sewing a yarn heart

There’s always someone who will listen

Take a Night Off

The Illini Union Rec Room has bowling, billiards, arcade games, and more! Take a night off from homework and stress to hang out with your friends and have fun!

A gif of a cat trying to bowl but knocking down the pins with its body

Strike!

Go for a Walk

Getting outside and walking can be an easy way for a mood boost. The arboretum has a trail that passes by the Japan House, a pond, and plenty of beautiful flowers. If you need to study, you can bring a friend and some flashcards for an active study session!

Massage at the ARC

Did you know you can get a massage from a licensed massage therapist at the ARC? Rates and more information can be found here on their information page.

A gif of a cat massaging a cat that is relaxed

Licensed cat massage therapists not available

Krannert Art Museum

Krannert Art Museum, apart from having a beautiful collection, also throws fun events! You can grab some Cookies n’ Cold Brew on the 26^th, or get zen with Yoga at the Museum on the 27^th!

A gif of Spongebob enjoying cookies and milk

As delicious as it looks and sounds

Finally, there’s nothing like a good old fashioned movie night. The UGL has tons of classic or current movies and TV shows!

A gif reading "And now.... It's Show Time" over a background drive-in theatre screen.

Note: The UGL is not a drive-in theater

If you’re having a hard time, it’s ok to reach out for help

UIUC Crisis Line: 217-359-4141 (TTY: 217-352-4217)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or chat

Trevor Project Hotline: 1-866-488-7386

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

Retro Gaming at the Playful by Design Spring Symposium!

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Zander Miller

On Friday, April 6th, the UGL is teaming up with Playful by Design to bring gaming to the Spring Symposium! The main events will take place in the new Armory Innovation Spaces at the Armory building. In this post, you’ll find a schedule of events for that Friday and a preview of some of the retro games we’ll be bringing that you will be able to play!

All-Day Events

We will be a part of the all-day events going from 10:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. in Armory room 182! Listed below are the events taking place all day.

GAME DESIGN OPEN HOUSE

Share your latest game designs or hear from others working on designing games! This group will be lead by Victor Mouschovias.

VINTAGE TABLE TOP AND VIDEO GAMES

Vintages Games will be hosted by the Undergraduate Library! We have brought a variety of retro games for you to play. There will also be vintage table top games for you and your friends to play.

List of Retro Games

Tetris & Dr. Mario (SNES)
Super Mario All Stars (SNES)
Castlevania Bloodlines (Sega Genesis)
Kid Icarus (Nintendo Gameboy)
A Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
Bust a Move 4 (Nintendo Gameboy)
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Star Fox (SNES)
Super Mario Kart (SNES)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Genesis)
Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Street Fighter 2 Turbo (SNES)

Self-Organized Networking & Design Sessions

Throughout the day there will be other speaking sessions and events! At any time, you can have impromptu workshops or continue discussing these topics by signing up to reserve space at the registration table.

Poster for the keynote speaker, Colleen Macklin

Keynote Speaker, Colleen Macklin, will give a speech titled “Gaming the System: How Games Make Meaning in a Mixed up World”

For a complete schedule including Thursday and Saturday events, you can check the event web-page. Optionally, you can register for the event and say you’re going on the Facebook event page.

Undergraduate Library Blog

Information and Updates on Getting the Most out of the UGL

Monthly Archives: April 2018