World Cup 2014: Reader’s Advisory

Posted on June 23, 2014 by QLB

It’s officially the season of pool parties, Summer II classes, and smoothies. For those “futbol” fans among us, the summer of 2014 marks the most important event of the season, the World Cup. The first World Cup began in 1930 and takes place every four years and is hosted by a different country every time. This year, it is taking place in the Mecca of soccer, Brazil. Now, if you’re not familiar with the World Cup, or even soccer, have no worries, the UGL is here to the rescue!

We have compiled a list for the fans and for those who are starting to get familiar with the sport.

“A Beautiful Game” by Tom Watt

“A Beautiful Game: The World’s Greatest Players and How Soccer Changed their Lives” by Tom Watt

Ever wonder how soccer can change the lives of kids? Well, read now read it from the players themselves. Lionel Messi, Landon Donovan, David Beckham, among others. An insight on how soccer affected and changed their lives, to become some of the greatest names in the sport.

“The ESPN World Cup Companion: Everything you need to know about the planet’s biggest sports event”

“The ESPN World Cup companion : everything you need to know about the planet’s biggest sports event”

Chips, check. Soda, check, the game is on the television, check. Now what? It’s time to sit back and enjoy the game. Have this handy guide next to you if you’re just getting to know the game. If not, it never hurts to have a guide to the game.

“Why Soccer Matters” by Pele (AKA Edson Arantes do Nascimento)

“Why Soccer Matters” by Pele

A fascinating insight into the mind and thoughts of one of the greatest players of all time (in our humble opinion). Edson Arantes do Nascimento, a Brazilian player, also known as Pelé, is one of the greatest players to come out of Brazil. In this book, he explores the game of soccer from his perspective and also writes about working with charitable organizations all over the world. A great read for the soccer fan or for an inquiring mind.

“Fear and Loathing in La Liga: Barcelona vs Real Madrid” by Sid Lowe

“Fear and Loathing in La Liga” by Sid Lowe

The rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid has been going on for years, but the conflict stems from the time of the Spanish Civil War. It’s much more than Messi vs. Ronaldo. Read all about this fascinating rivalry and why it’s more than just a game.

“Solo: A Memoir of Hope” by Hope Solo

“Solo: A Memoir of Hope” by Hope Solo

A memoir of world-famous American Goalkeeper, Hope Solo. Follow her journey from a broken childhood to a world-class goalkeeper and an Olympic gold-medalist. She serves as a role model to not only Americans, but to people from all over the world.

“The Girls of Summer: The U.S Women’s Soccer Team and how it changed the world” by Jere Longman

“The Girls of Summer” by Jere Longman

In July of 1999, the American Women’s soccer team defeated China in the Women’s Wold Cup. From this day forward, the popularity of women’s soccer increased and has been going strong ever since.

As a special treat, we have “1283” which is limited edition, 500 page book by Pele. This book was recently purchased by the International and Area Studies Library here at UIUC. It is available by request, so check it out!

Be sure to mark your calendars for any important games you don’t want to miss! When there aren’t any games being played, be sure to do some summer reading, after all, you wouldn’t want to get behind, would you?

Got Pride? LGBT Pride Month at the UGL

Posted on June 16, 2014 by CN

The Stonewall Inn Riots, a series of protests following police raids on a queer bar in New York City that are widely considered the igniting spark for the modern LGBT rights movement, took place on June 28-29, 1969. Ever since then, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer folks in the United States have taken the month of June as a symbolic time to demonstrate pride in their sexual and gender minority identities.

A rainbow-colored robot invites you to LGBT pride month.

Original image by Quinn Dombrowski.

This year, 45 years later, President Barack Obama has again declared June LGBT Pride Month, recognizing the importance for LGBTQ people to celebrate themselves and the political struggles their communities have been involved in. In order to show off our own pride, the UGL would like to recommend some items from our collection that display some LGBTQ pride and history.

Stonewall

by Martin Duberman

If you’re interested in going back to the beginning, Martin Duberman’s Stonewall is an important look—even 20 years on—at the watershed nature of the events at Stonewall through the eyes of six very different people. His history captures the conflicting and varied responses to the Stonewall events and draws a messy picture of the events leading up to Stonewall that made the riots such a historic event.

Smash the Church, Smash the State book cover with vintage photos of activists

Smash the Church, Smash the State: The Early Years of Gay Liberation

edited by Tommi Avicolli Mecca

Smash the Church, Smash the State takes a look at the political climate immediately following Stonewall by investigating the early years of the Gay Liberation Front, a anti-assimilationist activist group—the first to use the word “gay” in its name—that worked alongside (and sometimes against) other radical movements of the 1970s. Written by former GLF members, this book provides insight into a turbulent and fabulous movement whose work laid the foundation for contemporary LGBTQ politics.

Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival

by Sean Strub

Moving forward in time, another historically significant event in the history of queer people in the United States was the AIDS crisis of the late 80s and early 90s. Sean Strub’s memoir, Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival, documents one slice of that time and what it meant for the gay community. As the founder of POZ magazine and the first openly HIV-positive candidate for the US legislature, Strub’s insight into the critical need for AIDS-related protections and research and his work with ACT UP paints an important picture of this era.

Redefining Realness book cover with image of Janet Mock looking incredibly regal

Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love, and So Much More

by Janet Mock

For a contemporary look at one aspect of LGBTQ pride, check out Janet Mock’s Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love, and So Much More. Mock was born to Black and Native Hawaiian parents in a working class neighborhood of Honolulu, and is now a respected writer and advocate for trans rights, creating #girlslikeus, an online movement for transwomen living visibly. Mock’s memoir traces her life from a childhood in Hawai‘i through her career in New York City, and it highlights the need for mainstream LGBTQ movements to center the experiences of trans women of color to continue to fight oppression both within and outside of LGBTQ communities.

There’s lots more Pride to be found in the stacks of the UGL and in Champaign-Urbana more widely. If you’re looking to celebrate this month, check out the UP Center’s Reel It UP! LGBT film festival, with showings every Tuesday in June at the Champaign Art Theater. Or, if you won’t be back on campus until school starts, Champaign-Urbana Pride will be on Saturday, September 6 in downtown Champaign. We encourage you to celebrate along with us by checking out some of these resources and events…Happy Pride!

Special thanks to guest blogger Tad Andracki!

Things to Do: June

Posted on June 2, 2014 by CN

Maybe you’re taking summer classes and need to destress in the evening. Maybe you’re working your summer job and need some social time. Maybe you don’t have anything to do this summer and have a lot of time to fill up. Don’t worry – there’s plenty to do in CU over the summer.

It’s very sunny out. Don’t let that deter you.

We promise that none of the suggestion on this list are “stay with in the UGL all day every day,” though of course you’re always welcome here during our summer hours and we’re always happy to see you.

On the Big Screen

Summer is the perfect time to sit in a cool, dark room and watch a fine film. If you get tired of doing that in your apartment (with DVDs from the media collection, obviously), you can always take a trip over to Champaign’s very own Art Theater Co-op and watch something there. Every Tuesday in June, the Art Theater is screening films for the 5th Annual Reel It Up Festival, presented by the UP Center of Champaign County. All films in the festival are in the spirit of LGBTQ Pride Month. If you miss the festival, you can always catch one of their regular movies – show your student ID to get a discount!

Arts and Performances

If you’re looking for entertainment that’s a little more immediate, there’s also plenty of live entertainment. You can visit the Krannert Center for Performing Arts to catch some theater – for June both a musical drama and a short play festival are lined up. For live music, Smile Politely has a weekly column called The Overture that highlights upcoming shows in downtown Champaign and Urbana.

Go Outside!

Remember that thing called outside? The one you used to explore when you weren’t in a classroom all day every day? Well, it’s still there and ready for you to explore. You can learn how to fish in Urbana parks, if you’d like, or take that fondness for live music outside with outdoor concerts in Champaign parks. You’re also free to do your own thing and run around with your friends, of course – just be care and make sure you know how to cope with the heat.

In the Library

We said you don’t have to stay in the UGL all day…but if you happen to be in the library this month, we have some pretty neat exhibits up. You can learn about the history of Western witchcraft, or what CU’s music scene was like in the 1980s.

These are just a few suggestions – there are tons of other ways to entertain yourself this summer. What are you doing in the name of fun?

Ideas for Improvement

Posted on April 14, 2014 by CN

You may have noticed that there’s a survey going on in the library – there are table tents, flyers, and images on the digital displays (those TVs that hang from the walls everywhere) telling you to take the survey and share your opinions with us. Why should you?

A puppy implores you to win a $50 gift card.

The puppy wants you to share, and the puppy wants you to win.

Improving Library Services

One reason you should take the library survey is so that we know what’s working for you and what isn’t. If the answers we receive on the survey tell us that something we’re doing is helpful to most people, we can make sure we keep providing that service successfully. If the answers we receive tell us that something needs to be fixed or improved, we can work on making it better based on what you tell us. There are lots of other ways you can share your opinions with us – like this feedback form, or messaging us on Twitter – but if you use this survey, we can have everyone’s answers to standardized questions in one place, and that makes it easier to make decisions!

Union Bookstore Gift Card

The other reason you should take the survey is that your participation puts you in the running for a $50 Union Bookstore gift card. Fifty whole dollars! What can you buy with $50? That will get you:

Three Illini Christmas ornaments
Two pairs of plaid flannel pants
Ten ‘3D drinking cups‘ for all your 3D drinking needs
A large number of Snickers bars

Or anything else you can think of that’s available in the Union Bookstore (maybe a textbook for next semester?).

All your library and sweatpants dreams can come true, but you have to take the survey to get there. We appreciate everyone who takes the time to share their opinions and we look forward to seeing what you have to say.

April is National Poetry Month!

Posted on April 10, 2014 by LK

Fellow UGL’ers, it’s April and spring is finally here! That means—it is also National Poetry Month! In honor of all that is poetic, the UGL’s own graduate assistants will share their favorite poet, poem, or collection of poems.

“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe

“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe © All Rights Reserved
“This poem was the very first one that caught my attention in elementary school and it’s been on my favorite ever since.” -Quetzalli

“I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love—
I and my Annabel Lee—
With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven
Coveted her and me.”

Looking for more works by Edgar Allan Poe? Click here!

“Reflections on Ice-Breaking” by Ogden Nash © All Rights Reserved
“My favorite poem is Ogden Nash’s ‘Reflections on Ice-Breaking.’ Known for his pithy and witty poems, Nash uses wordplay to create comedy with some innate truth to it.” – Zoe

“Candy
is dandy
But liquor
is quicker.”

For other works by Ogden Nash, be sure to check out the library catalog.

A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein

“Overdues” by Shel Silverstein © All Rights Reserved
“I’m not really a poetry person, but I do loves me some Shel Silverstein. Here is an excerpt from A Light in the Attic.” -Angeline

“What do I do?
What do I do?
This library book is 42
Years overdue.
I admit that it’s mine
But I can’t pay the fine-
Should I turn it in
Or hide it again?
What do I do?
What do I do?”

Like what you see? Check out the whole book, A Light in the Attic.

“Having a Coke with You” by Frank O’Hara © All Rights Reserved
“This poem is a frank and clear exploration of the giddiness of being in love (especially with someone new) and the ways that every little aspect of a person can take on a grandiose shining light in the wash of love.” – Tad

“Having a Coke with You
is even more fun than going to San Sebastian, Irún, Hendaye, Biarritz, Bayonne
or being sick to my stomach on the Travesera de Gracia in Barcelona”

Check out the author, Frank O’Hara, reading this poem here.

Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros

Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros © All Rights Reserved
“An American writer, she is also the author of The House on Mango Street. She is just great!”- Christina

You bring out the Mexican in me.
The hunkered thick dark spiral.
The core of a heart howl.
The bitter bile.
The tequila lagrimas on Saturday all
through next weekend Sunday.

Check out other works by Sandra Cisneros in our catalog.

“Brown Penny” by William Butler Yeats © All Rights Reserved
“The major symbol in this poem is the ‘brown penny.’ To find out whether or not he is in love, the man flips a penny. He takes a chance. As with flipping a penny, the young man doesn’t know how it will land or what the future holds. But he risks it for love.” – Linsy

I whispered, ‘I am too young,’
And then, ‘I am old enough’;
Wherefore I threw a penny
To find out if I might love.

Explore more of William Butler Yeats in our library catalog.

“Self-Portrait at 28” by David Berman © All Rights Reserved
“David Berman is probably best known as the gravel voiced songwriter behind the (now-defunct) band Silver Jews, but he’s also a damn good poet on paper. His excellent book of poetry, Actual Air, contains one of my favorite poems, ‘Self-Portrait at 28.’ The last couple stanzas get me every time.” – Ira

“You see,
his mind can only hold one thought at a time
and when he finally hears me call his name
he looks up and cocks his head
and for a single moment
my voice is everything:
Self-portrait at 28.”

There you have it, folks! All of these wonderful poems are available through the library catalog. Happy Poetry Month!

Note: These works are not owned by the library

St. Patty’s is here!

Posted on March 17, 2014 by QLB

Hello UGLers, as you can tell by the seas of green today, it is St. Patrick’s Day! Are we all wearing our green today? You bet we are! There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s day, so here at the UGL we decided to find all things Irish for your celebration.

The Green River in Chicago. Photo courtesy of bhenak via Flickr

You can start off your day by heading over to Crane Alley for some Irish-inspired food. They are having that especially for today! Located in downtown Urbana, Crane Alley is a great restaurant to share a meal with your friends.

If you’re feeling like staying in tonight, why not make a night of it with a movie (or movie marathon) and some friends. The UGL has their media collection in the lower level and we have found some titles that will be sure to give you different perspectives on Ireland without having to leave your comfy couch.

First, we have “Angela’s Ashes.” A movie that was based off the memoirs of Irish writer, Frank McCourt. It is the story of his family’s struggles with poverty and his childhood in Ireland and New York.

Angela’s Ashes

If this is not your style, fear not! we have other suggestions. Such as “P.S I Love You.” OK, we admit, this is not related to St. Patrick’s day, but you cannot beat the Irish scenery in this movie. Also, Hillary Swank and Gerard Butler are in it, so you pretty much have to watch it.

P.S I love You

Other movies that you might find interesting are “Leap Year” and “The Commitments.”

Sometimes, you just want to stay in with a good book, so of course, the UGL has recommendations for those as well! Our first recommendation is a cookbook! because there is no better way to spend the holiday than to cook up some great Irish food with some friends. How about “The Irish Heritage Cookbook” or “Rachel’s Irish Family Food: 120 classic recipes from my home to yours.” Gather your friends, turn on some Celtic music, and try your hand at these recipes.

Rachel’s Irish Family Food

Want to travel to Ireland without having to pay all that airfare? Try “Travelers’ Trails in Ireland.” Read about 20 trails that will guide you on a tour of all the culture and beautiful scenery that Ireland has to offer! Other titles to check out might be “Silver Linings: Travels around Northern Ireland“, and “Memory Ireland.”

Travellers’ Travels in Ireland

The UGL and the other libraries on campus have tons of more books for you, so, what are you waiting for? Check it out and have a great St. Patrick’s Day!

Reader’s Advisory: Spring Reads!

Posted on February 27, 2014 by CN

Happy Spring UGL’ers! (let’s ignore the fact that it is still freezing). Spring time is not only time for blooming flowers, but also a time for a new reader’s advisory post. We have gathered the favorite books from the UGL graduate assistants just for you.

The Secret Garden

Christina recommends…
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Tiny British orphans living in a dreary manor discover a secret garden on the premises and bring its plants and animals (and themselves) back to life. Perfect for reading as the world theoretically thaws and things start growing again. There’s also a movie ver??

How to live safely in a science fictional universe

Zoe recommends...

How to Safely live in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

Want to escape into a new world but never leave your couch? Meet a fellow lazy man in Charles Yu’s fantastic novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe. Bringing the love of machines before Her became famous, this novel follows the story of a young man who loves his operating system, fixes time machines, and lives in a very small universe indeed. Travel the universe, begin to understand paradoxes, and never leave your bed.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

Lily recommends…Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of food and life by Barbara Kingsolver.

A newer work by a beloved writer, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle details the author’s journey with her family into a lifestyle of gardening, local produce, and organic ingredients. Far more than a how-to book, this work combines journalism, food culture insight, narrative, humor, and recipes into an extremely readable exploration, written collaboratively by several members of the Kingsolver clan. It’s liable to make you want to spend some time outside, assuming things warm up around here (or inside cooking if they don’t). Check out “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” for an instant taste!

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

Ira recommends…The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

Spring means the return of baseball. Get ready for the season with this fantastic debut novel about a slick-fielding college shortstop named Henry Skrimshander, as he strives for perfection on the field. Littered with allusions to Melville, this novel is doubly recommended for those who like both Moby Dick and the national pastime.

Claude Monet: Springs in the Field

Quetzalli recommends…Claude Monet: Springs in the Field by, Claude Monet

Spring is almost nearing (well, at least, it’s supposed to). Although there might be snow and ice on the ground, that doesn’t mean that we can’t prepare for the spring. Let this book take you into the world of impressionist painter, Clause Monet. With paintings of beautiful spring scenery, this book is sure to leave you wanting for Spring!

Watership Down

Linsy recommmends….Watership Down by Richard Adams

Watership Down is a tale of an epic adventure undertaken by rabbits. After surviving a mass genocide of their warren, rabbits Fiver, Hazel and Bigwig must set out on their own to establish a new home. Their adventure contains many near-death experiences as this band of survivors tries to “make it” in this unknown world (South-central England). Richard Adams has anthropomorphized these animals, giving them their own language, proverbs, poetry and mythology. Reading about these rabbits adventures will transport you to warmer weather until Illinois is able to catch up.

Chasing Spring

Other recommendations:Chasing Spring: An American Journey Through a Changing Season by Bruce Stutz

Join author Bruce Stutz as he journeys through the United States in the changing season of Spring. A good read for those wanting to have a good book and some black coffee. The author will journey through the dry desert, Alaskan Arctic, and other places throughout the country. In this book, you will find a wonderful story that will eagerly leave you waiting for Spring.

Well, there you have it folks! All of these books are available through the library catalog. Happy book hunting!

On Being Inclusive

Posted on February 6, 2014 by CN

We’re guessing that you’re just as sick of the snow this season as we are. One of the nicest things that can happen when it’s cold, wet, and windy, though, is the possibility of a snow day. A week or so ago, when Chancellor Phyllis Wise announced that inclement weather wouldn’t mean the University was closing, some members of our community turned to Twitter to announce their displeasure with unfortunate racist and sexist remarks.

In response, many units of our campus, including our very own University Library, have planned an event, #ONECAMPUS: Moving Beyond Digital Hate, in order to promote an open dialogue about maintaining an inclusive atmosphere on campus. It takes place this evening, Thursday, February 6, at 7:30 pm in the Krannert Great Hall.

As Club UGL-ers, we hope that you’re interested in keeping our hoppin’ underground spot as safe and welcoming for all kinds of people as we possibly can. In addition to letting you know about that event, we’d like to feature some resources, available right here at the UGL, that will help you extend your knowledge beyond this one-time conversation, and which we hope help make the UGL an inclusive place to be.

Book cover: Static TVs to represent the media

Race/Gender/Class/Media 3.0 by Rebecca Ann Lind

Lind’s newly updated anthology is jam-packed with all kinds of fascinating essays about race, gender, class, and sexuality in the media. She looks at an enormous array of media, from TV to magazines and from radio to social media, digging into important issues to help us understand how racism and sexism can play out in media spaces, especially those online.

book cover: hand-made signs in windows of houses advertising parties

House Signs and Collegiate Fun: Sex, Race, and Faith in a College Town by Chaise LaDousa

Club UGL-ers know how to have a good time, right? In this book, LaDousa looks at the experience of “just havin’ fun” in universities and analyzes the cultural meanings put into signage produced by partying college students . LaDousa shows how the ways that we understand race, gender, sexuality, and religion show up in things that we often don’t even think twice about, making this an especially timely book on this topic.

book cover: plain white text on blue background, very academic

Why Aren’t We There Yet?: Taking Personal Responsibility for Creating an Inclusive Campus edited by Jan Arminio, Vasti Torres, and Raechele L. Pope

In Why Aren’t We There Yet?, the editors ask why, despite years of talk about increasing diversity and making campuses inclusive, events of racism and sexism like SnowDayTweetGate still happen. Their answers aren’t easy, but the book is a guide to helping us continue to have difficult conversations about power and justice and asks us to step up in ending discrimination on our campus.

The UGL thinks this is an important conversation and wants to make sure that you know that we’ve got the resources to help you with all kinds of problems, from the big ones like our campus climate, to the little ones. We hope that you’ll join us as we try to make sure that the library—and the university—are safer spaces for people of all races, genders, orientations, and abilities. The Media Collection will still be waiting when you get back.

Special thanks to guest blogger Tad Andracki.

It’s Almost Game Day!

Posted on January 30, 2014 by LK

Whether you’re a die-hard fan or haven’t watched a game all season, Super Bowl Sunday is a great excuse to get together with friends, take a break from homework, and, let’s be honest, eat. A lot. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, here are some tips and fun facts from the UGL to get you ready for this year’s game.

The Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks will face off this Sunday in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. If you follow the NFL, you may have strong feelings on the match-up, as the league’s best teams go head to head. What you may not know is our own Big Ten Conference will be well-represented on Super Bowl Sunday. Thirteen former Big Ten student-athletes and nine coaches with conference ties will vie for the title, including Bronco’s running back Montee Ball and Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson, both former Wisconsin Badgers.

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks QB and former Wisconsin Badger. Photo courtesy of Football Schedule via Flickr

For many, the football game simply interrupts the true entertainment featured on Super Bowl Sunday: the commercials. Between mouthfuls of nacho dip, watch out for Illini alumnus Jim Coates (AM ’73), who is featured in “Time Machine”, one of the top 5 commercials competing in the Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” Contest.

Mmm…nachos. Photo courtesy of jeffreyw via Flickr

If Super Bowl Sunday is simply an excuse to hang out and eat, join the club. The UGL has your back with tons of cookbooks to help you prep the perfect appetizer, like Bobby Flay’s Throwdown. Are you vegan, gluten-free, or just on a budget? We’ve got you covered. Check out our Pinterest page for more staff suggestions and get cooking!

Whip up a delicious app with the Cheesy Vegan!

Now that the football season almost over, check out more gridiron greats in the UGL collection to keep you entertained until kick-off next season.

We already can’t wait until next season.

Keeping Warm and beating the Polar Vortex

Posted on January 27, 2014 by QLB

Fellow UGLers, it seems like the polar vortex is bringing us down. Do you find yourself at home, wrapped in a blanket, and looking out the window thinking, “There is nothing to do?” Have no fear; the UGL is here to give a couple of suggestions to keep warm on campus this winter.

The UIUC greenhouse is full of tropical plants.

The plant Biology Greenhouse. Courtesy of the UIUC Plant Biology Greenhouse Center

Make sure to check out the plant biology greenhouses right here on campus! The extreme weather is no reason why you should not enjoy some nature. Be sure to check out what events and open hours they have.

We’re all counting down the days until summer, but in the mean time, check out what the recreational centers have to offer. The ARC offers a climbing wall, swimming pools, and -wait for it – the best part, a 35-person sauna. That ought to warm you right up.

The 35-foot indoor climbing wall at the ARC. Photo courtesy of the UIUC Recreational Center

CRCE also offers a hot tub, an indoor swimming pool, and a 12-person spa. This sounds like the perfect way to relax on the cold days up ahead.

CRCE Pool has a waterslide and a weird volcano fountain thing

CRCE Swimming Pool. Photo Courtesy of the UIUC Recreational Center

If swimming or rock climbing isn’t your cup of tea, there are always exercise machines and you are sure to build up a sweat.

The Illini Union holds many events throughout the school year. Past events have been trivia nights, ballroom dancing events, and much more. Also, the Union has a recreational room in the basement. The UGL always supports a good underground attraction. Grab a friend and go bowling for the night! Check out the Union calendar here.

Sometimes, you can bowl with everything lit by blacklights.

Bowling at the Illini Union Rec Room. Photo Courtesy of the Illini Union

The campus observatory holds open house hours. It is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a clear night sky, while observing from indoors. Be sure to bring a friend and a thermos of hot chocolate. For more information, visit the observatory webpage.

The Campus Observatory holds open house hours. Photo Courtesy of the UIUC Campus Observatory

So there you have it, Club UGL, just a couple of things around campus where you can keep warm while having some fun. Also, don’t forget that the UGL and other campus libraries are (usually) warm, so come see us to stay toasty while studying.

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