Have you ever needed to share a link to an important website or document, but the link was way too long? Or have you needed to create a QR Code, but the sites you tried online tried to get you to pay to make one? Fortunately, UIUC has access to Webtools. Webtools has a number of different features, including “Short URLs” to create better named URLs and QR codes for websites. The Help Desk has a Knowledge Base article explaining how Webtool’s “Short URLs” feature works. It’s a great tool for sharing presentations and websites in a variety of different ways.
Do you have old electronics you need to get rid of? Good news! Champaign County is holding an electronics recycling event on May 18th, 2024. Registration for the event opens in just a few days on Monday, April 1st. They will accept a wide variety of electronics, including televisions, computers and laptops, phones and phone accessories, and more. More information about the event, its location, and what items they will accept is available on the booking page for the e-recycling event.
Class registration is coming up! Are you still deciding what iSchool classes to take next semester? It can be difficult to choose, especially when there are so many classes that sound interesting. To aid in your registration decision-making, the iSchool has compiled a Box folder of syllabi from previous semesters which can be accessed by all iSchool students.
Attention all iSchoolers! Tomorrow is National Oreo Day, and in celebration the Help Desk is giving out FREE OREOS in a variety of flavors – from your typical Oreo filling to Java Chip, Toffee Crunch, and Space Dunks (which apparently has pop rocks in it?). We will also have a variety of Gluten-Free Oreo options available. To get Oreos, all you need to do is:
Stop by the Help Desk with your laptop or phone. (we’re located on the 4th floor of the new iSchool building at 614 E Daniels Street – when you step out of the elevator, we’re right to your left!)
Clear the cookies on your personal device. Or show us you know how to do it. Or let the Help Desk-ers on shift show you how to do it. We aren’t picky, we just want you to have cookies!
Get OREOS!
Didn’t know your laptop had cookies? Not sure why you should clear them? Let’s go over what they are!
Laptop “cookies” are actually small files of information a website will send to your browser. Your browser will save this information to make repeat trips to the same website easier — for example, this is how your web browser remembers you are logged into a website. While cookies are very useful, over time they can build up and cause applications to run slower, experience errors and glitches, and more. Clearing your browser’s cookies–or its “cache”–periodically can help your laptop run better, glitch less, and in general make your browsing experience a little less stressful. You can also check out this Knowledge Base article about how to clear your browser’s cookies to learn more.
That’s all for today! Stop by the Help Desk tomorrow, May 6 anytime between 8am-6pm to clear your cookies and get OREOS in return.
When it comes to tech questions and related issues, the iSchool Knowledge Base is a great resource to check out. The iSchool Knowledge Base includes a variety of articles about various technology services and common issues. These include:
How to use the technology in various iSchool rooms
How to use and troubleshoot features in Zoom, Canvas, and other software services used by UIUC
How to print from iSchool printers, where they are located in both buildings, and how to troubleshoot common errors
And more!
While the iSchool Knowledge Base doesn’t include everything, the Help Desk is constantly adding and updating new entries to keep you informed about the technology situation at the iSchool. If there’s something you believe needs an entry that isn’t currently covered in the Knowledge Base, you can let the Help Desk know by contacting us at ischool-support@illinois.edu.
GLAM is on Friday, February 23 from 11am-4pm Central! As you get ready to attend, you should make sure you’re registered on Handshake. Handshake’s website can be a bit confusing to navigate, so let’s walk through how to register for GLAM – along with how to register for other events hosted via Handshake.
First, go to handshake.illinois.edu to log in to Handshake through the Illinois portal. Make sure to select the correct portal link for either “Students and Post Docs” or “Alumni”.
Once you have logged into Handshake, go to the column on the left-hand side of the page and select “Events”.
You should now be able to see a list of all career-related events you can attend through the university. This is great if you want to keep an eye on career events in general, but since we want to register for GLAM, we should search for “GLAM” in the search bar at the top of the page.
After you search for “GLAM” in the search bar, it should be the second event that pops up. Be careful and make sure you are registering for the correct date! GLAM-related events are happening right up until that Friday, February 23, so make sure you are signing up for GLAM and not one of the related events.
Select “2024 GLAM Virtual Career Jam”, and you should be redirected to a new page. In the top right corner of the page, you should see a button that says “Register”. Click on it to finish registering for the event.
That’s it, you’re now registered for GLAM! But let’s say something happens and you are no longer able to attend – how do you unregister for it in Handshake?
Great question! First, you need to get back to the event page you registered on. To do that, click on the “Events” tab in the left-hand column of Handshake again. At the top right hand side of the page, you should see several different tabs named “Saved”, Registered”, and “Check-ins”. The “Registered” tab should also have a number next to it, representing the number of events you are currently registered to attend. Click on the “Registered” tab, and you should see the event you need to unregister for listed on the new page.
Click on the event you would like to unregister from. On the new page, the “Register” button in the top right corner should now read “Registered”. Click on the “Registered” button, and you should receive a pop-up asking you to confirm you would like to unregister from the event.
Click on the “Confirm” button in this pop-up, and you should now be unregistered from the event.
That’s all for this week! If you have additional questions about using Handshake–whether to register for events, search for job opportunities, and more–please contact the Help Desk at ischool-support@illinois.edu for more information.
Happy Valentines’ Day! We hope you’re celebrating all the love in your life in all its different forms. Our Social Media team is going rogue this week to celebrate, and invites you to choose one of our fantastic iSchool printers as the object of your affections. Who do you choose? What printer in the iSchool is your go-to?
Do you need to reserve a room in the iSchool for a meeting, interview, or other event? Go to go.ischool.illinois.edu/roomrequest, or scan the QR code above, to access our reservation form and schedule one! Reservations should be made at least one business day in advance, and the form will prompt you to add the following information:
Zoom’s latest update caught many people by surprise when it began right as they were trying to join a class or meeting. Zoom does not send reminders about new updates, so it’s good to get in the practice of checking for updates so you aren’t caught unawares. Let’s go over how to check Zoom for updates.
Checking for Updates
To check Zoom for updates, open the application on your computer. Once Zoom is open, click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
Scroll down the pop-up menu that appears underneath your profile picture. Find and select the option “Check for Updates”.
If Zoom has an update available, it will prompt you to begin the update process. If it does not have an update available, you will receive a pop-up saying “You are up to date”.
And that’s it! The Help Desk recommends checking Zoom for new updates right at the beginning of each semester so you will be ready for meetings, online courses, and other online events.
Welcome new (and returning) students! We’re happy to have you on campus, and we hope you’re well rested and prepared for the semester. As you prepare for classes and settle in for the semester, you may need tech support to help set up accounts or manage computer settings, to borrow a piece of equipment, or you might just need a piece of candy. That’s what we’re here to help you with!
The Help Desk provides tech support for the iSchool community. You’ll probably see us show up at the beginning of an in-person or online course to offer tech support to your professors! You can also find us on the 4th floor of the new iSchool building at 614 E. Daniels St if you ever need in-person support (we also always have bowls of candy, if you just want a snack). In addition, we also loan out technology like computers, chargers, keyboards and mice to iSchool students, staff, and faculty.
Lastly, if you aren’t able to meet us in person, never fear! You can email us at ischool-support@illinois.edu, call us at 217-244-4903 or 800-377-1892, or message us using TechChat. We’re extremely friendly and would love to help you however we can.
One last time: welcome, new students! We’re excited to have you here.
