Help Desk Newsletter – May

Welcome to our iSchool Help Desk monthly newsletter!! We use this to share updates about what we’ve been up to. Whether you’re a current student, faculty, or staff; or maybe even an alumni or friend of the iSchool Help Desk and want to keep in-the-know about us, we’re glad to have you! You can expect updates about the major initiatives and projects we are working on, pictures and updates from our fun social events, and anything else up and coming at the iSchool Help Desk!

Accessibility Advocate Shoutouts

We have been helping support the iSchool as they work towards more accessible class materials to meet changing federal standards. We would like to celebrate those who have been stepping up to become Accessibility Advocates at the iSchool – whether they have been educating others about accessibility for years, or they’ve recently made the commitment to jump in and try their best, we think it’s important to recognize the effort and amazing impact that we can make as an iSchool community if we all do our part!

In March, we began spotlighting some of these advocates on a monthly basis. This is a great chance to recognize and uplift these efforts, to encourage one another as a community to keep striving, and to help students get to know our instructors a little better! Please check out our shoutout from May, professor Melissa Wong! Feel free to email us at ischool-support@illinois.edu to nominate any instructors and let us know their impact!

Check out the blog post here!

Black background with a spotlight, and a headshot of Melissa Wong in the center. It says “Melissa Wong” at the top and “May ’25” at the bottom.

Exciting Life Updates

We are excited to announce that our newly-graduated GA Wanheng has accepted a job as the Asian Studies Librarian at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She is excited to work just a couple of doors down from our other former help-desker Audrey. We know she will be an amazing addition to their team!

Our other recently-graduated GA Delia, who is still around at the Help Desk for part of the summer, has recently finished a wonderful project for the city of Bloomington. Working with the group Strong Towns Blono, Delia was chosen to create murals that lead from the Bloomington Public Library to the McLean County Museum of History. Here are a few photos of the beautiful murals she created, honoring the circus history of Bloomington while aiding pedestrians with wayfinding. We are so proud of her and this project! Check out a news spotlight about the mural project.

Collage of photos of sidewalk mural art. In the first photo, Help Desk GA Delia sits on a sidewalk and paints part of a mural. Second photo: sidewalk mural in which a ballerina with blue skin sits atop a pink circus elephant. Third photo: sidewalk mural in which an aerial dancer with pink skin hangs upside down from blue ribbons. Fourth photo: sidewalk mural in which a line of blue rabbits jumping down the sidewalk and one blue rabbit is peeking out from inside a blue top hat.

Graduation & Farewells

We are very proud of our five Help Desk GAs who have graduated this May and are moving on to the next big step in their lives! We are so sad to let them go, but we know they are all going to do amazing things. You can check out our blog and Facebook to see some farewell posts for each of them.

We are also very proud of two of our graduated GA’s who received special iSchool student awards at graduation. Delia received the Herbert Goldhor Award for Public Librarianship and Audrey received the Downs Faculty Special Award of Merit. We are so glad that their wonderful leadership, creativity, and contributions to the iSchool community have been recognized!

Five Help Desk GAs sitting on a couch and smiling together. Left to right: Victoria (MSLIS ’25 graduate) in her gown and hood; Britany; Maggie; Wanheng (MSLIS ’25 graduate) in gown and hood and holding her cap; Elliot.

iSchool Resource Zine

Our wonderful, recently graduated Help Desker Delia has been working very hard this past year to create a beautiful new resource for the iSchool community, and we are so excited to announce that these zines are now available at the Help Desk! Check out our new iSchool Resource Guide zines, which you can currently find on our community shelf near the Help Desk at 614 E Daniel. Including beautiful, one-of-a-kind illustrations, this zine is a great guide to the iSchool as well as other important campus and off-campus resources for students. Feel free to take one, share them, and/or bring your own zines for the zine shelf!

Small Zine that reads “Welcome to the iSchool future librarians! A resource guide for students in Information Sciences. Written and Illustrated by Delia Kerr-Dennhardt. Sponsored by the ALA & QLA in collaboration with the Help Desk.” There is an illustration of six Help Desk GAs depicted as various cute animals, reading books and hanging out.

A shelf with a sign that reads “Zine Library. Feel free to take, make, and donate your own zines!”. On the shelf is a collection of iSchool Resource zines and other small zines.

Upcoming…

Thank you so much for reading our newsletter, and for all of your support! We are excited to be able to keep everyone updated on the fun things happening at the Help Desk and in our community. Keep an eye out for next month’s newsletter!

Most of the current/newly graduated Help Desk GAs posing behind the Help Desk with paper hearts, one party hat, and smiles. Left to right: Victoria, Mohammed, Daniel (his face is covered), Maggie, Kyleigh, Delia, Audrey, Britany, Elliot, and Gates.

bon Voyage, Victoria

As we wish a fond farewell to our graduating GAs, we’re taking another opportunity to get to know them better and to share their fabulousness with you. They might be graduating, but Once Team Awesome, Always Team Awesome.

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Ghana. You don’t get bored. You can have fun and be yourself, it is welcoming.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

Being able to help people with their problems make their lives easier is fun.

Favorite game?

Chess.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

The Quad.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

Camera.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

My daughter.

Theme song of your life?

I’ve got Joy.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

My colleagues (at the Help Desk) and being with them.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

Cat; Bambi; teach her to dance.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Fly in and out, to go back to Ghana.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Hoping to get an offer to be a research librarian and manage social media and work on information literacy.

Whimsical Wanderings, Wanheng

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

China, Sichuan. The relaxed vibe and Pandas!!

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

Team Awesome/co-workers and our social events, connections with others at the iSchool.

Favorite game?

Baldur’s Gate 3.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

iSchool HUB building/MPR.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

AI Tools for slides.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Anime instead of real life.

Theme song of your life?

Anime song Number One from Bleach.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

The Help Desk/Social Gatherings.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

Bird; AI; teach it to talk in my voice to answer phone calls, etc.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Invisible (nothing illegal) to watch people and learn so it’s not weird.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Get a job! Get an apartment for long term to grow plants and vegetables.

Glorious Get-away, Gates

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Chicago. Lakefront Trail/the Food.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

The people who we work with and the people we help.

Favorite game?

Pathfinder 2nd edition; Kenshi.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

Boneyard/Quad/Main Library.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

Built PC/Linux (ed. note: getting pretty nerdy there, Gates!).

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Jake Gyllenhaal.

Theme song of your life?

Underdog by Spoon.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

The friends made, being close to Chicago and close to folks.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

A Raven. Doug. Stealing Money.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Telekinesis, vigilante stuff.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Going to Chicago; Model Painting Project; get a job.

Delightful Departure, Delia

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Rural Illinois. Sunset and fireflies.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

The people, everybody’s nice.

Favorite game?

Scrabble.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

MidSummer Lounge.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

iPads.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Lily James.

Theme song of your life?

Teenage Mutant Turtles Theme Song.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

GEO Parties. Dancing is fun.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

Dog that I have (or a tiny Griffin); Thumbelina, to not jump on people.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Make plants grow, save rain forests.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Public Libraries/Art Programming.

Au revoir, Audrey

Where are you from and what’s your favorite part about it?

Versailles Missouri. The most beautiful sunsets from the back porch.

What was your favorite part about working at the Help Desk?

Everyone coming over and chatting, being a central hub of the iSchool and getting to know people.

Favorite game?

Hollow Knight.

Favorite place to hang out on campus?

Caffe Paradiso.

Is there a technology that you’re super excited about?

Drawing tablets.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Keira Knightley.

Theme song of your life?

Walk by the Foo Fighters.

Favorite memory from the iSchool or what you’ll miss most?

The day Sinclair’s opened. Walking with GAs to get coffee.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what kind of animal would it be, what would you name it, and what unusual tricks would you teach it?

House Cat; Rubard; juggling.

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and how would you use it for good (or fun!) in the world?

Stop time, use it for more crafting.

Plans/goals after graduation?

Hoping to get a job a Vanderbilt for creative and instruction libraries. (Editor update: manifesting works! She got the job!)

Pawmp and Purrcumstance

Happy End of Semester, iSchoolers! We officially survived Spring 2020! Take THAT, Corona Virus!

We know that commencement is a bit strange this term (read as on hiatus), but we wanted to offer a little something to all those graduating this weekend: a warm smile from our Pet AND Human of the Week!

Photo of Dr. Kate McDowell holder her cat, Xylo

Here’s our very own Dr. Kate McDowell and her very handsome associate, Xylo! They want to wish all those graduating the heartiest of congratulations and so much luck in their next adventures. They would also like to make sure that we all know that Xylo is a good cat and a pretty cat and we would all be so lucky to give him hugs.

Way to go, everyone! And don’t forget: alumni pets are still eligible for Pet of the Week! We’d love to see where they (and their humans) end up! As for the rest of you…where my pet submissions at? It’s summer break, but that doesn’t mean you can skimp out on cute animal pictures! Get it together!