Help Desk Newsletter- September

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 member, 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!

The GA’s Recommend

We all need more positivity in our lives! If you need a recommendation for a new piece of media, something to do, or something to try, check out all of our GA’s Recommendations on our social media (or on our digital signs at the Help Desk), and keep an eye out on our social media each Monday for more fabulous recommendations yet to come!

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!

Feel free to email us at ischool-support@illinois.edu to nominate any instructors or TAs and let us know their impact!

Pets of the Month!

Congratulations to our September Pets of the Month, Saturn & Shadow! Here at the Help Desk, we want to feature and celebrate your pet as the iSchool Pet of the Week! Send us a submission of your adorable furry, feathery, or even scaly sidekick by emailing us at ischool-support@illinois with their name, pictures, and any fun facts or stories you would like to share!

Help Desk Social Event- Pottery Painting

This month, the Help Desk GA’s painted their very own pottery items at the Pottery Place in Champaign! We had a blast getting to select our own piece, paint, and decorate it. If you’re looking for something fun and artistic, we recommend you check this place out!

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!

Help Desk Newsletter – August

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!

Meet the GAs!

We are so excited to welcome our 5 new Help Desk GAs, who are already doing phenomenal work supporting the iSchool community! Check out this semester’s “Meet the GAs” bios to learn just a little bit about all of our GAs, both new and returning, and come say hi to us anytime from 8:30am-5:30pm (4:30pm on Friday) to get to know us even more!

Accessibility Advocate Shoutouts

Feel free to email us at ischool-support@illinois.edu to nominate any instructors or TAs and let us know their impact!

Graphic reading “Send Nominations! Do you know an instructor or Teaching Assistant who are making an effort to increase accessibility in the iSchool? Please let us know to shout them out! https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/pHmJfNeeZp”.

iSchool Resource Zine

Last Spring, our wonderful former GA Delia created and illustrated this beautiful “Welcome to the iSchool” Zine. It is full of resources and information for iSchool students, covering everything from advising contact information to food and housing resources to how to get involved in the iSchool. We are excited to announce that they can now be found not only on our community shelf at the Help Desk, but also at the old iSchool building; in the reception area of the advising suite; and even in some advisor’s offices! Keep your eyes out for these, whether you’re a new or returning student, faculty or staff who want to have some on hand, or just a lover of adorable art!

If you are an iSchool faculty or staff member and would like to stock more than a few in your office or space, reach out to us at ischool-support@illinois.edu and let us know how many you’d like, and we would love to get you set up with some!

Small Zine with illustrated art of animals reading books & hanging out on the front. It 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.”

Pet of the Week

Calling all pet parents! Do you have an adorable furry, feathery, or even scaly sidekick that deserves the spotlight? The iSchool Help Desk wants to feature your pets as iSchool Pet of the Week! Send us an email at ischool-support@illinois with their name, pictures, and any fun facts or stories for their nomination!

Check out last week’s featured pet!

Graphic featuring a black cat. It reads "Pet of the week: Shadow (AKA Shadillac). As a retired barn cat he spends his days snoozing in various soft locations and watching birds through the window! Submitted by: Ava C. Submit your pet(s) to school-support@illinois.edu". — Graphic featuring a black cat. It reads “Pet of the week: Shadow (AKA Shadillac). As a retired barn cat he spends his days snoozing in various soft locations and watching birds through the window! Submitted by: Ava C. Submit your pet(s) to school-support@illinois.edu”.

Upcoming…

Fall 2025 Help Desk GAs posing at the Help Desk, holding various frog stuffed animals and toys and smiling. From left to right: Saira, Catherine, Daniel, Maggie, Kyleigh, Fatihi, Elliot, Britany, Bashi, Evan, and Cecelia.

for the very best girl

Today’s Pet of the Week is a little different than usual. Earlier this week, a very good pup who means so much to us at the Help Desk passed away. We’d like to take a moment to tell you about her and remember her.

This is Lilly. Sometimes, her human, Tad, would bring Lilly to work with him, and Lilly would run to the Help Desk for pets and scratches. She had the waggiest tail and gave the best kisses. And there were a few times where Lilly happened to be in the building on the same day that things were pretty stressful at the Desk. We would take breaks to go see Lilly, and she always made our day a little better.

We already miss you so much, good buddy, but we know you’re watching over your humans and you know how much we all love you. Thanks for being the goodest girl.