Jessica Ballard-Lawrence Appointed to Serve on State Historic Preservation Board

Jessica Ballard-Lawrence, Assistant Professor and Archivist for Multicultural Collections and Services, has been appointed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to serve on the State Historic Preservation Board for a three-year term. She was selected for her expertise in library studies and archival work in Illinois.

The Board plays a vital role in preserving the state’s historic legacy, including listing and de-listing historic sites, advising on conservation efforts, and ensuring that stories of historically excluded communities are represented in the state’s historic portfolio.

“I am deeply honored to be selected to serve in this appointment. The state of Illinois has many rich histories shaped by the numerous communities that inhabit the state. I look forward to working with the other board members who represent multiple regions of Illinois. These integral histories of the state’s development both known and unknown will hopefully have an opportunity to be more widely available and it is incredibly meaningful to serve in this capacity,” said Ballard-Lawrence.

Congratulations to Ballard-Lawrence on this well-deserved recognition and important service to Illinois!

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Nancy O’Brien Receives College of Education 2025 VIP Award

Nancy O’Brien, Education Librarian and Head of the Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library, has been named a recipient of the 2025 VIP Award from the Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership (EPOL) in the College of Education. This award honors individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and commitment to supporting students and faculty at the University of Illinois.

O’Brien is recognized for her many years of dedicated support to the EPOL community, providing expert research assistance, instructional guidance, and resource development to help advance scholarship and teaching. Her work has spanned both in-person and virtual settings, ensuring broad and equitable access to library services.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award in recognition of my work with students and faculty in the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership in the College of Education,” said O’Brien. “Whether providing online or in-person assistance to scholars in the program, I have been privileged to work with current and emerging leaders who will have a profound impact on education in the U.S. and globally.”

Congratulations to O’Brien on this well-deserved recognition of her lasting contributions to the University of Illinois academic community!

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Jennifer Hain Teper Receives Campus Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award

Jennifer Hain Teper, John E. “Bud” Velde Professor, Preservation and Conservation Librarian, has received the Campus Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award, which recognizes Illinois faculty who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the academic community through mentorship and fostering the intellectual, creative, scholarly, and professional growth of pre-tenure and mid-career faculty.

Teper has mentored countless graduate assistants, practicum students, and early career professionals through her roles as head of Preservation Services and adjunct faculty at the iSchool. Her mentoring style integrates real-world experiences through projects and hands-on learning across a broad range of areas, including valuable benchwork, conservation, and leadership skills. Numerous current and past mentees credit Teper with not only helping them find their footing and achieve important academic and professional milestones, but also inspiring them to pursue careers in conservation, preservation, archives, and related fields at Illinois and institutions around the country (a University of Illinois 150 Years & Beyond alumni article provides a first-hand perspective from one of Teper’s former mentees). Teper has also contributed nationally through her work with the American Institute for Conservation, where she focused on broadening and diversifying preservation librarianship and cultural heritage conservation. Her leadership and many contributions here at the Library, including her service on the Faculty Review Committee and Promotion and Tenure Committee, have expanded career and support pathways for both tenure-track and specialized Library faculty.

More information about Teper’s award and work to support mentoring is available as part of the Faculty members honored with 2025 Campus Awards for Excellence in Faculty Leadership announcement. Congratulations to Teper on this well-deserved distinction!

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Alex Deeke and María Emerson Awarded 2025 Instructional Innovation Mini Grants

Alex Deeke (left) and María Emerson (right)

Alex Deeke, Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Librarian, and María Emerson, Assistant Professor and Student Success Librarian, have been awarded a 2025 Instructional Innovation Mini Grant through the Teaching Advancement Board at the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost. These grants support efforts to pursue innovation in education and seek to create a diverse and vibrant community focused on instructional innovation.

Their project, titled “Teaching, Sharing, and Celebrating First-Year Student Creators Through Zine Instruction,” aims to build a program at the University Library that elevates zine instruction to students in Rhetoric 101 and showcases students as creators of zines. Grant funds will be used to develop zine teaching materials, train Rhetoric instructors on incorporating zines into their curriculum, and create instructional services, including course-integrated workshops and a consultation service, to support Rhetoric students creating zines.

“We are excited about this grant since it will communicate the value and power of zines in an academic setting, empower first-year students in the Rhetoric program to view themselves as creators of knowledge, and help them develop their academic identities via an emerging medium,” said Deeke and Emerson. They also hope to digitize student-created zines to be part of a digital zine collection and host a Zine Celebration Event at the library to showcase the zines created by Rhetoric 101 students.

Congratulations to Deeke and Emerson on receiving support for their innovative instruction project!

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