School of Information Sciences

Roberts launches campaign to help Chicago-area library

GSLIS doctoral student Sarah T. Roberts has spent the first few weeks of this record-breaking July heat organizing a campaign to help a small community library on the South Side of Chicago.

The William Leonard Public Library in Robbins provides essential services to a financially disadvantaged community but has recently fallen on hard times due to a declining tax base in the community. Things became worse when the library's air conditioning unit was dismantled and stolen from the roof of the building in the middle of a record-setting heat wave, leaving the library—and the patrons who use it—without air conditioning. 

Reports of the vandalism appeared in the Chicago-area news, prompting Roberts to launch a campaign on Indiegogo, an online fundraising site, to raise the funds needed to replace the air conditioning unit. Also inspired to help were two local companies who announced their plans to donate the new air conditioning system to the Library.

Now that the Library will be receiving a new air conditioning system, funds raised by Roberts and other supporters on Indiegogo will be donated to the Library to assist with other immediate needs.

“Many of us can think back to a hot summer day relieved by the cool of the local public library, experiencing the fun of kids programming or working toward a goal in a summer reading challenge,” says Roberts. “Those of you who are associated with librarianship know the importance of a library as a community center and a lifeline—a literacy and job center, a community information center, a center of learning and activity for kids and young adults, a gathering place for seniors.”

You can help Roberts and the Library by donating to the cause and sharing this story with colleagues, friends, and family. To make a donation by the July 29 deadline, please visit the Indiegogo site.

Tags:
Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Get to know Jade Carthans, BSIS student

Jade Carthans is interested in how human-centered design, machine learning, and data analytics can come together to solve critical problems that impact organizations and individuals. She gained firsthand experience in these areas through internships with Microsoft and State Farm.

Jade Carthans

Ravury selected to serve on Homecoming Court

BSIS student Lauren Ravury has a new item to add to her resume: member of the 2025 Homecoming Court at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Ravury's resume is already impressive. She serves as president of the Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA), an organization dedicated to fostering school spirit at the U. of I. Last year, she served as president of the Asian Pre-Law Association, a stint that led to her receiving the Outstanding Asian & Asian American Undergraduate Student Leader Award from the Asian American Cultural Center and the association being named the 2025 Outstanding Asian & Asian American Student Organization.

Lauren Ravury

Illini 4000 journey leaves lasting impact on Patllollu

As a member of the Illini 4000, BSIS student Riddhima Patllollu biked from New York City to San Francisco to raise awareness of cancer and raise funds for cancer research. Patllollu, a junior from New Jersey, decided to join the nonprofit organization in her freshman year to expand her worldview and mark a new chapter in her life. 

Riddhima Patllollu

iSchool to present research at TPRC 2025

iSchool faculty, staff, and students will participate in the Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy (TPRC 2025), which will be held from September 18–20 in Washington, DC.

Get to know Simit Shah, MSIM student

Simit Shah worked as a consultant for Deloitte in India before enrolling in the MSIM program to strengthen his analytical and business skills. Over the summer, he applied the knowledge gained from his iSchool coursework during an internship as a technology risk consultant at EY.

Simit Shah

School of Information Sciences

501 E. Daniel St.

MC-493

Champaign, IL

61820-6211

Voice: (217) 333-3280

Fax: (217) 244-3302

Email: ischool@illinois.edu

Back to top