Wednesday February 11, 2026

Book Challenges and School Libraries

Leah Gregory (Illinois Heartland Library System) and Vicki Pietrus (Niles West High School) join the CCB in a discussion about the how Illinois school libraries have been impacted by the rise of book challenges and bans. The panel will be introduced by Emily Knox, Interim iSchool Dean.

Register here…

• More about this event
• Browse all iSchool events

• 

  Wang appointed associate dean for research

  Read the full story
• 

  Get to know Sneha Vyas, MSIM student

  Read the full story
• 

  Haider joins academic affairs

  Read the full story
• 

  Hooper joins admissions and records team

  Read the full story
• Wednesday

  February 4

  Making an Artist’s Book Workshop with Ben Blount

  3:00 - 5:00 PM

  See the event details
• 

  Raji selected for IAPP Westin Scholar Award

  Read the full story

Other recent news

PhD student Fobazi Ettarh passes away

February 6 2026

PhD student Fobazi Ettarh passed away on January 28, 2026. Ettarh entered the doctoral program at the University of Illinois in 2022. She held an MLIS from Rutgers University and bachelor's degree in English and sociology from the University of Delaware. Prior to joining the iSchool, Ettarh served as an academic librarian at Temple University Libraries; California State University, Dominguez Hills; and Rutgers University. She was also a school library media specialist at Hawthorne (NJ) Public Schools.

iSchool International: Studying abroad in Japan

February 3 2026

BSIS+DS student and undergraduate ambassador Alex Soja discusses his meaningful experience studying abroad in Japan, where he got the opportunity to live independently in Tokyo and gain a more global perspective.

Gregory B. Newby passes away

January 30 2026

Gregory B. Newby passed away October 21, 2025. Newby was an assistant professor at the iSchool at Illinois from 1991 to 1997 and taught graduate-level courses in information technology; networking tools and use; information organization and system design; and user-based design and analysis. He was the founder of Prairienet and instrumental in the design of the iSchool's Leep program in 1996.

ISAA seeks nominations for annual awards

January 28 2026

The iSchool Alumni Association (ISAA) is seeking nominations for three distinguished awards. The awards are given annually at the iSchool alumni reception held at the American Library Association conference. The deadline for nomination is April 1, 2026.