At Ricker Library we partner with UIUC faculty, students, and Champaign-Urbana community members to provide programming and outreach opportunities that reflect our partners’ interests. This Teaching & Learning Menu is a starting place for such collaboration.
Our instructional sessions are always tailored to suit goals of the instructor and the session’s participants, and the items listed below can be paired together or further developed with our librarians. Contact us for recommended pairings and additional information.
Siobhan McKissic, Visiting Design & Materials Research Librarian, leads a session at Ricker Library.
From arranging new collections of books to bolster an exhibition in the galleries to arranging treasure hunts in the library to acquaint new students with the space, the Ricker team has been extraordinary in making the collection of both historic and contemporary resources accessible and relevant.
No matter the topic or subject, our visits and the activities we do are relevant, well-organized, and productive. Students are engaged and encouraged to interact with material they may be unfamiliar with, and they gain valuable knowledge that makes for more intentional, well-rounded projects. Ricker Library is an incredible resource for our students, and the open and inviting atmosphere creates a welcoming community that is beneficial to all.
A participant in a Ricker Library Zine Workshop assembles a collage.
Head Librarian Emilee Mathews and Graduate Assistant Mallika Ramachandran lead a workshop in paper engineering. The resources available through the Ricker Library are incomparable. In my teaching, I consistently use the library to help students develop their understanding of the breadth of the discipline. The vast and diverse collection, coupled with the expertise of the librarians has proven to be indispensable, I cannot imagine teaching without them. The librarians have arranged workshops for my students on a number of topics which have helped students gain a better understanding of the library’s collections and the scope of services available to them. We welcome partnerships with individuals and groups from the UIUC campus, the Champaign and Urbana communities, and beyond. Some of our recent partnerships have included the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students, Krannert Art Museum, the iSchool, the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Champaign-Urbana Small Press Festival, and more. We also welcome partnerships with individuals and groups who are not affiliated with the University of Illinois. Yes! We welcome requests for sessions with any number of participants. Our librarians are also available for one-on-one research consultations. Fill out our request form or contact the librarians directly to set up a one-on-one session. We ask that you provide advance notice when requesting a session or collaboration, and the amount of time needed varies depending on the session. See the menu below for each session’s minimum required notice. As a general rule of thumb, we ask that all collaborators–whether they be faculty members, staff, student groups, or individuals–be present during the session they are requesting. View all of our menu items or visit our request form for more details. You can request a collaboration by filling out our request form at the button below or contacting the library directly. The more information we have, the sooner we can get started! View the required information on our request form.
On May 9, 2024 Ricker Library hosted the webinar, “Introducing: Ricker Library’s Teaching & Learning Menu” with Graduate Assistant Flannery Cusick and Library Head Emilee Mathews. If you weren’t able to join us, you’re in luck! A recording of the webinar with closed captioning and the presentation slides are available for you to view at your convenience. If you have any lingering thoughts, feedback on our session, or questions about the Teaching & Learning Menu, please feel free to fill out our Feedback Form or contact the Ricker Library team.