Library News
Booth Library Student Worker EIU Newsletter Features
Posted on May 12th, 2026
Recently, two Booth Library student workers were featured in EIU newsletters to share their journeys and successes as students at Eastern Illinois University. Savannah Newcomer is a freshman student who began working at Booth Library this spring semester, while Ella Aly just graduated EIU in the class of 2026. Here are their stories:
The Eastern Illinois University Advantage: Outcomes That Matter, Relationships That Last
May-05-2026
Like many at EIU, Savannah Newcomer’s journey reflects the power of connection-driven, individualized success.
(Charleston, IL) – At Eastern Illinois University, student success is more than a goal—it’s a lived experience shaped by connection, opportunity, and outcomes that prepare graduates to lead meaningful lives. For freshman Savannah Newcomer, that experience is taking shape in powerful ways.
As a child, Savannah’s connection to EIU was solidified through conversations with her aunt—an EIU alumna.
“She shared her positive Eastern experience with me, which inspired my interest in attending EIU from an early age,” Savannah says. “And I’ve found as a student it’s exactly what she described—a unique sense of connection and community that just doesn’t exist at other schools like it does at EIU.” Savannah says visits to EIU’s campus during her college selection process proved her aunt was right, further amplifying her enthusiasm for the Charleston, Illinois-based University.
“The warmth of people on campus made me feel confident I would be accepted and welcomed as part of the EIU community, and my intuition was right,” Savannah shares. “Since becoming an EIU student this spring, I’ve gotten to know all of my professors personally, and they know me just as well. That deep connection carries over to the student body…it’s so easy to make friends here, and the campus creates a positive and rewarding space for EIU students to learn and grow.”
That growth begins with one of EIU’s defining strengths—its people. At a time when many universities can feel impersonal to students like Savannah, EIU’s student-centered approach ensures meaningful connections between its faculty and students. And at EIU, those relationships continue to prove transformative.
Today, Savannah is fully immersed in her EIU experience. A dedicated History major with Teacher Licensure in Social Science and a minor in Political Science, Savannah’s dream of becoming an impactful educator has been reinforced and accelerated by opportunities and interactions inside and outside the classroom. For EIU students—Savannah included—those opportunities and interactions help to shape learners’ confidence, competency, and careers.
Confidence at EIU begins with prospective and current students knowing exactly how Eastern will support their needs. That includes assistance and guidance from before they even submit an EIU application to the day of their EIU graduation—and beyond. Savannah, for example, graduated from Kansas (Illinois) High School a semester early. Because Kansas is a smaller, rural high school, she admits that EIU’s 320-acre campus initially seemed overwhelming. But her concerns were quickly alleviated after talking with so many approachable and responsive EIU representatives, all of whom reassured her that EIU offers ample opportunities for financial aid, academic support, faculty mentoring, and meaningful student interactions.
“Affordability was an important factor for me since I come from a lower-income family in a rural area,” Savannah shares. “But I was happy to learn that EIU’s financial assistance programs could alleviate some of the burden. That allowed me to focus all of my energy on succeeding in college and creating a better life for myself. EIU definitely made higher education in Central Illinois more accessible.”
Savannah reveals that every day she spends as an EIU student, Eastern Illinois University continues to convince her she made the right choice for her and her future. Today, having almost completed her freshman year, she admits that her initial uncertainty quickly gave way to confidence.
“I found myself wondering why I was ever worried at all,” she admits. “Any anxiety I had my first week was replaced entirely by excitement and enthusiasm.” For Savannah, that excitement has translated into active engagement across campus. After exploring EIU’s broad selection of Registered Student Organizations, she joined a group focused on developing the organizational and leadership skills of its members. Embracing that and the other wide range of opportunities available to her, she says, are experiences that are helping her build both community and confidence—characteristics Savannah knows will benefit her as she aims toward her own professional career in the classroom.
“Since I was young, I’ve wanted to be a history teacher, and EIU is so well known for its exemplary teacher preparation programs,” she asserts. “I’m looking forward to being an inspirational, impactful history teacher, and I know EIU is preparing me to meet and exceed that goal.” Her academic experience, she says, has been absolutely rewarding. Through coursework in history and education, Savannah is developing the essential skills needed for success in the classroom and beyond, including essentials across disciplines in areas like communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.
“In these classes, I have participated in discussions, public speaking, group projects, and research papers, which all require me to effectively communicate my ideas and become involved with people around me,” she says. “By studying both positive and negative aspects of history and examining a variety of viewpoints, I have learned the importance of historical empathy and representing diverse voices.”
These lessons are already shaping Savannah’s approach to teaching and reinforcing her commitment to making a difference in the lives of her own future students. As she looks ahead, she remains focused on continuing to grow—academically, socially and professionally—while preparing to enter a career in which she knows EIU’s inspirational teachings will have a lasting impact.
That same impact, Savannah says, is one she experiences on EIU’s campus as a student every day. As an example, she cited a particular instance as just one of many defining moments of her EIU experience, and the genuine sense of belonging she’s found on Eastern’s campus.
“A professor I had spoken with only a few times but didn’t actually have a class with walked in,” she recalls. “When he saw me, he stopped and began introducing me to the person who accompanied him. What impressed me most was not the fact that he knew my name, but the extent to which he remembered details about me and career ambitions.” Savannah says that interaction reinforces what she had already begun to realize about EIU at the time—that its students are more than just numbers on some random class roster. Every student at EIU, she says, is seen, heard and valued for who they are, and for who they one day hope to become.
“It helped me realize that at EIU, students are so much more than some anonymous mass of people,” Savannah explains. “Every interaction I have on this campus is another confirmation that I am part of a community where people truly see and support one another by meeting us where we are, and guiding us to where we want to be.”
“EIU just offers so many opportunities…I have never had more possibilities than I do now,” she continues. “EIU has opened up the world to me by giving me so much confidence and equipping me with so many resources. I feel inspired by the possibilities I have in front of me thanks to this University.”
When asked what advice she’d offer prospective students or families considering EIU, Savannah offers a simple but straightforward assessment: “To anyone concerned about not fitting in or feeling out of place transitioning to college, just know that I was too,” Savannah says. “But EIU truly is a student-centered University focused on your best interests and outcomes. The people, the opportunities, and the support genuinely changed how I see myself and what I am capable of.”
From Move-Ins To Milestones: EIU Is a Gateway to Global Opportunities, Confident Outcomes
May-05-2026
Senior Ella Aly says Eastern Illinois University degree is her “Panther Passport” for future career in hospitality.
(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University’s focus on building meaningful relationships has helped countless students develop career-ready skills, lifelong networks, and experiences that extend far beyond the traditional classroom. For students like Ella Aly, those experiences are leading to outcomes that extend even farther.
When Ella first arrived on EIU’s campus as a student in 2023, she was focused on the customary logistics of Move-In Day—unpacking boxes, hauling supplies, and adjusting to a new chapter in her academic journey. Not realizing it at the time, one small interaction that day would come to personify the entirety of her upcoming EIU experience.
After dropping off her belongings, Ella returned to find her family chatting with a resident assistant who had stopped to help them navigate the new residence hall. Her mother made a casual comment that stuck.
“My mom looked at me and said, ‘You should become friends with her,’” Ella recalls. At the time, she laughed it off. Little did she know, that resident assistant would later become one of her closest friends—and her senior-year roommate.
“That moment really showed me how quickly meaningful connections can form here,” Ella declares.
Now in her final year at EIU as a Hospitality and Tourism Management major with a minor in Business Administration, Ella says those connections have defined her experience at EIU just as much as her academics.
Originally from Golconda, Illinois, and a 2023 graduate of Pope County Community High School, Ella said she was first drawn to EIU by its people.
“What stood out immediately was how welcoming everyone was and how dedicated they seemed—not just their passion for the University, but for each and every one of the students,” she shares. That first impression only deepened once she became immersed and engaged in EIU’s campus life. At EIU, Ella found a University culture she describes as deeply invested in student growth.
“Students are more than just another number here,” she says. “Faculty, staff, and peers are truly invested in each other’s success.” That type of environment, she says, gave her the confidence to grow academically and personally.
“My experience at EIU has been life-changing. It was the first place where I truly felt happy and confident in myself.”
Ella leveraged that fresh sense of confidence to become heavily involved on campus, taking on leadership roles that would shape her college career and amplify her professional trajectory. Among her most meaningful accomplishments was serving as Homecoming Chair for two consecutive years—an opportunity she says was both rare and transformative.
“Being trusted to lead Homecoming once is special enough, but doing it a second time was incredibly impactful,” she states. Through coordinating large-scale events that brought students, alumni, and the broader campus community together, Ella developed skills in teamwork, event planning, communication, and tradition-based programming. Her success in the role was supported by strong mentorship, particularly from now-retired Director of Student Life Ceci Brinker.
“Her encouragement helped me recognize my potential and gave me confidence to pursue other leadership opportunities,” Ella reveals. By helping carry forward institutional traditions, Ella says she learned the value of contributing to a campus and a community larger than herself.
“These experiences taught me how campus traditions create lasting memories and strengthen our shared community.”
Ella also heavily credits EIU’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program with helping her explore multiple career paths while building professional experience. This spring, she served as the program’s Student Ambassador, connecting with prospective students and alumni while showcasing student achievements. The role strengthened her communication skills and expanded her experience in alumni engagement, interviewing, and social media management.
Beyond that, Ella says one of her most impactful academic experiences at EIU came through international travel. In summer 2025, she participated in a faculty-led study abroad trip to Florence, Italy through Eastern’s Lumpkin College of Business and Technology. Traveling throughout Italy allowed her to connect classroom concepts directly to real-world tourism while building confidence navigating new cultures and environments.
“Studying abroad was a major academic goal of mine, and it quickly became one of the most impactful experiences of my college career,” she admits. “That experience confirmed my passion for travel and hospitality.”
Outside leadership opportunities and academics, Ella points to personal mentorship as one of the defining elements of her EIU journey. Among those mentors is Dr. Lisa Brooks, whom Ella describes as the most influential academic mentor of her college career.
“She is always willing to talk, offer encouragement and challenge me to think bigger about my future,” Ella offers. “She helped me see possibilities I once thought were out of reach.” That support system played a key role in Ella’s personal and professional development—and reinforced what she believes makes EIU distinctive—its people, and the deep relationships they create with the students they are there to support.
Another milestone in Ella’s journey came when she was selected as a Distinguished Senior Award recipient, an honor that gave her space to reflect on how far she had come. For her, the recognition represented more than an award—it symbolized the growth made possible through EIU’s community, mentorship and investment in her as a student and emerging leader.
“Knowing multiple people took the time to nominate me was incredibly humbling,” she confesses. “It made me feel recognized not just for what I accomplished, but for the person and leader I became here.”
Today, as Ella prepares for life after graduation, she says EIU will be equipping her with far more than a degree on commencement day, Saturday, May 9.
“EIU really lives up to its message of being ‘all in’ for you,” she asserts. “And that experience becomes strongest when students get involved and put themselves out there.”
Her advice to future EIU students is simple: Find your people.
“Once you find your community—and you can find more than one here at EIU—your college experience becomes more meaningful, supportive and impactful,” she says. “And at Eastern Illinois University that’s what it’s all about…its collective passion for seeing each student’s potential, investing in their success, and encouraging them to do great things.”
For students like Ella and others like her at EIU, their experience is defined less by a single moment, class, or achievement, but by the people, opportunities, and confidence they continue to gain on their journey to personal and professional success.
And sometimes, Ella laughs, it all starts with a simple conversation on Move-In Day.
Find the latest top stories from EIU online: https://www.eiu.edu/media/
Over 2300 items added to Booth’s collections during April
Posted on May 7th, 2026
In April 2026, Booth Library acquired and cataloged 62 physical items (books, DVDs, government documents, archival resources, and more) and 2313 electronic resources (including ebooks, ejournals, digital audiobooks, EIU student theses, and streaming videos). Please find the lists of new items at the links below. Individual issues of current periodicals are excluded. All items are discoverable through the library’s online catalog.
New acquisitions include items selected for purchase by Booth’s subject librarians, donations, re-cataloged library items, freely available government publications, and consortium-wide purchases.
Please contact your subject librarian with any questions.
2026 Student Research and Creative Works Award Recipients
Posted on April 24th, 2026
Booth Library celebrated the 17th Annual Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Works on April 21 in the West Reading Room.
This year’s competition received a record 60 submissions from undergraduate and graduate students across EIU. The awards recognize student projects that demonstrate originality, depth of research, and meaningful engagement with library information resources, expert services, and technology.
Undergraduate Division
- First place: Hazel Norris, Public Health: Community Health
Paws and Practice: Overcoming Barriers to Mindfulness - Second place: M.E. Colby, Communication: Interpersonal Communication
Butterflies & You: Considerations of Human Relationships With the Natural World - Third place tie: Haley Strempel, History/Public History Minor
Stitches of Faith: Women’s Education and Religion in 18th and 19th Century Needlework Pieces - Third place tie: Emily Wilson, History: Teacher Education
Challenging Patriarchy: Female Agency Through Religious Roles in Ancient Babylonian Societies
Graduate Division
- First place: Emmy Rogers, Business Administration: Applied Management
Cryptocurrency Integration as a Response to Financial Innovation and Regulation - Second place: Paul Lambrecht, History
Beyond Graecia Capta: The Roman Imperial Cult in the Greek East and the Prospect of Hybrid Identities During the Principate - Third place: Sarah Smith, English
Bias in the Wires: Epistemic Harms of Linguistic Homogenization in AI-Assisted Writing
The 2026 awards were juried by the Booth Collaborative Advisory Committee. Digital copies of award-winning works are preserved in The Keep, EIU’s institutional repository.
The awards are made possible through the generosity of library donors, including gifts from the friends of Carl Lorber, Jr., professor emeritus and former longtime head of Reference Services at Booth Library, and through the philanthropic support of the Coles County Zythological Society.
Student Art Contest Winners During 75th Anniversary Celebration
Posted on April 24th, 2026
As part of Booth Library’s 75th anniversary celebration, the library hosted an exhibit opening and artists’ talk for the Booth Library Student Art Contest on April 20 in the Marvin Foyer.
The contest invited EIU students to submit original works of art reflecting the people, places, voices, and lived experiences of Central Illinois. The initiative expands Booth Library’s permanent public art collection while spotlighting regional identity and student creativity.
The jury selected Olivia Roller’s My Quintessential Day as the first-place winner. Roller will receive a $1,000 prize, and her work will become a permanent part of Booth Library’s collection.
Honorable mentions were awarded to:
- Paige Twidell, Taste of Home (Triptych)
- Makenna O’Rourke, A Passing Storm
- Ross Osterday, Night Drive
- Jill Boeser, Second Home
Finalist works are on display in Booth Library’s Marvin Foyer.
The Student Art Contest was made possible through the generosity of library donors, including gifts from the friends of Carl Lorber, Jr., professor emeritus and former longtime head of Reference Services at Booth Library, and support from the Coles County Zythological Society.
Through this 75th anniversary initiative, Booth Library celebrates student creativity and the continuing role of the library as one of EIU’s central spaces for learning, discovery, and creative expression.
2026 Periodical and Standing Order Review
Posted on April 15th, 2026
Booth Library’s annual Periodical and Standing Order Review is underway. The initial lists of periodicals and standing orders selected for cancellation have been posted. This annual exercise is designed to allocate the library’s materials budget so that library collections best meet the needs of library users. Titles are added or canceled with input from the relevant academic departments. The review will conclude on April 29th.
Questions about the review can be addressed by individual subject librarians.
Over 2600 items added to Booth’s collections in March
Posted on April 3rd, 2026
During March 2026, Booth Library acquired and cataloged 312 physical items (books, DVDs, government documents, archival resources, and more) and 2346 electronic resources (including ebooks, ejournals, digital audiobooks, EIU student theses, and streaming videos) in February 2026. Please find the lists of new items at the links below. Individual issues of current periodicals are excluded. All items are discoverable through the library’s online catalog.
New acquisitions include items selected for purchase by Booth’s subject librarians, donations, re-cataloged library items, freely available government publications, and consortium-wide purchases.
Please contact your subject librarian with any questions.
2025 Periodical and Standing Order Review
Posted on April 16th, 2025
Booth Library’s annual Periodical and Standing Order Review has been completed. The lists of periodicals and standing orders selected for cancellation have been posted. This annual exercise is designed to allocate the library’s materials budget so that library collections best meet the needs of library users. Titles are added or canceled with input from the relevant academic departments.
Questions about the review can be addressed by individual subject librarians.
Booth Library’s new Open Access agreement with Cambridge University Press
Posted on March 14th, 2025
Thanks to Booth Library’s new Read & Publish agreement with Cambridge University Press, EIU faculty and other campus authors can publish articles Open Access (OA), if accepted, in hundreds of Cambridge’s journals at no charge. Please see more details on our agreement at the Cambridge website and their step-by-step guide for authors, and visit their Eligibility Checker tool to see the list of journals available for free OA publishing. As an added benefit of this agreement, everyone at EIU now has access to the Cambridge University Press 2025 full collection of over 400 journals, including leading titles across the humanities, social sciences, and science, technology, and medicine.
Open Access (OA) is a set of principles and practices designed to make scholarly materials freely available. OA publishing allows for greater visibility and accessibility, allowing scholars worldwide to discover relevant articles and read them without paywalls. Academic libraries promote OA to ensure equitable access to scholarly research, breaking down financial and legal barriers that restrict knowledge sharing. For additional OA publishing opportunities for EIU researchers through Booth Library’s agreements, and other information on how Booth is supporting publishers’ OA initiatives, see our LibGuide.
For questions, please contact your subject librarian or Sarah Johnson, Head of Collection Management (sljohnson2@eiu.edu).
Celebrate Women’s History Month: Booth Library Presents Jane Addams & Hull House Exhibit Launch
Posted on March 6th, 2025
Booth Library invites the EIU campus and greater community to celebrate Women’s History Month through the launch of a new exhibit: Jane Addams and Hull House. Join us on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 5 p.m. in the library’s West Reading Room for light refreshments and discussion by the students who curated the exhibit, followed by a documentary screening.
This exhibit is a collaboration project as part of Killeen Reidy and Lauren Clark’s internship for professional writing at Booth Library. Reidy and Clark will explain their research and design process to curate the Jane Addams and Hull House displays, followed by a documentary screening of Jane Addams: Together We Rise — A Chicago Stories Documentary from a PBS affiliate in Chicago, also in the West Reading Room. Reidy and Clark’s exhibits are featured in the Reference Hallway adjacent to the Marvin Foyer, with a book display of Jane Addams’ written works that are available for checkout.
Reidy and Clark are both English majors: Reidy with an emphasis in Literary Studies and Clark with an emphasis in Professional Writing.
Light refreshments will be served. The exhibit will continue until the end of Women’s History Month (March 31).
Research and Communication Support Services at Booth
Posted on January 29th, 2025
Booth Library, the Writing Center, and the speech program are excited to announce a new partnership offering coordinated research and communication support—both oral presentations and writing—across all disciplines at the university.
In addition to Booth Library’s expert research consultations, we will now offer consultations for presentation and writing assignments on a walk-up basis at Booth Library every Monday and Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Simply visit the Research Help desk (on the main floor) for directions. These tutors can assist with assignments from any course, including ENG 1001 and CMN 1310.
As part of this program, speech consultations will be held in the NEW Creative Reality Studio, part of the Center for Student Innovation. The studio offers state-of-the-art resources, including virtual reality equipment, green screens, and on-the-spot technical support, to enhance creative opportunities for students. Find more info here.
This partnership supports student success by helping develop the essential communication skills needed for academic achievement, professional growth, and personal development. Whether you need help articulating your ideas clearly, persuasively, or effectively in written or spoken form, we’re here to help!
Questions? Visit: https://www.eiu.edu/booth/requests/asklibr.html
