Campus/Community Questions
Most Recent 15 Questions Answered
Question 1:
If you have ever been on the Bardeen (Engineering) Quad, you may have noticed that the paths cutting across it are rather indirect. Why does the Engineering Quad have these swoopy, inefficient paths, while the Main Quad has direct, straight-line connections between its buildings?
Answer :
Dear Quad-Curious,
Ah, the great outdoors! QB often envies the students who get to spend idle afternoons on the quad. The closest QB gets to scenery is a view of the Undergraduate Library Courtyard--unless a kind librarian rolls up a computer and turns on the Quad Cam.
The question of the paths is a difficult one, particularly when it comes to the Main Quad. QB looked into what information was available in the University Archives and found a book that offered a nice overview of the history of campus grounds: The History of the Growth and Development of the Campus of the University of Illinois. Looking back into campus history, QB notes that before the plan for the quad, the area was meant to be used as experimental horticulture grounds. Although that didn’t happen, in 1871 a plan for the area included curved (not straight) paths surrounded by gardens. The University, however, decided against it because of, among other things, the possibility that "rowdy boys" would be "incited to mischief by the opportunity presented." QB usually sees students at their most studious and is amused to hear about the danger they may have posed to plant life in bygone years.
It wasn’t until 1905 that a plan of the University of Illinois finally showed something like today’s quad. That plan shows a pattern of sidewalks very like the X-shaped paths you see today--but curiously with small curves to the paths! How, when, and why those curves got straightened to today’s sidewalks, though, remains a mystery to QB. For a path to more information, QB suggests talking to a friendly archivist about sifting through the papers of the campus plan designers from that era.
Because Bardeen quad is relatively new, QB was able to take advantage of local memory to get more specific information about those, as you say, "swoopy inefficient paths." Dedicated in October 2004, the quad was named after John Bardeen, a former professor of engineering and physics. According to Kevin Duff, the Manager of University Planning and Design, Bardeen Quad was designed by now-retired University landscape architect Joe Karr, and several considerations motivated the curves: "partially to be compatible with the Boneyard Creek, partially to be in contrast with the main quad, and partially because the area south of the walks is actually a storm water detention area that seemed better suited to be curvilinear than geometric." Moreover, after the original construction of the quad, some paths were added to fit the places people wanted to walk.
So, Quad-Curious, QB encourages you to think of the Bardeen Quad sidewalks not as inefficient but as a place to take a relaxed and scenic stroll for students who need to unwind. Who said engineers had to be rigid, anyway?
Yours in rowdiness,
QB
Sources :
Email exchange with Kevin Duff, the Manager of University Planning and Design.
Schuh, Jessica. "Engineering Quad dedicated to Bardeen." Daily Illini 15 Oct. 2004 (http://www.dailyillini.com/index.php/article/2004/10/engineering_quad_dedicated_to_bardeen#).
Tilton, Leon D., and Thomas E. O’Donnell. History of the Growth and Development of the Campus of the University of Illinois. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1930. P. 12-15, 54-55.
Call Number :
727.3 T47h
Location :
University Archives
Date Answered :
10/12/2011
Question 2:
I thought the school was broke. Where did you get the money to refurnish the library?
Answer :
Dear Economically-Minded,
First off, thanks for noticing the upgrades! The UGL is pretty happy with the new set up, and wants you to be happy as well—after all, it’s YOUR library! Maybe this answer will help you achieve the desired state of bliss in regards to the new computer desks and chair coverings. QB will tackle your question in two parts to show you 1) that the university is not totally broke and 2) where exactly the UGL gets the funds to refurb.
Despite the fact that QB is merely a corkboard, QB has heard a lot about the current state of the economy, in the nation and in Illinois. Since the University of Illinois is a public institution, a significant amount of funding comes from the state. One could reason that if the state is in a bad way, the university might be too. So, you’ll be very happy to know that the university’s fiscal year 2011 budget of $4.8 billion (yes, that’s a ‘b’ in front of that -illion) is a 3.9% increase over 2009. That’s awesome!
A Champaign News-Gazette article from September 1, 2011, reports that the proposed university budget for fiscal year 2013 is about 5.2% more than FY2012, hitting the $5 billion mark. In a letter dated September 9, 2011, President of the University of Illinois Michael Hogan gratefully acknowledges that the 2012 appropriations were pretty great—the state only reduced its funding of the university by 1%, rather than the entirely possible 5% or more—despite the fact that the preceding decade saw about a 30% decrease in day-to-day state funding on the whole. As of QB’s writing this, the state and university have yet to approve the requested budget for FY2013. But based on last year’s outcome, QB has a good feeling about it!
Now to address the second part of your question: Included in the annual tuition of every UIUC student is a Library IT fee. This money does not automatically go towards whatever the UGL wants it for, but is carefully allotted and approved by a committee that includes student members. This committee thinks the UGL is pretty neat and likes to spend money on it. In addition to that money, the UGL has an annual budget for repairs and improvements. The library also receives gifts to improve collections and facilities (see here for a list of what we need: http://www.library.illinois.edu/friends/library_is_looking.html) Gross/interesting fact: the chairs in the UGL have had the same upholstery for 40 years, making them historical artifacts, and not in a good way. This past year, the UGL got the funding to recover them and make your seat a better place.
Improving and updating the space is an investment that promises great returns. The UGL—as part of the campus community—wants its users (that’s you, by the by) to be comfortable and well-served in their needs. Need a semi-private computer desk where you can sit and write a paper for eight hours when your laptop is on the fritz and your roommate is being a pain? The UGL has that. Need a comfortable, not broken or covered-in-gross-stuff chair to sit on while cramming for a really important test? The UGL has that, too.
Fiscally yours,
QB
Sources :
UGL Reference Services Librarian and Interim Head of the Library, David Ward
“UI Budget Rises by 5.2%,” Champaign News-Gazette, September 1, 2011.
University of Illinois FY 2013 Budget Request For Operating and Capital Funds, September 9, 2011.
Call Number :
Location :
Date Answered :
10/7/2011
Question 3:
Why does the UGL close the basement at midnight and do you really think the pros outweigh the cons for students studying?
Answer :
Dear Burning the Midnight Oil,
This is a fine question indeed. As QB resides on the lower level of the Undergraduate Library, the mass exodus of students from the basement at 11:45 pm leaves QB quite lonely and yearning for the company of studious university folk. But QB has determined to leave QB’s bias on grounds of loneliness aside for the time being to get to the root of why the lower level closes and to see if the pros do in fact outweigh the cons.
According the News Gazette, the Illinois Student Senate passed a resolution in December to provide limited access to the UIUC libraries between the hours of midnight and 6:00 am. While the new policy is not in reaction to any one specific incident, it has been developed to help maintain a productive learning environment for students. Further, the Student Senate and UIUC libraries still want to continue the popular extended hours that have been supported by the Student Library/IT Fee, but with a few modifications to help ensure the safety of all.
According to the UGL’s new late-night policy (which can be found on the Library website), one of these modifications is the closing of the lower level during restricted access hours. This is simply enacted as an additional safety measure so that staff can better monitor the space during the midnight hours.
While QB understands that this can be frustrating, the good news is this: due to the increase in the number of students (like yourself) burning the midnight oil, the UGL has once again re-opened the lower-level from midnight to 6:00 am during the last few weeks of classes (starting April 25th) to help facilitate quiet study time. Also, for those who would still like a quite place to study when the lower level is not open, a new rule has been put in place to ensure that the section of the upper level by the periodicals remains a quiet zone throughout the night. Further, students can request at any time during the restricted access hours to have staff pull the materials they need from the lower level (such as books, media, or games). And if you ever need another place to go if the UGL is packed, you can always visit QB’s friends at the ACES and Grainger libraries.
And as far as weighing the pros and cons of closing the lower level is concerned, jotting down the above policies really helped to put all of this in perspective for QB. With the biggest pro being student safety and the biggest con being inconvenience, QB, a firm believer in better-safe-than-sorry, decided that the pros do outweigh the cons, as safety trumps all.
Safety First,
QB
Sources :
News Gazette
Late Night Library Policies
Call Number :
Location :
Online
Date Answered :
6/1/2011
Question 4:
What type of wood is used for the ornate hand-carved woodwork in the Illini Union main/front entrance area by the reception desk? Thanks! M@
Answer :
Dear M@,
It’s quite a knotty question you present, and one that gave QB the opportunity to call on the help of a diverse range of campus resources -- from the University Archives to the Campus Mill Shop.
The original Illini Union was established in 1919 in a rented space on the first floor of a YMCA (now Illini Hall). In 1939 a new building was constructed to house the Union, financed by money from the Public Works Administration. No less a personage than Eleanor Roosevelt presided over the dedication ceremony in 1941.
At the time of its opening, the building was renowned for the fine craftsmanship of its interior architecture. A brochure from the official opening comments, "The south lounge will most likely attract the men because of the masculine interior and furnishings, while the delicate interior of the north lounge should appeal to the ladies." University architect Ernest L. Stouffer and consulting architect Howard Cheney modeled the Illini Union building after the Georgian Revival style characteristic of colonial Virginia. In keeping with this style, interior architect J.C. Leavell used walnut, knotty pine, maple and oak in a number of the public lounges, much of it hand-carved by John C. Freiburg.
Now, you ask specifically about the hand-carved woodwork on display by the reception area in the main entrance. QB visited the Union and took a look at the woodwork in question. QB was able to ascertain prior to this visit that the elevators near the reception area are paneled with maple. In QB's opinion, the wood used in the reception area looks very similar to the elevators. Seeking to confirm this suspicion, QB called on help of the wood experts at the Campus Mill Shop to confirm. In their opinion, the hand-carved wood is either maple or birch. An original document from the time the Union was built specifies that maple was to be used in the front entrance, but does not mention birch. QB is thus confident in asserting that the hand-carved woodwork in the reception area is maple.
Sources :
1) http://union.illinois.edu/about/history.aspx
2) http://illinois.edu/about/overview/facts/landmarks.html
3) http://union.illinois.edu/about/history.aspx
4) http://imagesearch.library.illinois.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/tdc&CISOPTR=1119
5) General Work Specifications for Illini Union Building, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
6) The New Illini Union Brochure for the Open House and Official Opening (March 1941)
7) Phone conversation with Campus Mill Shop (March 9, 2011)
Call Number :
Location :
Date Answered :
4/13/2011
Question 5:
Where I can find a place to practice public speaking?
Answer :
Dear Orator:
So you wish to be a public speaker? Turns out, you are in good company. According to Chambers Dictionary of World History, "The establishment of democratic institutions in ancient Athens made public speaking a necessary skill for all who wished to play a serious part in the political process."
Whether you are aspiring to join the political process, or speaking publicly for an assignment, QB admires your decision to practice and wishes you the best of luck in mastering such a skill, which traditionally was seen as part of the art of persuasion.
Now, to speak more directly to your question: a place to practice. QB recommends you check out the reading rooms at the Undergraduate Library. These rooms can be booked in advance, which means you’re sure to have a space to yourself for all that gesturing and articulating. If you’re feeling especially brave, you may be interested in the Undergraduate Library’s Collaboration rooms. QB warns that these rooms have large windows, which means passersby will be able to catch a glimpse of you speaking to yourself, and may question your motivation or sanity.
To learn more about these rooms visit: http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/about/studyrooms.html
If the Undergraduate Library isn’t to your liking, then Funk ACES library also has six study rooms available for reservation. More information is available at: http://www.library.illinois.edu/funkaces/services/room_reservation.html#LSR.
Finally, QB encourages you to explore the vast campus of University of Illinois, where you may find a space untouched by other students with the proper acoustics and a mirror that will meet your public speaking needs perfectly.
Articulately yours,
QB
Sources :
1. Prose. (2005). In Chambers Dictionary of World History. Retrieved from http://www.library.illinois.edu/proxy/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.credoreference.com/entry/chambdictwh/prose
2. Public Speaking. (1998). In The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History. Retrieved from http://www.library.illinois.edu/proxy/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.credoreference.com/entry/rcuswh/public_speaking
Call Number :
Location :
Date Answered :
2/9/2011
Listen to a Podcast of this Question
Question 6:
In class today my teacher mentioned that one of the guys who worked on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco was a former University of Illinois Engineering student. Can you tell me a little more about him?
Answer :
Dear Golden Gate Groupie,
For a question of this magnitude, QB needed a research strategy as structurally sound as the Golden Gate Bridge, one that included a few different sources. As QB was initially uncertain about who this bridge building alum was, QB decided to first do a search on the University of Illinois’ website to see if this man was included in any news about famous alumni. In this search, one name popped up continuously in connection with the Golden Gate Bridge: Charles Alton Ellis.
With this name confirmed, QB then looked at the Online Reference collection for biographical sources, such as American Men and Women of Science and American National Biography. Unfortunately, QB did not find any information on Ellis here. QB had to leave the comfort of online research and “bridge out” to the UGL’s physical collection. In a tell all book about the Golden Gate Bridge entitled, Golden Gate: The Life and Times of America’s Greatest Bridge, QB finally found the information requested. Charles Alton Ellis was a former University of Illinois Graduate student (he earned a certificate here in Engineering) who was hired on at Illinois as a professor of structural and bridge engineering in 1916. Ellis was born in Maine in 1876 and, besides being interested in structural engineering, was also passionately devoted to Greek literature. Besides working at Illinois, he also taught at the University of Michigan and provided mathematical analysis of structural challenges for the American Bridge Company. Ellis was the leading mathematician on the Golden Gate Bridge project but, even though he wrote and tested all the calculations that made the bridge possible, he was fired by Joseph Strauss for taking too long. This is why Ellis’ name does not appear on the plaque for the bridge even though he was a main part of the early design team.
Yours from Champaign-Urbana to the Golden Gate Bridge,
QB
Sources :
Starr, K. (2010). Golden Gate: The life and times of America’s greatest bridge. New York: Bloomsbury Press.
Call Number :
624.23097946 St287g
Location :
Undergraduate Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Date Answered :
2/6/2011
Question 7:
Earlier in the year there was a display of Harry Potter-related stuff on the upper floor of the UGL. But I missed it. Is there any way to see what was displayed online? Or can the display be put up again after the latest Potter movie premiers? Thanks, Mischievous Muggle,
Answer :
Dear Mischievous Muggle,
The UGL hosted its first Harry Potter exhibit in July 2009 to mark the release of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie. The exhibit, which included artwork as well as books and movies related to Harry Potter, was housed in the glass cases near the circulation desk and was created by the UGL’s own Josh Hankemeier. When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 came out in theaters this past November, Harry and Voldemort reemerged and could be seen battling behind the research desk.
If you’re around this summer, you will indeed get a chance to see the Harry Potter display again, to correspond with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. If you can’t wait until summer, you’re in luck! We are working on putting up a virtual display of the exhibit later this month, which will be available at http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/exhibits/. In the meantime, you can browse virtual displays of the UGL’s previous exhibits on Sesame Street and Michael Jackson on the website above.
Sources :
Call Number :
Location :
Date Answered :
1/17/2011
Question 8:
Why did this school plummet in the US News Rankings?
Answer :
Dear Higher Ed:
First, it’s important to look at what the overall changes in ranking were.
Yes, UIUC dropped from 39th to 47th. However, the difference between
these two rankings is a mere 2 points on a 100 point scale. QB looked
over the scores for the 11 different indicators considered by US News
and World Report, and there have been some changes in U of I’s scores. The faculty resources are ranked slightly higher, class sizes are
slightly up though the faculty to student ratio is slightly down, the
acceptance rate is down, to name a few. Also, U.S. News and World
Report slightly changed their formula to give more weight to the
difference between predicted graduation rate and actual graduation
rate (known as the graduation rate differential). This gives an
advantage to schools that accept and then graduate more "at-risk"
students. However, it is very difficult to predict how any of these
tiny changes would affect Illinois’ ranking as we do not know the
details of the formula they use. Furthermore, there is no real
pattern in the universities that passed Illinois; some are large state
universities like UC-Santa Barbara (which has a very high graduation
rate differential) and others are smaller private universities like
Case Western Reserve and Rensselaer Polytecnic that have small
graduation rate differentials but very small class sizes, among other
things. The long and the short of it is, the "plummet" is most likely
noise in the system and not a reflection of the quality of education
at any of these schools. Rankings are a very coarse measure of the
education one receives at any of these institutions and it seems
unlikely that any future employer will be aware that UIUC is currently
ranked below UC-Irvine and refuse to hire you on that basis.
Yours Academically,
QB
Sources :
Best National Universities. (2010). U.S. News & World Report, 147(8), 84-86. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Best National Universities. (2009). U.S. News & World Report, 146(8), 84-88. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Call Number :
Location :
Date Answered :
12/17/2010
Question 9:
Why is QB not online in 2010? --1999 Grad who inquired the same thing then
Answer :
Dear Inquiring Alum,
It warms QB’s corkboard heart to hear that it’s remembered by students years after they graduate. QB is happy to report that it is online, and has been for over a decade. On QB’s page you’ll find links for submitting questions, browsing recent answers by category, and searching the QB archives from 1989 to the present.
You can access QB online directly via the URL
QB is also available in podcast form, if your tastes tend toward the audible. You can download these, as well as subscribe to QB’s RSS feed, at
Virtually yours,
QB
Sources :
Call Number :
Location :
Date Answered :
12/16/2010
Listen to a Podcast of this Question
Question 10:
When driving south on Lincoln Road in Urbana one encounters a series of cross roads with state names such as Illinois, California, Oregon, etc. My question is: how did the city decide which states would be represented (since not all states have corresponding roads) and why are the roads (states) ordered the way they are from North to South?
Answer :
Dear Observant Urbananite,
QB decided to take this opportunity to venture out of the Undergrad Library and head east to the Champaign County Historical Archives, located in the Urbana Free Library. The roads you ask about were given their current names between 1895 and 1971. Unfortunately, although QB was able to find records of when the names were adopted in the minutes of Urbana City Council meetings, it appears there was no clear pattern for choosing most of the names. However, QB was able to discover the origins of several tucked away in a vertical file on the Hubbard family. In 1905, Fred Clarke Hubbard bought an 80-acre dairy farm spanning between Race Street and Lincoln Avenue to the east and west and what are now Michigan and Florida Avenues to the north and south. Hubbard named the roads cutting through his farm after states that were meaningful to him, and was apparently able to convince the Urbana City Council to make the names official. Michigan was so-named because Hubbard’s wife had lived there as a child. Pennsylvania and Vermont were the original homes of the Hubbard family. And Hubbard named what was the southernmost road in the town at the time after the southernmost state, Florida. Now, QB is no psychologist, and will not attempt to speculate on why Hubbard felt compelled to leave his mark on the town by renaming some of its roads. However, it is interesting to note that there was once a Hubbard Street in Urbana, and that it was one of the casualties when the City Council consolidated several streets under the name Nevada in 1908.
QB hopes that these answers have at least partially satiated your curiosity about Urbana geography, and that you spare a thought for Fred Hubbard and his dairy farm when you weave your way along the eastern side of campus. If you should ever have another question about local history, don’t hesitate to stop by the UGL—QB would love an excuse to take another fieldtrip.
Yours in anticipation,
QB
Sources :
Minutes of the Urbana City Council. (1895, September 2, 1895).
Minutes of the Urbana City Council. (1895, September 7).
Minutes of the Urbana City Council. (1895, December 2, 1895).
Minutes of the Urbana City Council (1898, March 7).
Minutes of the Urbana City Council. (1910, March 5).
Minutes of the Urbana City Council. (1910, December 6).
Minutes of the Urbana City Council. (1971, March 1).
Ordinance 14 of FY 1929 (2930-14), entitled “Changing the name of Maple Street to ‘Pennsylvania Avenue.’” Retrieved September 26, 2010 from http://64.107.115.148/umdc/records/0102/01021929014.htm
Hubbard, D. F. (1995). Historical Report. Unpublished manuscript.
Mabry, B. (1994, September 11). So THAT’S who that is named for. The Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette.
Call Number :
Location :
Champaign County Historical Archives at the Urbana Free Library
Date Answered :
9/27/2010
Question 11:
Why is there a yin-yang symbol in the courtyard of the UGL?
Answer :
Dear Yearning for Yin-Yang Enlightenment,
QB would like to preface this answer by filling you and our intrepid readers in on what exactly a yin-yang is: Yin and yang are the ancient Chinese representation of duality. Yin is the negative force, representing the earth among other things. Yang is the positive force, representing the sky among other things. The symbol is a circle to represent the ultimate unity of these two opposing forces.
As far as QB can tell the yin-yang was added to the landscaping during one of the renovations in the 1990s. However, the documentation on this is a bit fuzzy by QB’s standards.
You know that inscription at the top of the courtyard? Or are you usually just looking at symbols on the ground? Well, the inscription pays tribute to Edmund James, University president from 1904-1920. James seems to have been a man of faith (Methodist, to be exact) and university historian Winton Solberg is quoted as saying that James "encourage[d] the plantings of religious foundations near the campus to serve the spiritual needs of all faiths" (Solberg, QB answer 4/24/2001). So QB surmises that the choice of the yin-yang may have been another way to pay homage to James: by "planting" a spiritual symbol in the center of the courtyard dedicated to him. But, this may be all wrong.
Another possible reason for the yin-yang is that yin-yangs were popular in the 90s. Now, dear reader, you may not remember the 90s like QB remembers the 90s, but it was a time of bell-bottoms and smiley faces and peace signs and platform shoes. It was a time of the yin-yang symbol being peddled to children in the form of cheap jewelry.
According to American Decades, the 90s was also a time of "new spiritualism," and this extended to the popularity of the Feng Shui principles in interior and exterior decoration. Feng Shui is essentially based on the principle of the yin-yang: balance. The balance that the UGL needs is between the earth (yin)--since we’re underground--and the sky (yang), so maybe by placing the yin-yang symbol at the base of a tree reaching upwards the landscape architects were hoping to achieve this balance. QB certainly feels more at peace thinking this to be true.
Yours from the earth to the sky,
QB
Sources :
1. Biedermann, Hans, trans. James Hulbert. Dictionary of Symbolism. New York: Facts on File, 1992.
2. History of the UGL LibGuide
3. Question Board answer, 4/24/2001
4. Leetaru, Kalev (2004). "Undergraduate Library" UI Histories Project: A History of the University of Illinois.
5. Gale Virtual Reference
Call Number :
1. 302. 22203 B476k:E
Location :
Undergraduate Library Reference Collection
Date Answered :
9/20/2010
Question 12:
Why don't we pronounce the S on Illinois?
Answer :
Dear Silent Letter Questioner,
Your question is a good one, as it is a word that comes up often around here, and QB at least has had to politely correct a few people from out of state. But what is with having an extra letter? To address why the "s" in Illinois is silent, a look at where the word comes from is in order.
After coming up negative on internet resources and in the regular book collection, QB pulled out all the stops and ventured to the third floor of the Main Library to visit the Illinois History and Lincoln collection - a nirvana of titles about this fair, flat state and its history that are guaranteed to be in since nothing in the collection can be checked out. But the most important resource of all was librarian John Hoffmann who lighted the way to the end of this long and arduous odyssey. Well familiar with the books under his care, he guided QB to a number of resources on the early history of the state and helped to select a few that highlighted the story of the name.
The most concise and well documented book was "Place Names of Illinois" by Edward Callary, which described the process - almost as long and arduous as QB's own journey - that had led to the christening of the state with its current name and its funky silent "s." When this region was first explored, the people discovered here were a group of related Native American tribes, who all spoke the same language. The names of some of the individual tribes provided other place names throughout the region, including (but not limited to) Kaskaskia, Cahokia, Peoria, and Michigama. These tribes spoke a language related to Algonquin and identified themselves as the Inoca. The first European explorers encountered these people through the Ojibwa, a tribe they already knew. The Ojibwa had modified the name to fit their language, and it was recorded as "Eriniouai" in 1640, "Liniouek" in 1656, "Aliniouek" in 1657, and "Illiniouek" in 1666. This last was pronounced as "ilinoowek" [IlInywek] and it was that form of the name that the French got a hold of. French explores, traders, and trappers were the most common in the area, so it is little wonder that it was their version of the moniker that stuck. They approximated the sound they heard, using the ending "-ois" instead of the "-wek," which at the time would have resulted in something like "ilinway" [IlInywe]. By the 1670s the spelling had pretty much stabilized on its current form, with the current pronunciation: that the end sound should rhyme with "boy."
Great. But is just because it is a French approximation that there is that obnoxious silent "s" at the end? To find out, QB headed to the Modern Languages Library to pick up a book on French phonetics. She selected "The Sound System of French" by Jean Casagrande. It turns out that a number of spellings could result in the same sound, including -oi, -oit, or -ois. Generally in French, sounds in a word are produced until the last vowel, making a final consonant (like a "t" or an "s") silent. However, the letter is there and in certain circumstances, usually when the next word begins with the vowel, the usually silent consonant is pronounced. So while it may have been occasionally pronounced by French speakers, to the polyglot Americans who came to use the word, the silent "s" is just sitting there, silent.
But why invent a spelling with an "s" if a spelling without the "s" was just as good? Alas, we may never know, since we cannot ask those that made up the name for clarification. But QB has a plausible suspicion. "Illinois" was not originally a place name, but a name used to refer to a number of tribes of related people. In French, as in English, a plural is indicated by adding an "s" - an "s" which may not be pronounced due to the phonetic rule QB just mentioned. It could be that the "s" version was used as a plural because it was denoting a number of tribes. Or it could just be that the French thought the "s" looked pretty. Alas, the French took little note of it, and the last of the proud Illinois people were driven out of the state in the early 1800’s. Their name is all that remains.
Silently Yours,
QB
Sources :
"Place Names of Illinois"
Illinois History & Lincoln Coll. Reference
917.73 C131p
The Sound System of French
Modern Languages
441.5 C26S
Call Number :
see above
Location :
see above
Date Answered :
8/3/2010
Question 13:
The University of Illinois is well known for the technological advancements developed here, and for the quality of the library system. Given these two attributes, why is the wireless internet here is so slow and unstable?
Answer :
Dear questioner,
Thanks for your kind words and positive feedback on the University of Illinois’ renowned advancements in technology and library system. The University of Illinois Library is the fourth largest academic library in the nation, having recently celebrated the 11th million volume acquired. Known for its multidisciplinary online and print collection, awesome service to students and the community, the UGL and UIUC library system aim high to provide the best. Wireless internet access is available on the entire upper level of the Undergrad, most of the lower level, and other campus locations: http://www.cites.illinois.edu/wireless/locations.html
However, because the world is not ideal, neither is our technology. QB agrees that once in a while, technology does mess-up, hence slow and unstable wireless connections. QB regrets for such shortcomings. However, the Undergraduate Library and the university as a whole have put in place guides and measures to assist you in troubleshooting and using not only wireless, but also other related technologies on campus. Check the library web page: http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/about/wireless.html for detailed measures on getting connected to wireless and troubleshooting tips.
QB wishes you success in your studies at the Undergraduate Library and thanks for asking.
Yours,
QB
Sources :
University of Illinois Library web page. Www.library.illinois.edu/
Call Number :
Location :
Online
Date Answered :
4/8/2010
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Question 14:
Why are the signs outside of the cultural houses spelled backwards?
Answer :
Dear Sign Spotter,
The signs you are referring to are a part of a commissioned art exhibit called "Beyond the Chief." The artist of this work, Edgar Heap of Birds, explained that he spelled the words "The Fighting Illini" backwards to "turn the University around, to turn the students around, to turn Illinois around." Of course, he does not want us to start walking backwards, but to spin around to think about how Native American imagery and culture has been harmfully appropriated throughout history on this campus.
On each panel, the name of a different tribe from Illinois appears under the words "Today your Host is." QB found an article under the news and events section of the American Indian Studies Program website that stated this work reminds the viewer that the "land was never truly ‘granted’ to the land grant university, but taken from the native peoples."
This exhibit is also a response to the recently retired University of Illinois mascot "Chief Illiniwek." The "Chief" mascot was developed in 1926 and became a major site of controversy over the years. To learn more about this controversy, QB went to a page on the University of Illinois website (found at http://wwww.uillinois.edu/chief). In 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Executive Committee adopted a policy stating that the "use of Native American imagery, when exploited in athletics, creates an environment that is demeaning, insensitive, hostile, or abusive to Native Americans." In 2007, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees passed a consensus resolution to remove all Native American imagery as the symbol of the University of Illinois and its intercollegiate athletics along with the related regalia, logo, and of course, "Chief Illiniwek."
This history is important to keep in mind when considering not only Heap of Birds’ work, but the vandalism and theft carried out against it. During the course of this exhibit, seven of the panels were vandalized and two were stolen. If you are curious to learn more about the events surrounding this exhibit, QB recommends going to Access World News, a newspaper article database. You can find this database by clicking the articles tab on the Undergrad Library website. QB limited his search to Illinois and typed "beyond the chief" in the search box. (Make sure you type the words within quotation marks. There are a lot of articles in this database; the quotation marks will search for the exact phrase "Beyond the chief"). If you are interested in learning more about the Native American mascots controversy, QB highly suggests you search the University Library’s catalog for a book titled "Team Spirits: The Native American Mascots Controversy" edited by Richard King and Charles Springwood. There is a chapter devoted to an examination of Chief Illiniwek. And hey!... The undergrad library has two copies of the book!
As to what Heap of Birds is currently up to, check out his website (http://www.heapofbirds.com) to learn more about the fifty-foot outdoor sculpture he is creating titled "Wheel." The circular porcelain enamel on steel work was commissioned by The Denver Art Museum and is inspired by the traditional Medicine Wheel of the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming.
Thanks for your curiosity Sign Spotter; QB is off to the University Archives website to look at old pictures of the Chief.
EYBDOOG, BQ
Sources :
1. American Indian Studies Program website. (2008). Retrieved Feburary 26, 2010, from http://www.ais.illinois.edu/news/
2. The Chief Illiniwek Tradition. (2007). Retrieved February 26, 2010, from http://www.uillinois.edu/chief/
3. Access World News. Retrieved Feburary 26, 2010, through the Undergraduate Library website (click Find Articles).
4. King, C., Springwood, C. (2001). Team spirits : the Native American mascots controversy. Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press
5. HOCK E AYE VI EDGAR HEAP OF BIRDS (2003). Retrieved February 26, 2010, from http://www.heapofbirds.com/
6. University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved February 26, 2010, from http://www.library.illinois.edu/archives/
Call Number :
Source 4: 306.4 T222
Location :
Online (source 1, 2, 3, 5, 6), Undergradaute Library (source 4)
Date Answered :
2/26/2010
Question 15:
Is the lowest floor of the Undergraduate Library supposed to be no talking? And if you can whisper, where is a place on campus I can go where it is 100% no talking because I can’t focus at all on serious stuff and get real work done with noise.
Answer :
Dear noise sensitive student,
QB indeed feels so sorry for the noise in the Undergraduate Library and agrees with you that “Silent reading leads to maximum load”, however in an environment like a library where students have different learning and reading styles, and more especially different timetables and schedules it becomes increasingly impractical to control conversation and movements, hence 100% silence cannot be easily achieved. Noise is caused by different activities like people conversations, whispering and movements like you mentioned and other noise from the ventilation system. Much as we have such shortfalls, the Undergraduate Library has taken on a number of initiatives to maintain a quite reading atmosphere which I am glad to bring to your attention.
The Undergraduate library has four quiet study rooms that are available on the lower level of the Undergraduate Library. These rooms can seat up to 4-5 people, and you can choose to be there alone and these are absolutely quite study rooms. Keys to the rooms can be checked out from the Undergraduate Library Circulation Desk for up to 2 hours. That said, because the Undergraduate library wants many students to benefit from these services, there is a $1/hour late fee for study room keys. There is additional open study rooms available on a first come basis on the upper level designed for louder group work. As you walk back toward the Writers Workshop, you will be able to see the Group Study Rooms. These study rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis and accommodate up to six students and include a white board. These open rooms require no keys. It’s to our wish that the Undergraduate Library lower level remains a quiet study space, and measures are put to ensure that all users of the lower level respect this priority as mentioned above.
The Undergraduate Library has taken more measures to avoid noise in the library like having a carpeted floor, encouraging students to use headphones while listening to their music and using the media facilitate at the lower level of the Undergraduate library, and encouraging students not to use phones from the library. QB is happy to mention that you can also buy headphones at $1 from the Undergraduate Library Circulation Desk.
With all these measures in place, the Undergraduate library cannot guarantee 100% noise free, therefore QB requests that in any case you feel not comfortable reading from the library due to the destruction from other patrons and noise or any other shortcoming, please report to Undergraduate Library Circulation Desk for ready assistance. You can choose not to leave your desk, just go to this web page
http://www.library.illinois.edu/askus/ and you can chat, call or send us an e-mail from this webpage. We shall be so gratefully to make your learning here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign a success.
QB would like also to bring to your attention other libraries on campus that you can find quite and comfortably excellent reading from, however, you need to contact such libraries to get more information of how you can go about using one. The ACES Library, Grainger Library. QB has noticed that the Education Library reading space is also ever quite and less populated.
Sources :
1. University Library: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Patron Conduct Policy. Http://www.library.illinois.edu/administration/services/policies/patron_conduct.html
Call Number :
Location :
Date Answered :
1/23/2010
University
of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignLibrary Gateway
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