Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library (University of Illinois)

09/07/2026

This Wednesday, September 9, from 4-5:30pm, author Devi Laskar is giving a talk about her book, Midnight, At the War. Her novel follows the story of a foreign correspondent in the Middle East in the wake of 9/11.

The talk will be in the Media Commons, Room 220 of the Main Library and on Zoom. Please see the event page below for more details and to RSVP:

Join us for a lively and timely talk with award-winning author and Illinois’ alumna Devi Laskar on her new novel Midnight, At the War. Set in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, an event which had a profound impact on U.S. engagement and policy in the Middle East and South Asia, Laskar’s novel is i...

09/01/2026

Whenever a book is adapted to film, everyone wonders the same thing: Which is better? You can answer this question yourself by reading the books and watching the movies presented in this month's S-Collection blog. Some of the adaptations are faithful to their source material and others stray from it, and all will spark conversations about the difference between the two mediums. The S-Collection has what you need to explore book-to-film adaptations this September: https://publish.illinois.edu/childrenslit/!

08/31/2026

Starting this Wednesday, September 2, and lasting until the end of the month, SSHEL is hosting an exhibit for the Youth Literature Festival, featuring youth literature authors and their books.

Come check out the exhibit! You can find it in the Main Library Room 220 Corridor Exhibition Space.

For more details about the Youth Literature Festival's Community Day on September 26, see the event page:
https://youthlitfest.education.illinois.edu/

Authors and illustrators for popular books such as the Miles Morales Spiderman series and the Parachute Kids will share their approaches to creating engaging stories.

The Youth Literature Festival brings award-winning authors of youth literature to area schools in a three-day event, culminating in a Community Day Celebration on September 26 with author panels, activities for kids, and performances to share with the whole family. A biennial event, the Festival is...

08/28/2026

This week in SSHEL: Come stop by and check out Sing the 50 United States!, a newly published, recently discovered book by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Tom Brannon. Easy to read with helpful illustrations, the book is very helpful for learning about the different states in the country.
You can find Sing the 50 United States! on our S-Collection New Arrivals shelf in SSHEL today! The New Arrivals shelf can be found to the right of the entrance.

08/26/2026

Welcome back, students! This year, SSHEL has extended hours during the week and on weekends.

Our hours are the following:
Monday-Thursday: 8:30am-12:00am (midnight)
Friday: 8:30am-6:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am-5:00pm
Sunday: 1:00pm-12:00am (midnight)

We look forward to seeing you around!

08/02/2026

August 9th is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, a holiday commemorated to raise awareness of and celebrate the contributions and continued importance of Indigenous persons across the globe. To help celebrate, this month's S-Collection blog features children's books authored and/or illustrated by Indigenous persons and about the Indigenous experience: https://publish.illinois.edu/childrenslit/

07/02/2026

Although mental health and wellness is always important, it takes the spotlight in the month of July during National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This observance draws attention to the unique mental health struggles of minorities, which are highlighted in the books selected in this month's S-Collection blog. The S-Collection has what you need to mark Minority Mental Health Awareness Month this July: https://publish.illinois.edu/childrenslit/

06/29/2026

The Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library will be closed on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 for the 4th of July holiday. A full list of UIUC Campus holidays can be found here: https://humanresources.illinois.edu/campus-holiday-schedule/

06/15/2026

The Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library will be closed on Friday, June 19th for the Juneteenth holiday. A full list of University of Illinois Campus Holidays can be found here:

For a printable PDF version of the 2025 – 2026 Holiday Schedule or FY 26 (which is also the chart and information seen below)

06/01/2026

The summer solstice is in June, and on this day, the world also celebrates World Music Day! On World Music Day, musicians both expert and amateur are encouraged to sing songs and play instruments in public. This month's S-Collection blog features books about music to help young readers celebrate this holiday and appreciate everything music has to offer: https://publish.illinois.edu/childrenslit/