University Libraries

Get involved at the Engineering Library this semester! Whether you choose to participate in a workshop, create some art at a Maker Break, or play some golf at the Engineering Open, there’s something for everyone! 

Engineering Open 

Join us on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, 1–3 p.m., as each College of Engineering department competes to design the best fairway for a mini golf design challenge! See the final designs on Thursday afternoon in the Student Commons of the Seamans Center. 

Maker Breaks 

Give your brain a break and get creative for a few minutes with monthly themed crafts. No registration is required for these drop-by events. Light up the dark days with our first Maker Break, DIY light up paper lanterns on Thursday, Feb. 11, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. in the Engineering Student Commons.  

Learn To Solder: Weevils 

Soldering is one of the most fundamental skills needed to explore the world of electronics. This workshop will help you gain a better understanding of electronics and be better equipped to create your own. This hands-on workshop is a standalone event. Taught by Kara Beauchamp, instructional lab manager. Co-sponsored by the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) and the Lichtenberger Engineering Library. We are offering this class twice: Wednesday, March 5, 12:30–1:30 p.m. or Thursday, March 27, 3:30–4:30 p.m. Sign up today to save your spot! 

Engineering Library Workshops 

Get ahead on your research skills! These workshops are designed for graduate students and faculty but also open to undergraduates. Power-up your dissertation writing with our first workshop Introduction to LaTeX/Overleaf on Thursday, Feb. 11, 3:30–4:20 p.m. in the Engineering Library Creative Space (2001C SC) and online. Sign up today to save your spot! 

Blind Date with a Book 

Will it be true love? Pick up a wrapped book from the display in the Engineering Library and check it out at the service desk. It’s a great chance to find something new to read in the new year. Available now until Feb. 28. 

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Kari Kozak in advance at 319-335-6047 or lib-engineering@uiowa.edu. 

Finals week is upon us and can be very intimidating. We are here for our students with extended hours, hot beverages, and fun surprises! We are open for late-night study sessions with space for individual and group study. 

Mon, Dec. 16–Thu, Dec. 19 | 8:30 a.m.–midnight 

Fri, Dec. 20 | 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m. 

Starting Monday, we will serve FREE coffee, tea, and hot chocolate to fuel your studying. 

This year we have brewed up some extra fun with our Finals Fun Vending Machine! Stop by the service desk to pick up free custom tokens and give the machine a spin. Each spin gives you a capsule that contains candy or a toy, along with words of encouragement, a cheesy joke, or a fun factoid. 

Registration is now open for design teams to enter the 2025 Engineering Open mini golf design challenge. Teams will compete to design the best mini golf fairway, focusing on fun theming and creative building. Visit the event homepage for full rules and judging criteria. The event will take place on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 1 – 3 p.m. in the Seamans Center Student Commons. The fairways will also be used at the 2025 On Iowa event. 

Six fairways are reserved for each of the six departments: Biomedical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Sign-up to be on a team at: https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/eng/events/engineeringopen/  

Six additional fairways are available for clubs and groups that are university–recognized and affiliated with the College of Engineering. If you are affiliated with a club or team and would like to build a fairway, please email lib-engineering@uiowa.edu with your club name and team members. Space for teams is limited and offered on a first come, first served basis. 

Engineering Open is sponsored by KEEN, the Lichtenberger Engineering Library, College of Engineering | Engineering Technology Center, and NEXUS. 

Have you ever wondered what happens to a patent after an inventor submits all that paperwork? Get a behind the scenes look with our upcoming presentation: The role of a USPTO patent examiner on Oct. 9, 2024, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.  

A patent examiner plays a crucial role in the intellectual property system by evaluating patent applications to determine whether they meet the legal requirements for patentability. They are the ones who ensure that the inventions described in the applications are new, useful, and non-obvious. 

Patent examiners also communicate with applicants or their lawyers. Examiners identify issues with an application and may request clarification or let the applicant know that the invention is not patentable. Applicants may respond with amendments or arguments to address these issues. This back-and-forth process continues until the application is either approved or finally rejected. 

Patent examiners come from many backgrounds. For example, Primary Patent Examiner Dung Ulsh, who will be presenting our workshop, is an expert in drugdelivery medical devices. In addition to their technical expertise, patent examiners must have a strong understanding of patent laws and regulations. 

After Ms. Ulsh’s presentation, there will be a Q&A session where Derris Banks, the regional director of the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Outreach Office, will answer questions about the patent application process. 

Need to brush up on your patent basics? Visit our patents guide for a great overview! 

The workshop is free but registration is required. Click here to save your spot today!

During the week of Sept. 16, we hosted a through-hole soldering workshop where participants got hands-on experience with the wide world of electronics. If your schedule is too full to make it to one of our workshops, you can still learn how to solder, just by using your Iowa One Card! 

As a guidebook check out The Basics of Soldering by Armin Rahn. As the title suggests, this book provides a great baseline of technique and application for those completely new to soldering.  

If you’re eager to jump in with more complicated projects, try a selection from our Making and Innovation Collection, found on the main floor of the Engineering Library. Try Make: Electronics by Charles Platt or Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: seriously geeky stuff to make with your kids by Erik Nelson.  

Soldering irons are also available for checkout through our Tool Library! You can check them out for one week at a time for free using your Iowa One Card. 

We still have a few spots available for our upcoming LED Pendant Soldering workshop on September 25th. The workshop is free but registration is required. Click here to register today! 

Learn a new skill, enhance your research, or get creative with your friends with these new workshops from the Engineering Library! 

Maker Breaks 

Take a break and get creative with seasonal crafts each month. No registration is required for these workshops—just drop by! 

All Maker Breaks take place from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. in the Engineering Student Commons. 

Thursday, Sept. 19: Origami ahoy! Celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day 

Thursday, Oct. 24: Hawkeye nightlight 

Wednesday, Nov. 19: DIY handwarmers 

Tuesday, Dec. 10: Cookies and coasters 

Soldering 

Soldering is one of the most fundamental skills needed to explore the world of electronics. With this simple skill, you will gain a better understanding of electronics and be better equipped to create your own. Taught by Kara Beauchamp, Instructional Services Lab Manager. 

Soldering workshops are sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Lichtenberger Engineering Library. 

 

Wednesday, Sept.18: Through-hole soldering 

Wednesday, Sept. 25: LED pendants 

Lunch and Learn 

Enrich your research skills and enjoy a free lunch with our new Lunch and Learn series! These workshops are designed for graduate students and faculty, but they are also open to undergraduates. 

Lunch and Learns include free pizza and are held from noon to 1 p.m. in person  in the Engineering Library Creative Space (2001C SC) and online. 

Wednesday, Sept. 11: Find the good stuff fast: Intro to the Engineering Library 

Wednesday, Oct. 2: Introduction to Endnote Desktop 

Tuesday, Oct. 22: From journals to open access: A guide to scholarly publishing 

Wednesday, Nov. 13: Navigating comprehensive literature reviews 

Lots of things are happening in the Engineering Library! Every year, we create an infographic to demonstrate just how much happens here. Here are some highlights: 

• We welcomed over 106,000 visitors to the library (a 27% increase from last year!) 

• On average, the group study rooms were used 78% of the time during our open hours. 

• We hosted 17 workshops with 1,085 attendees and taught 26 instructional sessions with 1,575 audience members. 

• Our tool library was heavily used, with items borrowed 4,150 times during the year. 

Learn more by taking a closer look at the infographic below.