Hello and Welcome!
On behalf of the student body of SILS, the officers of ILSSA welcome you to the School of Information and Library Science (SILS). ILSSA is the Information and Library Science Students Association, and as a student of SILS, you are a member of ILSSA. We started our one-year terms in January, and we are here to answer any questions you may have about life and academics at SILS and UNC.
Now that you've decided to enroll in SILS, you're faced with a whole new set of decisions - where to live, where to park, what classes to take. We'd like to give you some information to help you get settled into Chapel Hill if you are from out of town, tell you where to look for ILSSA-sponsored events, and where to look for course information.
A place to start is the ILSSA website (http://ils.unc.edu/ilssa/). There are links to ILSSA-sponsored events and other SILS student organizations. You will find several pages especially for new students. This ever-evolving feature of the website seeks to provide helpful information and related links about parking and public transportation, housing, area restaurants, entertainment, and employment. It is a great place to look for information on living in and around Chapel Hill. The ILSSA site is continually being updated, so check back periodically to see what's new.
Just a word or two about the area: Chapel Hill is located about 25 miles from Raleigh and just west of Durham. Many students live in Carrboro, which is adjacent to Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill and Carrboro have an extensive free bus system, and there are fare buses to Raleigh and Durham.
Parking is quite difficult on campus and obtaining a permit is a challenge. If you are planning on driving to school, apply for a permit as soon as possible. If you don't get a permit, don't despair. UNC has a Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP), which offers a number of free park and ride lots that have bus service to campus. Incentives of the CAP program include discounts to local merchants and one free day per semester to park on campus. The buses run frequently, and many students park in these lots. To find out more about parking and the CAP program, please visit the UNC Chapel Hill Department of Public Safety website (http://www.dps.unc.edu/).
About registering for classes: classes tend to fill up quickly, so register at your first opportunity. If you miss early registration, don't wait until the registration period opens up again. Call the school as soon as you can and try to register that way.
If desired, ILSSA will assign you a mentor. This person is a current SILS student that can answer your questions and will be a friendly face when you get to SILS. Later in the year you will receive an email detailing what you need to do to request a mentor. Check the events list on the ILSSA website for information on the fall orientation picnic, as this will be a great opportunity to meet your mentor and other new students.
Hopefully this letter has provided you with some useful information as you start school. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact ILSSA at ilssa@ils.unc.edu.
We are excited to have you join the SILS community and we look forward to meeting you! Have a great summer and make sure you check the ILSSA website for event and orientation information.
Julie Forster, President
Emily Fisher, Vice-President
Jenny Stout, Treasurer
Madhura Marathe, Technical Coordinator
Erin Griffin and Jennifer Thompson, Community Development Co-Chairs