Do you like planning escape rooms, or just being creative? If so come help out with the library escape room, and help plan the abduction of poor Pickles, the library dragon, and how groups can help save him. You can help create puzzles and art to go into the escape room, help make decisions about the escape room such as what goes where and how it will all work together, you can help write the story the escape room follows, and more. If you want to submit a puzzle or art piece, you can ether talk to Ms. Arnold or Charlie Newman, both of which work in the library, and can usually be found there. You could also email Ms. Arnold at darnold2@illinois.edu and Charlie at enewman4@illinois.edu or join the Uni High library discord server. Ask at the library desk in order to get the link to the server. If you are interested in planning, you should consider joining SLACERS or attending some of their meetings, since they are in charge of planning the escape room. SLACERS stands for Student Library Advisory Council, and more information can be found on them in the third paragraph. In addition, if you want to help plan the escape room, it certainly does not disqualify you from participating in the escape room later.

If you want to experience the fun that comes with participating in the escape room, don’t forget, the library escape room is taking place on May 2nd-6th. Times for the escape room include lunch and Uni periods, but the escape room can be arranged to be played over a free period. The recommended number of people per group is 3-5, but if you want, you can sign up as individual and can be put in a group. In the span of 15-20 minutes groups can expect to solve many fun puzzles and have a good time, while you are saving Pickles, the poor abducted dragon. Those interested should keep an eye out for an email or shoutout in the Uni Newsletter about the escape room, and an attached link leading to a webform to sign up.

The SLACERS are basically the library’s teenage focus group, meaning they help decide what and if a certain event should take place in the library. They also, talk about games and clubs taking place in the library, plan events, get a look at the new incoming books, and decide on trivia questions. In addition, they have a running point system where if you get 12 points you can get a prize, such as a book. They meet once a month on thursday. Their next meeting is the 24th of march or the thursday after break. In addition, there are often snacks and drinks to enjoy during these meetings. The meeting have been described as 

“ A place to just go, to just have fun and bond” – Mrs Arnold 

 Cora Patterson says 

“We also just like to hang out and talk. There’s usually snacks that Mrs.Arnold gets like five minutes before lunch. They’re really tasty. ”  among other fun things going on at the club.

Charlie said that during the meeting of the brainstorming secession, everyone would put out there ideas about what could happen in the escape room, and the members would  build off of others ideas. He said that a previous brainstorming secession taking place over zoom had worked well, so he was interested to see how it would work in person. He seemed to think that it went well. The last escape room theme was going to be have a more haunted house theme, playing off of Uni’s history as a hospital. However due to covid they had to change it. Charlie, who has worked on the escape room for a few years now says, “watching people both struggle and triumph is definitely a fun thing to watch”. He seemed to enjoy the variance in how fast and just how people solved escape rooms. This escape room is dedicated too Mr. Garvey who was a fun, creative and cherished person. He taught french at Uni for many years, and he held records with his family around town for completing escape rooms, and when describing Mr. Garvey’s love for escape rooms, Charlie simply said “That man loved escape rooms”.

written by: Annie Bilderback