The University of Illinois began the tradition of inscribing the Bronze Tablets with the names of students receiving University Honors in 1925. A new tablet is hung in the Main Library each year. Inscription on the Bronze Tablets recognizes sustained academic achievement by undergraduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. According to the Student Code, students must have at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average through the academic term before graduation, and rank in the top three percent of the students in their graduating class. The University Library commissioned Chris Brown Photography to photograph the Tablets. Prints are available for purchase through the Illini Union Bookstore.

Note: As of May 18, 2026, the Bronze Tablets in the Main Library’s first-floor north–south corridor are being reorganized to reflect chronological order and allow for future additions. The tablets will be temporarily unavailable for viewing during this project. Reinstallation is anticipated in mid-July.