The Summer Research Lab on Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia Turns Forty this Year!

Summer 2013 marks the fortieth anniversary of the UIUC Slavic Research Lab (the SRL).  Originally housed in the Slavic and East European Library, the SRL now takes place annually in the International and Area Studies Library.  Established in 1973 and funded through the UIUC Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center (REEEC) initially with the generous support from the Center’s Doris Duke grant, other private foundations, U.S. Read the rest.

Coming Soon: South Asia Comic Collection

I recently sat down with Mara Thacker, the Library’s South Asian Studies Librarian, to talk with her about one of the Library’s newest collections, the South Asia Comic Collection. The South Asia comics are “part of an initiative to develop a national specialized research resource for students, instructors, and scholars interested in these materials… [It] expands on the Library’s existing popular culture collection.” Read the rest.

Occupation Libraries: Libraries speak

Occupation libraries are temporarily built street libraries during protest activities. Protestors or the general public can stop at the library in the street to read as a way to show their support to these events. Some of the first occupation libraries were built during the Fall 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests in New York[i] This practice has been adopted by protestors in Turkey. Read the rest.