CHAMPAIGN, Ill. During the week of Feb. 4, an expert on global information and communications issues will give two free public talks at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On Saturday of that week, a group of storytellers will host an early Valentine's Day event and benefit.
Pradip Thomas, research director of the London-based World Association for Christian Communication, will speak Feb. 4 on "On the Nature of Communication Rights in India." The talk will be from 1 to 3 p.m. in Room 126 of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science Building, 501 E. Daniel St., Champaign. Thomas' second talk, on "Information Problems of the Global South," will be from 1-3 p.m. Feb. 6 in the same location.
On Feb. 9, the Center for Childrens Books, a GSLIS unit, will sponsor an event titled "Cheap Date: Tales of Love and Romance."
Described as a "storytelling valentine for adults," and organized as a mini-benefit for the Centers outreach endowment fund, the event will feature GSLIS faculty and staff, including professor Betsy Hearne; members from other UI departments, including Kim Petzing from the Illinois Natural History Survey; and other local storytellers, including the Storyweavers. All performers are donating their time and services to the Center for Childrens Books fund.
A "Chocolate Kisses, Conversation Hearts and Hot Chocolate Reception" will follow the storytelling.
Tickets for the event, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the GSLIS building, are $5 per person; additional donations will gladly be accepted.
More information is available at (217) 244-9331, or ccb@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu.