The conference takes place in the fall on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The University is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, which have a combined population of 126,638 and are situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 180 northeast of St. Louis.
Transportation
The University of Illinois Willard Airport (Airport Code: CMI) serves the Champaign-Urbana area. Other Airport Options (the following airports are at least two hours away from Urbana-Champaign and will require you to make additional arrangements to get to campus):
AMTRAK has service between downtown Chicago and Champaign. Bus services are provided by the following companies:
- Peoria Charter (private bus company) serves many different locations including both Chicago airports (O’Hare and Midway), Union Station in Chicago, and a number of Chicago suburbs. Pick up is available from Terminal 2 and Terminal 5 at the O’Hare International Airport with multiple drop-off points on-campus.
- Greyhound (private bus company) has daily service between Chicago and Champaign. Pick up is available from downtown Chicago with drop-off at the Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign.
- Express Air Coach (private bus company) has a daily service non-stop between O’Hare International Airport and Champaign. Pick up is available from Shuttle center and Terminal 5 (Door 5E lower level) at the O’Hare International Airport and two drop-off/pick-up points on-campus, Altgeld Hall and the Armory.
While on-campus, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) bus system serves a wide variety of stops across the area. The campus is a Bicycle Friendly University and the Cities of Urbana and Champaign are both Bicycle Friendly Communities, making us leaders among other communities and universities. For more information on public transportation while in Champaign-Urbana, please visit the International Student and Scholar Services page on the topic.
Places to Stay
There are multiple places to stay while visiting the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Three hotels of note are the following:
- I Hotel and Conference Center – A contemporary designed four-star property featuring 125 luxurious hotel room accommodations in Champaign, Illinois. The I Hotel and Conference Center is located on the south campus of the University of Illinois in the heart of The Research Park. The adjoining 70,500 square foot state-of-the-art Illinois Conference Center features 16 conference rooms; a modern 12,200 sq. ft. exhibit hall, two large ballrooms, and thirteen meeting rooms.
- Hotel Royer – This historic hotel with modern amenities is less than a mile from the University of Illinois. It is adjacent to Lincoln Square Mall with artisan shops and restaurants. Krannert Center, Spurlock Museum, State Farm Center, Meadowbrook Park and Riggs Beer Company are all within four miles. It also offers an indoor pool, fitness center and restaurant.
- Illini Union Hotel – Created in 1941, the Illini Union continues to welcome the Illinois students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors. You can enjoy restaurants, event spaces, bowling, billiards, shopping, and more all under one roof.
About the UIUC Library/SRS
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library is one of the largest public academic libraries in the United States. Holdings currently total “more than thirteen million volumes and 24 million items and materials in all formats, languages, and subjects, including 9 million microforms, 120,000 serials, 148,000 audio-recordings, over 930,000 audiovisual materials, over 280,000 electronic books, 12,000 films, and 650,000 maps.” For more information on the library system, please visit the University Library’s main website.
The Slavic Reference Service at UIUC’s International and Area Studies (IAS) Library handles bibliographic and reference questions in all subject areas connected to Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. The Service’s specific purview involves the following consultation-based activities:
- Answering bibliographic and reference queries.
- Identifying materials in our collection and libraries.
- Verifying and correcting citations.
- Suggesting reference materials you might find relevant for your research.
- Helping you locate difficult–to–find sources.
- Making copies of chapters or short articles held at UIUC through our Duplication Service.
- Offering access through our website to extensive research resources organized by country.
If you are looking for an answer to a general query, please fill out the Slavic Reference Service Query form; if you are looking to secure digital copies of resources held at the University of Illinois Library remotely, please contact the SRS’ Duplication Team through our Duplication Request Form. Finally, to schedule a consultation with a member of the SRS staff, please use our Make an Appointment application and indicate your location and affiliation. To learn more about our consultation sessions, please see the FAQ located below.