In an effort to encourage library users to engage information more fully, the Communications Library has created a News Lounge. We believe today’s users should have access to international news – not just news broadcast in the U.S. from a U.S. perspective—but world news as it is viewed from non-American eyes. Such a mutuality of perspectives encourages further critical awareness, a globally sensitive competency and appreciation that is essential to an increasingly multicultural world view.
The Communications Library is home to hundreds of students who study an incredible flow of media, culture, commerce, language, and technology each semester. When they are not in the library, in class, or otherwise pursuing the wisdom generated by excellent faculty in the Colleges of Media, Business, and the Liberal Arts and Sciences, they are immersed in the greatest flood of data any generation has ever experienced on Earth. They consume more public news, personal information, tweets, google-ized searches, cultural texts, and mesmerizing entertainment in television, music, text messages, books, and magazines, through countless technological choices. The Communications Library News Lounge will enable students and faculty to witness international tragedies and intrigues in this exciting news center together.
The Communications Library News Lounge includes international news from 7 different countries or geographic areas (China, The Middle East, Europe, Italy, Poland, India, and Latin America) via satellite TV. Eight 52-inch TV monitors on the upper and lower levels of the Communication Library provide a news hub for library users. The audio of each TV transmits wirelessly via FM channel to users on their phone (which provide access to FM radio) or other devices, giving them a choice in hearing the TV content of their choosing. FM Receivers may also be checked out at the library’s circulation desk. From any location within the Communications Library, users may work with access to the news, or may study international news content. In order to improve access to library and campus news, an 9th TV monitor will serve as a virtual bulletin board.
How Do I Listen to the News?
Click on the above link for instructions on how you may listen to the news from anywhere in the Communications Library.
How Many News Channels Do I Have Access to?
Click on the above link for a list of the available satellite TV channels and the respective FM audio channels. Contact a Communications Library staff member if you would like us to change one of the TV channels, or if you are interested in learning more!
Downloading Television Content and Classroom Use
The technology available in the News Lounge enables all users to download news content to a flash drive so they may integrate it into classroom instruction or assignments. For information and instructions on how to download news content onto a flash drive click on the above link or ask our friendly library staff!
Converter / World Information (unit conversion, time zones, languages, etc.)
Where is the News Lounge?
The News Lounge is in the Communications Library (1st floor, NW corner of Gregory Hall)
122 Gregory Hall (SW corner of the Quad)
217.333.2216
We want to hear from you!
Contact us anytime with questions or comments: comlibrarian@illinois.edu