URBANA – After hearing anti-folk songwriter Jeffrey Lewis two years ago in Chicago, Morgan Reisman was inspired to begin writing and performing his own music.

Soon he was setting up concerts, for himself and other young musicians, in his backyard, houses, the Independent Media Center in Urbana and other venues.

DANVILLE – After three years as a part-time employee in the archives and reference section of the Danville Public Library, Jacqueline Woodard-Smith saw a need. She asked if she could do something about it.

"I do a lot of searches for people in the reference and genealogical sections of the library and came across an elderly relative of mine in a census," Woodard-Smith said. "I am doing genealogy for my own family and was happy for the find, but it got me to thinking about the history of African-Americans in Danville."

OAKWOOD – The Oakwood Public Library will hold interactive classes for parents and preschool-age children.

Classes begin at 6 p.m. Sept. 2 and 10:30 a.m. Sept. 3 at the library, 110 E. Finley St. Sessions last 45 minutes. Children must be 2 to 5 years old.

URBANA – A free event featuring World War II music and information on the effects of the "Great War" on the University of Illinois campus will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center, 601 S. Lincoln Ave, U.

After the United States entered World War II, the UI campus was transformed. Enrollment sharply declined, and women took on new positions of leadership, while many male students went off to fight. New courses were added to support the war effort, and the Navy and Army offered training courses that brought thousands of soldiers to campus.