News & Blog

Bridging Ideas and Information: Business Databases for Campus Innovators

If you’re an entrepreneurial student looking to gain a competitive edge, then you won’t want to miss our upcoming series of workshops on business databases. Our workshops are designed to help you navigate the complex world of business research and provide you with the tools you need to succeed. Register for one or more sessions go.ucf.edu/46UuRUa
Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect:

1. Navigating Industry Landscapes: A Deep Dive into Business Databases
January 25, 2024, 12noon – 1pm
Learn how to navigate the complex world of business databases and gain a deeper understanding of industry landscapes.

2. Decoding Company DNA: Advanced Techniques in Company Research
February 29, 2024, 12noon – 1pm
Discover advanced techniques for researching companies

3. Cracking the Market Code: Strategies for Effective Market Research
March 28, 2024, 12noon – 1pm
Learn how to crack the market code and develop effective strategies for market research.

4. Mapping Success: Demographic and Location Research for Entrepreneurs
April 18, 2024, 12noon – 1pm
Gain insights into demographic and location research and learn how to map your way to success.

All workshops will be held in room 170 of the John C Hitt Library and are open to UCF students of all majors.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into the world of business research
and take your entrepreneurial skills to the next level!

Welcome to Diamond’s Hidden Gems, a blog series in which I introduce you to the University of Central Florida’s library services that you may not have known about!

If you aren’t already familiar with this series, you’ve probably missed out on some advice that could’ve saved you money on textbooks, time locating research articles, energy finding a quiet place to study, and maybe even an opportunity to publicly present your art.

To read up on these things (because they are still available, you’re welcome) and stay up-to-date with future postings that will be equally as beneficial, look out for weekly Hidden Gems postings during the Fall and Spring semesters. I also write and post about various UCF Libraries events. If you’d like to read about opportunities to learn more and have fun, you know where to look. The series is located in the News section of the UCF Libraries website.

LibTech will be performing a large inventory processing project during the Winter Break intersession and will need all items returned in order to process. Please note the following loan deadlines:

Certain Items will become available again in January at various points after they have been processed through the inventory project. All items, including Semester Loan Laptops, will become available on the first day of classes, January 8th at 7:30am. Please call us at 407-823-2384 to verify stock status prior to January 8th.

Please note the posted LibTech Operating Hours to ensure we are available to assist when you arrive as there are many early closures in the next two weeks.

Thank you and have a great break!

In response to the persistent demand for increased quiet spaces and a commitment to enhancing the academic environment, the University of Central Florida Libraries installed 15 cutting-edge Steelcase QT pods, or “Quiet Booths”, in the John C. Hitt Library during the week of November 13-17, 2023. 

Acknowledging the common concerns of students regarding noise levels in the library, this initiative aims to address one of the most frequent complaints and requests received from library users. The installation of these booths aligns with the library’s ongoing efforts to provide conducive and comfortable spaces. 

The decision to acquire the booths was made possible through the current fiscal year’s technology fee funds from students. These sound-insulated booths are strategically placed across all five floors of the library, providing students with a dedicated space for phone calls, short online meetings, or simply a quiet moment for focused thinking. 

Among the 15 booths, five are designed for standing use, while the remaining ten have a small bench for sitting. The booths not only address the need for spaces to have private phone conversations but also contribute to minimizing disruptions in designated silent study areas. 

Open access amplifies the impact of scholarly work and ensures that knowledge is not confined within the walls of academia but is freely accessible to educators, learners, and researchers globally. This democratization of information aligns with UCF’s values and its commitment to fostering a collaborative and inclusive learning environment. 

Faculty at the University of Central Florida (UCF) are invested in teaching and learning with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and committed to open access by making scholarly works freely available to the public. The combination of these forces has led to the creation of the book ChatGPT Assignments to Use in Your Classroom Today. Authored by Kevin Yee, Kirby Whittington, Erin Doggette, and Laurie Uttich, this open access book is now freely available in the University’s digital repository, STARS (Showcase of Text, Archives, Research & Scholarship), ushering in a new era for AI education. 

At its core, STARS serves as a centralized hub for storing, archiving, and sharing a diverse array of scholarly outputs. From digitized special collections and datasets to educational resources and publications, STARS breaks down traditional barriers, allowing knowledge to flow freely within and beyond academic circles. ChatGPT Assignments to Use in Your Classroom Today, which has exploded with over 8K downloads since it was added to STARS on October 23, 2023 (and over 1K downloads in the first 24 hours), stands as a testament to the profound impact of open access on scholarship and research on campus.