News & Blog

  Tina Buck, Librarian, recommends:

   The Martian, by Andy Weir

http://ucf.catalog.fcla.edu/permalink.jsp?29CF032844510

2nd Floor – Knight Reads

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk    on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust        storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive–and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old ‘human error’ are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills–and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit–he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Looking for something to read for pleasure? Or a current, popular title? Check out the Knight Reads collection on the main floor of the John C. Hitt Library, near the cafe seating.

If you have a title you think should be in Knight Reads, leave a comment on this post.

 Richard Harrison, Librarian, recommends:

  In the Garden of Beasts, by Erik Larson

http://ucf.catalog.fcla.edu/permalink.jsp?29CF029445900

UCF Main Library Knight Reads – 2^nd Floor

A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the surprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance, and – ultimately – horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition.

The UCF Libraries is excited to start work on our 21^st Century Library project. Although we are breaking ground outside the building this winter, we are making big changes inside as well! As we shift books down from the 5^th floor to the lower floors, the remaining space will be converted to a quiet study lounge with more outlets and computers. Look out for your chance to test furniture for this space, which should be completed by Spring 2016.

On Monday, June 29 the Stacks Unit in Circulation Services began a shifting project that will involve moving nearly one million volumes over the course of the next several months. The shifting project will make space for the newly improved quiet study space, and all books must be moved off of the 5^th floor.

A team of student employees have been hired to work on this special project. The students must work with important attention to detail so all books are moved to the correct new location. The work can be hot, tiring, and dusty, and we really appreciate all the efforts of our student employees.

The first floor shift is complete and call numbers A to F now reside on the 1^st floor. Shifting is currently taking place on the 3^rd floor of the library. Please ask for assistance if you have trouble locating any materials.

The team has a lot of work ahead, but it will be worth the effort when UCF students have a newly designed quiet, comfortable study space in the library.