News & Blog

Books Unite Us: Censorship Divides Us
If you’ve ever read a book, chances are good that you have read a banned book. Books are banned for many reasons of often for multiple reasons; check out the list below and see if any of your favorites have been pulled from shelves and why. Or enjoy being a rebel and choose your next read!

Presence of Witchcraft

The Witches by Roald Dahl
A young boy and his Norwegian grandmother, who is an expert on witches, together foil a witches’ plot to destroy the world’s children by turning them into mice.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday when he receives an acceptance letter to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Offensive Language

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Jay Gatsby orders his life in an attempt to capture the past.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Teen Holden Caulfield searches for truth after being expelled from school.

Sexual Content

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Collection of short stories written in the 14th century continues to draw controversy for its language, sexual content, and religious commentary.

Sometimes the best friend you can have seems more like an enemy at first glance. Have you cursed APA, MLA, or Chicago style as you are struggling to finish up a big paper? Find out why, once you get to know them a little better, style guides can make the research and writing process so much easier! For more information visit our Research Tips Thursday Guide

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Join UCF Libraries as we celebrate diverse voices in the Knight community. A series of events, virtual and in-person, are being offered during the month of October 2021. Register to attend with the links in the event titles. 

Diversity in Comics – virtual discussion 

October 12, 2:00-3:00pm 

Join us as we review various forms of comics and discuss the importance of representation in comics and graphic novels. 

Crochet with Gaby – virtual craft workshop 

October 14, 2:00-3:30pm 

Learn about crochet and get started on a beginner’s project with UCF Libraries’ Gaby Gomez. Don’t forget to pick up your crochet pack at the circulation desk at the John C. Hitt Library, Curriculum Materials Center, or Downtown campus library October 4 – 14 after you register (while supplies last). 

Open Heart, Open Mic – virtual 

October 19, 6:00-7:15pm 

Experience the creative works of Knights and friends around the world sharing what the Knight community means to them. Walk-in presentations are welcome! 

Color Your Story bookend decorating 

October 21, 10:00-11:30am 

outside John C. Hitt entrance and the Downtown Library lobby 

Join UCF Libraries at 2 locations to decorate bookends using paint pens, permanent markers, and decoupage as a way to illustrate your truth and lived experiences. Plus you get a great decoration to take home!  

On Main Campus: outside the new Student Union facing entrance of the John C. Hitt Library.  

On Downtown Campus: in the lobby of the Dr. Philips Academic Commons.  

In the event that in-person activities are not suggested for health and safety reasons, we will have craft packs for bookend decorating available for pick up the week of the event at the Circulation desks in the John C. Hitt Library, Curriculum Materials Center, and Downtown Campus Library (while supplies last). 

Graphic Novel Book Club – Butler’s Kindred, virtual discussion 

October 26, 6:00-7:00pm 

Join UCF Libraries in an engaging discussion about the graphic novelization of Octavia Butler’s Kindred. Don’t forget to read the book first! A link to the UCF Libraries’ electronic version will be available in your registration confirmation. 

For full details and registration links: guides.ucf.edu/diversityweek 

The UCF Libraries presents a Fall 2021 Foundations of Data Management Library Workshop Series starting in September. These workshops are a part of the Research Computing and Data Workshop Series, which is being jointly presented by UCF Library, UCF Graduate and Research IT, and UCF Advanced Research Computing Center (ARCC). The UCF Libraries will hold workshops in September and October 2021 remotely via Zoom. Topics include: finding data sources from a multi-disciplinary perspective, finding discipline-specific resources for the social sciences and STEM, and data organization in spreadsheets for social scientists. Come join us!

SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 | 4:00 PM–5:00 PM

Finding Data Sources Part One: An Introduction

Location: Online Session, please see registration link for details.

Session Description: Data and statistics play an important role in conducting research, yet understanding how to find, analyze, and manage data can be complicated. If you are interested in developing data skills, the first of two workshops on finding data sources will provide an overview of introductory information to aid you on your path to being a data expert. The workshop will introduce the basic concepts of data and examples of how it is used in supporting research, including copyright concerns to be aware of. Additionally, information on UCF STARS, our institutional repository will be shared with a review of government related data resources.

OCTOBER 20, 2021 | 1:00 PM–3:30 PM

Carpentries: Data Organization in Spreadsheets for Social Scientists

Location: Online Session, please see registration link for details.

Session Description: This hands-on workshop will cover how to tackle data organization by applying simple practices using Microsoft Excel. Good data organization is the foundation of any research project and learning to organize data in spreadsheets is one way to ensure your data collection is off to a good start. Some of the principles that will be reviewed during this session include good data entry practices by formatting data tables properly, basic quality control and data manipulation in spreadsheets, and how to export data from spreadsheets. Please bring your own device and have a spreadsheet program downloaded on your device prior to the workshop date.

OCTOBER 27, 2021 | 2:00 PM–3:00 PM

Finding Data Sources Part Two: Subject Discipline Resources for the Social Sciences & STEM

Location: Online Session, please see registration link for details.

Session Description: In the second workshop of the series on finding quality data, Government, Social Science, and STEM resources will be presented that are applicable in a variety of disciplines. Data source examples will also highlight open data sources, subscription-based sources available through the UCF Libraries, along with grey literature and preprint sources will be discussed.

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For more information about the workshops offered through the Research Computing and Data Workshops Series visit: https://rci.research.ucf.edu/workshops/2021/