Special Collections & University Archives

Special Collections and University Archives is available Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. Appointments are no longer required; however, we strongly encourage you to make an appointment. Please call (407) 823 – 2576 or email speccoll@ucf.edu to reach us. Please register ahead of your visit. Thank you!

Special Collections and University Archives is closed Tuesday 5/10 through Friday 5/13 for the Society of Florida Archivists Annual Meeting. We apologize for the inconvenience.

16th Annual Student Book Arts Competition Exhibit

Book Arts Exhibit

First manned Apollo Crew

UCF COVID-19 Memory Project

Wet’N Wild, Kamikaze Waterslide

Central Florida Future, 6/21/10

Family portrait from Florida

Special Collections & University Archives offers access to unique materials for students, faculty, researchers, and the public.

Explore our collections:

African Americana

Archival and published materials documenting African American history and the Black experience, from late 1700s to modern day, including items of local, regional, national, and international interest.

Artists Papers

Papers, photographs, scrapbooks, portfolios, graphic designs, book designs, drawings, paintings, zines, and exhibition catalogs documenting various artists’ life and work.

Book Arts & Typography

Books or book-like objects created by artists as works of art. Also includes fine press books and periodicals, ephemera, and monographs related to book arts, bookbinding, papermaking, and printing.

Botany

Collection of historical materials related to botany mainly in Bromeliads such as photographs, field notes, manuscripts, diaries, correspondence, plant entries, sketches, drawings, paintings, publications, and posters.

Caribbean West Indies

Books, maps, manuscripts, sound recordings, ephemera, government publications, fine art, and artifacts documenting the history, geography, economy, and customs of the West Indies and the Caribbean.

Floridiana

Publications, manuscript materials, maps, ephemera, images, and fine art documenting the history, economy, and inhabitants of Florida and especially Central Florida, from the 1800s to present day.

Literary Papers

Includes published and unpublished papers of several authors, correspondence, photographs, publications, ephemera, and audio-visual materials document modern literary works.

Political Papers

Includes political papers and records of public officials, collections on local democratic clubs, organizations, files on suffrage and women’s rights, manuscript and printed materials pertaining to the Vietnam War.

Space Program

Photographs, prints, books, documents, reports, technical manuals, memorabilia, objects, public relation and press materials all related to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Travel & Tourism

Published and archival materials documenting the history of tourism in Florida and its economic impact on the state. Includes materials about Central Florida’s numerous theme parks and attractions.

University Archives

Official repository of the history of UCF, University Archives holds office and program records, audio/visual materials, publications including printed theses and dissertations, ephemera & so much more!

A complete list of collections and their guides are available in the “Collection Guides” links under the respective areas, either Special Collections or University Archives.

Because some collections in Special Collections & University Archives are not processed, access to these collections might be limited. Please refer to “Unprocessed Collections” links under the respective areas, either Special Collections or University Archives, to view a complete list of unprocessed collections.

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Check out the brochures for Special Collections and the University Archives.

Blog Posts

“Something Man Made Is Here” by Amelia Haig (UCF)

Exhibit: 16th Annual Student Book Arts Competition

Special Collections & University Archives Posted: May 6th, 2022

UCF Libraries’ Special Collections & University Archives is pleased to announce the 16th Annual Student Book Arts Competition Exhibit. The competition invited UCF and Rollins College students to submit one-of-a-kind artist books. Unlike traditional books, artist books are handmade to reflect personal artistic visions of their creators ranging from narrative storytelling through but not limited to […]

Artist Spotlight: Joy Postle

John C. Hitt Library, Special Collections & University Archives Posted: March 15th, 2022

Joy Postle was a prolific artist whose career spanned more than seventy years. Her artistic output was varied and extensive. She painted wildlife in their environment, created murals that covered entire walls and rooms, and during the Great Depression, worked for the Florida Art Project of the WPA. Besides being an accomplished painter, Postle also […]

What Are Artists’ Books?

All Libraries, Events, John C. Hitt Library, Special Collections & University Archives Posted: March 14th, 2022

Join Chris Saclolo from Special Collections University Archives to learn about the craft of artists’ books (works of art in book form) and the history of the UCF Student Book Arts Competition. Students will get the opportunity to see some of the artists’ books from the Book Arts & Typography Collection. Date: Monday March 21stTime: […]

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