News & Blog

Our robotic arms in the new Automated Retrieval Center (ARC) at the John C. Hitt Library are in the final stages of testing before they become fully operational. Once testing is complete, we will begin transferring UCF’s collection of books from the John C. Hitt Library into the ARC.

When the 21st Century Library project is complete, 1.25 million volumes will be contained in the ARC. About 300,000 volumes will remain on open stacks for browsing. Virtual browsing will be made available.

From now through early August, it is expected that construction noise will increase in the John C. Hitt Library.
Demolition of the north side of the 1st floor of the building is underway, and can be seen from outside the building or from upper floors. Equipment is being used to tear off the metal roof of the 1st floor section that protrudes toward the Student Union. This is the area previously occupied by Government Documents and a cluster of 1st floor study rooms. This entire area on the inside has been cleared of ceiling, walls and flooring. Over the coming weeks it will get particularly noisy on the north end, as contractors break up the concrete slab and the subsurface vertical concrete wall facing the ARC building. The library has requested that contractors do whatever possible to mitigate the noise.

The 1st floor remains closed. Earplugs are available at the Circulation Desk. The 5th floor silent study zone is open, and is not on the same side of the building as the excessive noise.

We are sorry for the inconvenience and the disturbance. Thank you Knights—charge on!

Because of the preliminary construction on the 1st floor, about 40% of print U.S. Documents are temporarily stored offsite and are completely inaccessible. The remaining materials are accessible for staff to retrieve for patrons, but the 1st floor is closed to the public through the end of September.

Our UCF Ask A Librarian service will attempt to verify the availability of specific items. They will pass along requests to Government Documents librarian, Rich Gause, for anything they cannot locate.

See the guide at https://guides.ucf.edu/govx for more information.
Thank you for your patience!

Starting Tuesday June 19th, you may hear intermittent popping, banging, drilling and grinding noise as contractors begin construction of a temporary wall on the 1st floor of the John C. Hitt Library. The wall is the first step in a 16 month project to connect the current library building to the ARC. This phase of the project will include the new 2nd floor entrance to the building on the “Student Union side”, as well as new staff and user space.

Earplugs can be requested at the Circulation Desk. The new, 170 seat, 5th floor Quiet Study Zone is almost complete and is open for student use. It is located at the front of the building, away from the construction noise. Some of the noise may be detected from there, but it should be quieter.

Pardon our dust. Thank you, Knights, for your patience. Charge on.

Beginning Tuesday, May 29, the 1st floor of the John C. Hitt Library will be closed to prepare for and start construction.

Please pardon the noise, dust, and inconvenience.

Need a book on shelves A – F? Find it in the library catalog, and click on the “Request” link. You will be notified when you can pick up your book at the Circulation Desk on the main (2nd) floor.

Assistance with Government Documents and the documents collection can be requested at the Research and Information Desk on 2nd (main) floor.
Earplugs remain available at the Circulation Desk.