News & Blog

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.  

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 know about!

The end of a college semester marks a period of exam preparation, essay writing and re-writing, and the endless struggle of finding a place to study. I’ve talked to you guys before about ideal study spaces on the University of Central Florida main campus, but it’s about time we hone in on the main library.

Below, read about the study rooms available for reservation in the John C. Hitt Library, in addition to the brand new third floor’s large study rooms. In addition to housing some pretty significant items and departments — government documents, the academic engagement suite, and the general collection — the first, third, and fourth floors of the John C. Hitt Library also contain a variety of study rooms. Equipped with large monitors and whiteboard, from 4-person rooms to rooms that can fit up to 12 people, it’s guaranteed that you will find a study room that suits your needs.

To reserve a John C. Hitt study room, visit the study room website and navigate to the reservation page.

For additional information, comments, questions, or suggestions, Ask Us!

If you’d like to learn more about John C. Hitt Library study rooms and my evaluations of those available on each floor, please visit “Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Library Study Rooms” in STARS!

Have a poem you’d like to read,
a piece of music you’d like to
play, or need to practice a
speech in front of an audience?

Whether it’s a stand-up bit that
needs some work or you just
have something to say and you
need someone to hear it,
share what you’d like at
Free Knight, Open Mic!

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023
7 PM – 9 PM
Room 402

Guidelines:

• Presenters will have up to 10 minutes allotted for setup, presentation,
• and breakdown.
• Slots are limited – contact as soon as possible for registration.
• Walk ins welcome as time permits – no guarantees.

For more information, please contact glenford.samuels@ucf.edu

See you there!

Stop by the Academic Engagement Suite in Room 330 of the John C. Hitt Library to enjoy some Halloween treats. October 31, 2023. 3-4 pm!

You can meet all the subject specialist librarians, see where one-on-one research consultations are held, and snag some sweet treats.

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 know about!

UCF Libraries has more than just technological devices, research journals, and novels available for checkout. In fact, if you need something a bit more hands-on, the circulation desk is a good place to go to request such materials. As you find home in the study spaces throughout the John C. Hitt Library, you can utilize anatomy models, whiteboards, dry-erase markers, and erasers! These materials are available for check-out at the Circulation Desk near the study union-facing entrance of the John C. Hitt Library.

Here are some ground rules to remember:

• Use of all whiteboards is open
• There is no reservation system for whiteboards
• Only use dry-erase markers on the whiteboards
• The equipment cannot be taken to other floors of the library
• There are whiteboards available on all floors  
• Please be considerate in sharing with others!