News & Blog

Today we’re celebrating one of our Library superstars, Dawn Tripp. Dawn works as a Library Technical Assistant in our Research Engagement department and is responsible for many of the touch points that we have with our students and faculty. As she successfully leads our incredibly popular “Ask A Librarian” chat functionality, Dawn has been integral in providing services that are innovative and move our mission forward. As a member of the UCF Libraries that consistently goes above and beyond her call of duty, Dawn exemplifies what it means to be a caring team member of our Library. She’s thoughtful, kind, and takes pride in the work and services she provides. We sat down with Dawn to get a little bit of insight on what makes her work so fulfilling.

Tell us a little bit about your background and how long you’ve been with us at the UCF Libraries.

I was born in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and have called Orlando home since 1998. My library journey began in 1992 as a part-time shelver in the Children’s department at the Palm Beach County Library System. After moving to Orlando, I was fortunate to secure a full-time shelver position at the Orlando Public Library just two months later, eventually transitioning to a full-time reference clerk in 2004 until 2010. After a hiatus from library work, I realized how much I missed it. This led me to my first academic library role as a Senior Library Technical Assistant for UCF’s Ask a Librarian service in July of 2013, I am now an LTA III. Although I was initially nervous, my colleagues quickly put me at ease, and I remain deeply grateful to them.

We are pleased to announce that OverKnight Study is back for the Final Exam period of the Fall semester! We’re offering extended hours on selected dates in the John C. Hitt Library from 1:00am – 6:00am. Amenities include 200 study seats, access to desktop PCs, drink and snack machines and security staffing. Below are the following dates of the OverKnight Study for the Fall Semester:

December 2 (Monday) 1:00am – 6:00am

December 3 (Tuesday) 1:00am – 6:00am

December 4 (Wednesday) 1:00am – 6:00am

December 5 (Thursday) 1:00am – 6:00am

December 6 (Friday) 1:00am – 6:00am

The UCF Libraries’ legal research offerings are transitioning. As of July 1, 2024, UCF no longer has access to Westlaw Campus. The campus subscription to this legal and news resource was previously granted by the UCF Technology Fees for Legal Studies and discontinued when the Tech Fee funds ceased.

Fortunately, the Library offers Nexis Uni, a robust legal, business and news resource used by most academic institutions. Should you need assistance in finding information such as case laws, law reviews, legal encyclopedias, or international news, please schedule an appointment with Rich Gause, Liaison Librarian for Legal Studies.

If you are taking a Legal Studies course, please contact your instructor to determine whether you may access a resource licensed exclusively by and for courses in Legal Studies.

The 18th Annual Student Book Arts Competition Exhibit is now on display at the John C. Hitt Library’s 5th floor. The Student Book Arts Competition, sponsored by UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives, has been supporting student artist books since 2005. This year, the competition invited students to submit artist books created during the academic calendar year 2023-2024. 

Each year, one student receives a purchase prize for their submission, and the winning book art becomes part of the permanent Book Arts & Typography Collection at UCF Special Collections & University Archives. Book Arts Guild of Central Florida Public Relations and book arts educator David Nees from Mount Dora, Florida, was our guest judge. The 18th Annual Student Book Arts Competition awarded two students for their artist books, “How to Scam with Water Heaters” by Sean Logan and “Angels’ Number Cards” by Rebecca Tirado Ahearn. Both students exemplified the creativity and craftsmanship of book arts. Congratulations to Sean and Rebecca! The winning artist books will be on display until August 2024.

UCF’s inaugural Open Ed Live event was held online earlier this year and brought together higher ed teaching faculty, librarians, and instructional designers to explore the boundless opportunities of open education. The event was hosted online by the Division of Digital Learning along with members of UCF Libraries, UCF Bookstore, and the UCF Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs. 

Recordings and files from Open Ed Live are now available in STARS, UCF’s institutional repository hosted by the UCF Libraries. 

The presentations illustrate how much open education has evolved in a relatively short time. Highlights from these sessions include thoughtful discussions on artificial intelligence, balancing open initiatives with inclusive access programs, and a panel of students who actively advocated for open educational resources (OER) at UCF. While textbook affordability remains one of the key appeals of OER, what is striking about these presentations is the progression of OER from the realm of affordability into open scholarship and pedagogy.   

John Venecek, UCF Humanities Librarian, shares his perspective:  

Some of the same campus units that organized the Open Ed Live event are available to help UCF faculty explore and adopt OER. To learn more about OER, see the library guide on OER. For faculty with questions or specific support needs, please submit a response to the OER Contact Form.