The Phase IA expansion of the John C. Hitt Library is nearing completion. We wanted to share with you some photos of the new space and furniture. More progress photos and posts will come soon.
We hope you are doing well with the all of the changes in how we work and how we teach. As you begin recovering from spring and moving into summer course planning, your friendly librarian is here to support you.
Many of our students are struggling with the loss of income due to the Coronavirus. One way you can pay it forward is by choosing course materials that are always free to our students, making textbooks one less thing they need to worry about. If you are updating your course for summer, we hope you will consider using either library-sourced materials or Open Educational Resources.
In recent weeks, many vendors have reached out with offers of free or reduced cost materials. What is unclear is how long these offers will last. Open Educational Resources are a great option, with no expiration date on being free. To ensure that the library-sourced materials will be available throughout the semester, check with your subject librarian.
Sifting through all the possibilities can be overwhelming. Count on UCF Libraries to provide support every step of the way.
We can provide your class with a virtual library instruction session or you can assign information literacy modules with graded assignments on topics such as avoiding plagiarism, citing sources, or conducting an literature review.
Additional services for faculty are available at https://library.ucf.edu/services/services-for-faculty/.
Answers to more general questions about library services can be found at https://guides.ucf.edu/continuity/home.
To learn about Textbook Affordability efforts at UCF, visit https://library.ucf.edu/textbook-affordability/.
Are you looking for something fun to take your mind off everything that’s happening in the world right now? Have you thought about writing poetry?
The UCF Libraries 2020 Poetry Contests are now open for submissions. Try your hand at crafting a charming haiku or a slick limerick all from the comfort of your room.
Haiku deadline is April 12 at 11:59 pm
Limerick deadline is April 19 at 11:59 pm
Full contest details and submission form at https://ucflib.fyi/npm
Monday, March 16, 2020
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
John C. Hitt Library, Room 223
Data visualization tools can be useful when considering sharing data and data analysis in visually compelling ways. Yet, understanding how to use these tools and determining which are useful for your research can be a challenge. Equally challenging is locating existing data sets and how to assess such data for clean-up when utilizing data visualization tools. This session will explore both of these aspects. The first part of this session will highlight several data visualization tools being used by UCF researchers, including ArcGIS, Leaflet, and Tableau. The second part of the session will explore data sources and discuss data clean-up considerations.
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Not being able to afford a textbook shouldn’t get in the way of learning. In recognition of Open Education Week (March 2-6), UCF Libraries are spotlighting the efforts of just a few faculty who have made course materials available to students at no cost.
Professor: Farrah Cato created this textbook as part of the Challenge Florida: Open Access Grant.
“Open Anthropology of American Literature” (No Longer Available)
Semester started: Fall 2019
Students Impacted: 36
Potential Savings: $ 2,641
Professor: Christian Beck
“Anthology of Medieval Literature”
Semester started: Fall 2016
Students Impacted: 493
Potential Savings: $ 34,510
Professors: Michael G. Callaghan and Lana Williams created this textbook as part of the Challenge Florida: Open Access Grant.
“Exploring Our World: Biological and Archaeological Principles of General Anthropology”
Semester started: Fall 2019
Students Impacted: 508
Potential Savings: $ 45,443
Professor: Bruce Wilson
“American Government” by OpenStax
Semester started: Summer 2018
Students Impacted: 1223
Potential Savings: $ 138,100
Professor: Thomas Brueckner
Semester started: Fall 2017
Students Impacted: 1466
Potential Savings: $ 306,394