Category: John C. Hitt Library

Explore the 3rd floor

Explore the 3rd Floor

Students! The wait is over! Come join UCF Libraries as we “Explore the 3rd Floor” on Monday, February 27th. Come check out the 3rd floor renovations from 10 am to 12 pm. Starting at the glass stairwell, come look for clues and answer questions about the new spaces. The activity will end in the Academic Engagement Suite and ducks will be provided to the first 300 participants.

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Get to Know Your Library!

Fifth Floor

Most important thing to know about the fifth floor is that it is for quiet study only. Users should refrain from conversations and silence their phones while studying up here.

Photograph of center section of 'Wisdom Temple', an acrylic painting by Steve Lotz. Features pastel colored plants and geometric shapes above a body of water.

Art

If you pass through the glass doors you’ll see an exhibit space with selections from our Special Collections and University Archives. The current exhibit highlights items about the Citizen’s Bank of Oviedo.

Beyond the exhibit cases you will see a very large acrylic painting titled Wisdom Temple by Steve Lotz. Mr. Lotz became the UCF Art Department’s first chairman in 1968 and continued teaching at UCF until his retirement in 2003. You can see more of his work throughout central Florida including the Orlando International Airport and in UCF’s Millican Hall.

Offices

Many library departments are located on the fifth floor including the Administrative offices, Cataloging and Acquisitions, as well as Special Collections and Library Archives.

Seating and Computers

Due to the quiet nature of this floor, you will not find group study rooms or tables here. But you will find a large variety of types of single seating configurations as well as computers and outlets. The large glass windows also give patrons a panoramic view of the campus while they choose a seat to enjoy a good fun read, review class notes, or research our databases on a computer.

Photo of white tables with glass partitions against a backdrop of a long glass window on the 5th floor of the John C Hitt Library.

Restrooms

There is one set of men’s and women’s restrooms on this floor which can be reached from the study area by walking through the glass doors, past the exhibit cases, and making a left down the hallway.

Black and yellow rectangle with text reading Get to know your library

Get to Know Your Library!

Fourth Floor

This floor is mainly for quiet study. There is plenty of seating and outlets as well as many chances to see art and views of the UCF campus.

Photo of a wooden Mickey Mouse sculpture on a glass shelf in a wooden bookcase.

Art

The Gallery is fairly new to the fourth floor but has already featured a variety of exhibits like Spirit Splash, Student Book Arts, and other collections from our University Archives and Special Collections. Follow us on social media to learn what the next exhibit will be.

Talk about hidden Mickeys! You can spot some pieces of history and art in the Reading Room like this wooden Mickey Mouse or the original Vinnie the Vulture.

Seating

A variety of seating is available on this floor along with plenty of outlets and some great views of the UCF water tower and campus. Lots of students enjoy quiet study time in the reading room pictured here with its ecletic furniture and some great pieces from our SCUA art collection.

Quiet

One of the most important thing to know about this floor is that the 4th and 5th floors are designated quiet spaces. These floors are for users to engage in quiet solitary study. Patrons needing group study or conversation, should visit the 1st – 3rd floors or check out a study room.

Collections

General Collection books, which are the ones patrons can check out of the library rather than being used only while in the library, are located on this floor. Books with call numbers N – Z are located on this floor.

Our UCF Author collection can also be found on this floor in the Reading Room. Get in good with your professor by picking up their book!

Photo of several books on a wooden bookcase.

Food/Drink

Got the munchies mid study? There are two vending machines on this floor stocked with snacks and cold drinks.

Restrooms

There are two sets of restrooms on this floor. One near the Student Union side of the building and the other nearer the center.

Events

If you attend an event or workshop at the Hitt Library, it might be in room 402 which features lovely carved wooden doors, projectors, and floor to ceiling windows which look out over UCF.

Join us next week as we cover the fifth and last floor of the HItt Library. After that we’ll cover our specialty libraries: Curriculum Materials Center, Rosen Library, College of Medicine Library, and our various branch libraries.

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Get to Know Your Library!

Third Floor

We are so excited that we can finally share an announcement with our UCF community! Please join us on Monday, February 27, 2023 for the grand opening of your all new third floor at the John C Hitt Library. At 10am, a treasure hunt will be hosted for students to assist them in wayfinding on the floor with a grand prize of a limited-edition duck to the first 300 participants.

Photo of the third floor seating options of the John C Hitt Library featuring a white table in teh foreground surrounded by sea green plastic chairs.

Seating, Computers, and Study Rooms

We now have 520 all new study seats in a variety of configurations including height-adjustable desks as well as 70 desktop PCs with oversize monitors and 30 group study rooms with varying seating capacities, whiteboards, and big screens, bookable via the Study Rooms icon on the Libraries’ website. Other improvements include generous natural light and improved overhead lighting as well as study-conducive colors and enhanced acoustical treatments.

Art

Patrons can relax under the stars, or at least lights set in an approximation of the Pegasus constellation, while viewing Genesis, a colorful stained glass window created by Leonardo Nierman in 1987.

Restrooms

Improvements here include greatly increased accessible restroom capacity, as well as a family-style bathroom. All new bathrooms include baby changing stations and the women’s and family bathrooms have free tampon/pad dispensers.

Photo of the colorful stained glass window titled Genesis on the third floor of the John C Hitt Library underneath a blue cieling with circular lights in the shape of the constellation of Pegsus.
Photograph of a brick wall with two windows set into it behind colorful chairs.

Unique Views

Patrons can get a window sized peek into the Automated Retrieval Center or ARC from the third floor. Viewing windows are located near the Student Union facing side of the library along the brick wall and feature a variety of seating nearby.

Photograph of the Automatic Retrieval Center which houses silver bins stacked in tall columns which a yellow retrieval unit can locate and bring back for check out.

Collections

The reference book collection from the second floor will be relocated to the third floor near room 330. Current periodicals will also be found on this floor as well as an exciting collection of board games and puzzles by room 360. Please note that all items including the reference books, periodicals, board games, and puzzles are for in library use only. None of these items can be checked out and removed from the library building.

Photograph of a circular seating arrangement surrounding a large screen monitor on the third floor of the John C Hitt Library.

Services

A new suite will house librarians and staff from the Libraries’ Academic Engagement department who enhance teaching, learning, and research at the university. This suite includes consultation rooms where students, faculty, staff and the local community can meet in-person for one-on-one appointments with faculty librarians for research assistance. In-person and virtual research consultations are available via the Libraries’ Schedule an Appointment page.

Looking forward to seeing everyone as we explore our latest renovations together on February 27, 2023.

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Get to Know Your Library!

Second Floor

This is the main floor of the Hitt Library. Users can enter and exit the library either from the side facing the fountain or from the side facing the student union.

Service Desks

There are three public service desks on this floor.

Circulation Desk is located by the student union entrance and is where you will go to check out books, course reserves, and study room keys. Search our catalog for any books you might need here. https://library.ucf.edu/find/books/

LibTech Desk is located by the fountain side entrance and is where you will go to check out and return tech items such as laptops, calculators, cameras, charging cords,etc. You can browse the items available here https://library.ucf.edu/technology-lending/

Research and Information Desk is located in the middle of the floor and is where you can meet with a librarian to ask research questions. Nothing beats in person help, but our research guides can be a great starting point for your project. https://guides.ucf.edu/homepage

Restrooms

There are 2 locations; note the restrooms nearest the Circulation Desk have baby changing stations. The other set of restrooms are up the small set of stairs next to the Knight Reads bookcase in the café. Or you can take the set of three elevators along the brick wall.

Collections

From the browsing books in the Knight Reads section near the café to the New Books shelf by the Circulation Desk, you’ll find plenty of fiction and nonfiction to enjoy.

The reference collection of books is also located on this floor. These books are for in library use only and can not be checked out.

Print Stations

Visit the print zone to print items from one of the library computers or from your laptop. You can also scan or make copies. You can add money to your account using one of the kiosks and your UCF ID card. Or by purchasing a guest card if you are not affiliated with UCF. More information on printing available here https://library.ucf.edu/services/print-copy-scan/.

Photograph of a grey art wall at an angle with paintings filling it up. Closes painting is of a lush green landscape.

Art

Enjoy the latest exhibit on the seventy foot art wall as well as several exhibit cases. Currently a Lunar New Year exhibit is on display until the end of January but visit often to see all of our exhibits throughout the year.  

Cafe

Take a break with a cup of coffee or a pastry at the Infusion Cafe and don’t forget a fun read from our Knights Read bookcase conveniently located adjacent to all your caffeinated beverages. Maybe you’ll spot Professor Pegasus on your next visit.

Photograph of a suave gentleprofessor wearing a white horse head mask while drinking a coffee in the Infusion Cafe of the Hitt Library

Seating

Enjoy ample group and single study seating throughout the floor as well as lots of outlets to keep your devices charged.

Instruction

If you have a library instruction session or attend a library event, it might be in one of the rooms on this floor. Rooms 223, 235A, and 235C serve as locations for various library events and workshops.

Offices

Interlibrary Loan offices are also located on this floor. Please be sure to wait until you receive an email confirmation that your item is ready before coming to campus to pick it up as well as information on where in the library to get it. More information about Interlibrary Loan can be found here https://library.ucf.edu/services/borrowing-from-other-libraries/.

That’s it for this week. Join us next week for another look at your library!

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