News & Blog

Category: Technology Solutions & Digital Initiatives

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LibTech Extensions for Hurricane Milton Storm Closure

Please note the following loan extensions on LibTech Technology Lending items due to suspension of UCF Campus Operations Tuesday October 8th through Thursday October 10th, 2024:

  • All items originally due Monday 10/7/24 through Friday 10/11/24 have had their due dates automatically changed to Monday 10/14/24 at 10:00pm
  • All 24 Hour items checked out on Monday 10/7/24 will have their due dates extended until Monday 10/14/24 at 10:00pm

Automated email notifications of these changes should have been sent to your UCF E-mail. Check your due dates anytime at library.ucf.edu/myaccount

LibTech Hours of Operation for the week of October 7th:

  • Monday 10/7/24: Open until 10:00pm
  • Tuesday 10/8/24 through Sunday 10/13/24: Closed
  • Monday 10/14/24: 7:30am – 10:00pm

Any changes or updates will be made here on this blog post. Thank you for your understanding and stay safe!

EDIT 10/8/24 at 3:15pm: Changed Hours of operation to reflect LibTech now being closed on Friday 10/11/24 due to extended campus closure.

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LibTech Extensions for Storm Closure

Please note the following loan extensions on LibTech Technology Lending items due to suspension of UCF Campus Operations on Thursday September 26th, 2024:

  • All items originally due on Thursday 9/26/24 have had their due dates automatically changed to Monday 9/30/24 at 10:00pm
  • All 24 Hour items checked out on 9/25/24 will have their due dates extended until Monday 9/30/24 at 10:00pm

Automated email notifications of these changes should have been sent to your UCF E-mail. Check your due dates anytime at library.ucf.edu/myaccount

LibTech Hours of Operation:

  • Wednesday 9/25/24: Open until 10:00pm
  • Thursday 9/26/24: Closed
  • Friday 9/27/24: 7:30am – 7:00pm

Any changes or updates will be made here on this blog post. Thank you for your understanding and stay safe!

Open Ed Live Event

UCF’s Inaugural Open Ed Live Event Showcased Faculty Support for Open Education 

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:  

My first foray into OER was a decade ago when there was still a lot of skepticism about open access (OA). Most instructors were reluctant to abandon traditional textbooks in favor of something as nebulous as an OER. One of the few exceptions was Dr. Christian Beck (English) who worked with a team of librarians and instructional designers to create an open anthology for his Medieval Literature course. This anthology, which we made freely available to students, has been a resounding success. Since the project launched in 2016, the anthology has been used in dozens of classes reaching hundreds of students while saving them thousands of dollars.  

Since that initial project, I have worked on several similar ventures, including the design of an open course entitled Strategies for Conducting Literary Research with Dr. Barry Mauer (English). The more I have delved into OER, the more my focus has shifted from the principles of equity and access, which remain important, to exploring innovative approaches to employing the OER model as a form of student engagement, inclusive pedagogy, digital storytelling, and social justice.  

As former UCF colleague CJ Ivory states in the description of her book, Using Open Educational Resources to Promote Social Justice, “OER have the potential to celebrate research done by marginalized populations in the context of their own communities, to amplify the voices of those who have the knowledge but have been excluded from formal prestige networks, and to engage students as co-creators of learning content that is relevant and respectful of their cultural contexts” (Ivory & Pashia, 2022). I have begun implementing these ideas by creating courses that encourage students to play a more an active role as co-creators. In so doing, OER are uniquely positioned to highlight varying perspectives, amplify marginalized voices, promote integrative learning, and emphasize empathy as a research skill.  

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

Enhancing Student Experience: Print Zone Relocation at Hitt Library  

To address the evolving needs of students and the increasing demand for streamlined printing, copying, and scanning services, the Print Zone in the John C. Hitt Library has relocated to a more prominent and centralized location on the second floor. This move comes with several significant enhancements aimed at providing a more efficient and user-friendly printing environment. 

Over the past two years, the Print Zone has witnessed a surge in popularity, partly due to the utilization of Student Government print funds across campus since Fall 2021. With the closure of other printing locations on campus, such as the Student Union Computer Lab and All Knight Study areas, the demand for printing services at the Hitt Library has significantly increased. Long lines, insufficient Express Print PCs, inadequate furniture and space for staff to assist students, and not enough printing capacity during peak hours necessitated a better solution. 

“The main desk in the middle of the pathway through the second floor had been vacant since the former service point for research support moved to the third floor in the Academic Engagement suite.”

“It’s great to be able to take advantage of such a visible and centralized space and offer Print Zone services there. At this new location, everyone will now have easier access to all the printing and scanning equipment, see a more obvious place get tech support, and be able to get directions to other spaces within our massive building.” 

Rachel Vacek, Associate Dean for Technology and Digital Strategies
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Hitt Maker Podcast Studio Banner

Debut of the Hitt Maker Podcast Studio: Meeting the Evolving Needs of Students and Faculty

As part of its ongoing commitment to providing cutting-edge spaces tailored to the evolving needs of its community, the John C. Hitt Library has unveiled its latest addition: the Hitt Maker Podcast Studio. This innovative space, located on the 2nd floor, is designed to cater to the growing demand for a space for podcast production among UCF students, faculty, and staff, further solidifying the Libraries’ role as a hub for creative exploration and collaboration. 

Equipped with state-of-the-art audio and video recording technology, the Hitt Maker Podcast Studio offers users the opportunity to easily capture both audio and video recordings of their podcasts. With features like the Rodecaster Pro II audio production mixer and the ATEM Mini Pro ISO video mixer, users can effortlessly adjust microphone levels, apply effects, and switch between multiple cameras or HDMI sources for a seamless recording experience. 

Hitt Maker engineering station showing audio board, camera controls and Mac recording station

The studio can accommodate anywhere from one to four individuals in recordings, and up to seven in the room, making it ideal for group discussions or interviews. Additionally, users can utilize the space for recording voice-overs for video projects, enhancing its versatility. To facilitate smooth operation, the equipment is designed to be controlled by a producer or individual not participating in the podcast, allowing users to focus on their content creation. 

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