News & Blog

UCF Libraries welcomes our new Electronic Resources Librarian, Faye Mazzia!

Faye joins us from Touro University Nevada where she served as the small university’s Electronic & Technical Services Librarian and managed a collection that was 95% electronic. She has a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences from University of Arizona, with a focus in academic and digital librarianship.

If you look at Libraries’ faculty and staff bios, you will find a series of questions and answers to get to know us better (and find the important things like favorite book). We posed those same questions to Faye.

What are your main job responsibilities?

My main job responsibilities include assigning subject headings and call numbers to electronic resources. Basically doing what I can to make sure eresources (ebooks and ejournals) are accessible and discoverable to the UCF community! 

What does working at a library mean to you?

My favorite part about working in the library is the collection! I’m fascinated by just how much information is out there, be it print or electronic. 

What is your favorite book?

I think I can narrow my favorite books down to just 2!

Lord of the Flies by William Golding: I often think about how I would fare on a deserted island – probably not well.

Finders Keepers: A Tale of Archaeological Plunder and Obsession by Craig Childs: This exposes the murky ethics of the archaeology field. 

Beginning Wednesday, May 5, the third floor, including its study rooms, will be closed to the public. Study rooms on the fourth and first floor will remain open and can be reserved by visiting library.ucf.edu/studyrooms or stopping by the Circulation Desk in the John C. Hitt Library.

After 26 fantastic years with UCF Libraries, Meredith Semones is retiring on April 29, 2021.

Meredith started as a subject librarian with Research & Information Services before the Ask Us chat service began in 2002. For the past 19 years, she has coordinated the team of 15 staff and librarians who provide IM, chat, telephone, email and text reference services which were especially important during the pandemic. She also coordinates the Research & Information Desk (currently called TeleReference@RAID) which provides in-person reference assistance at the John C. Hitt Library 7 days a week.

In her own words:

As you know Ask Us chat holds a special place in my heart, it all started in 2002 and now 19 years later we are averaging between 500 & 600 chats per month. Thanks for thinking of me, I will miss all my co-workers. However I feel confident that Ask Us will continue to be a valuable virtual reference service serving the UCF community.

And as we wish pleasant journeys and a well-deserved break for Meredith, we leave you with a fond farewell from her LTAI, Dawn Tripp:

In spring 2013 I was given the opportunity to interview for the Senior LTA position with UCF Libraries/Ask A Librarian by Meredith and Barbara Tierney.

I was very nervous and felt intimidated since I had worked in public libraries for 15+ years and had never worked in academic libraries.  Many of my fears were allayed straight away with their warmth, kindness and encouraging words.

When Meredith offered me the position and I started that July, I was very nervous starting my first position with an academic library.  I felt that I may not fit in, but Meredith always made me feel like I belonged and was open to my questions and concerns and made me feel very comfortable.  She is one of the warmest, kindest, and most genuine people I have ever had the pleasure to work with. 

Meredith’s almost 50 years of librarianship, over 25 years of which have been with UCF Libraries, made her the best mentor I could have ever asked for!  I have learned so much these nearly 8 years.

I am honored and proud to have been her “right hand woman” these past years. 

Congratulations on your retirement Meredith!  I will so miss you.

There’s still time to see 45 Years of Collecting: UCF Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives! This exhibit will be on display in the fourth floor gallery at John C Hitt Library. Please note the gallery IS open every weekday from 9am – 4pm. The lights are out until the door opens to preserve the collection but please do come in and visit!

This broad range of materials highlights the evolution of the library’s collection over the past 45 years.

It includes great UCF items like Daunte Culpepper’s football, Spirit Splash rubber duckie, Knightro squishy toy, Pegasus yearbook, and some Citronaut memorabilia.

Check out gorgeous handmade selections from our bookarts like Penumbra by Ke Francis.

See the oldest item in our collection, a Vulgate Bible from 1546 or local central Florida memorabilia from old tourist pamphlets to Pulse Memorial inspired artworks.

The exhibit runs from February 2021 through April 2021 in the new 4^th floor Special Collections & University Archives’ Gallery in the John C. Hitt Library.

For more information, email speccoll@ucf.edu.

Projects piling up? Finals got you stressed? The library has the resources you need to complete your projects and end the semester on a high note! Whether you are on campus or afar, we’re here to help.

You can view the full Research Tips Thursday series at guides.ucf.edu/rtt