News & Blog

Yesterday we talked a little bit about the Open Access movement to share research. Today we are going to focus on the benefits of having research freely available. Let’s look at a government agency right in our own backyard — NASA. You may not realize this, but NASA research and technology has contributed to the development of everything from LED lighting to temper foam mattresses. Unlike Area 51, NASA likes to share what it knows, and collaborates with industry partners in all kinds of ways. Here are some examples: 

We use it for everything – historical information, explaining movie endings, and biographies of our favorite celebrities. Wikipedia began in 2001, which is roughly the same time as a movement called Open Access, which we are celebrating this week. 

In a world of where restrictions make information limited, one movement found a way to bring unrestricted access to research to anyone, anywhere around the world. This movement is aptly called Open Access (OA).

The UCF Libraries’ Office of Scholarly Communication (OSC) provides support for students, faculty, and staff in their pursuit to use, create, and publish scholarship. The term “scholarly communication” broadly refers to the steps of scholarly research, writing, publishing, and any other aspect of scholarly output.

One of the fantastic things about UCF is the wide range of cultures and ethnicities of our students, staff, and faculty. We come from all over. We’re just as proud of where we are from as we are of where we are now and where we will be heading in future. Diversity Week, an Office of Diversity and Inclusion initiative, is the way we celebrate this.

Between October 14 – 19, UCF will celebrate our diverse community and provide opportunities to explore topics across the broad range of human identity, experience, and interaction. Diversity Week activities are intended to stimulate our campus and move us to a more inclusive culture. The theme for 2019 is Empowering Equity.

As part of the UCF Libraries’ very enthusiastic support of maintaining an inclusive space in the UCF community, we are offering many workshops and activities through the week. The workshops include a

• a bookbinding workshop (limited seating, reservation required)
• a presentation on the Diverse Families Database
• two fiber art activities
• henna art (limited seating, reservation required)
• an open mic
• three film screenings
• Accessible Spirit Splash

The first of our additional activities is just inside the entrance to the library where students can add a sticky note saying what we all can do to Empower Equity for All. The second activity is a map on the 3rd floor where faculty, staff, and students can place a pin in the area where they and their families have lived. The UCF community can also stop by the Curriculum Materials Center library in the Education Complex to view a display on the Diverse Families Bibliography.

For more detailed information about the UCF Libraries Diversity Week events visit: guides.ucf.edu/diversityweek