News & Blog

Category: Digital Support

We've fetched some great resources for free software & textbooks!

Dangers of Pirated Software and Textbooks

UCF InfoSec, along with UCF Libraries and UCF IT, would like to remind students of the dangers of downloading pirated software, textbooks, or other materials.  Recently, a European research institute lost a week’s worth of COVID-19 research data after a university student inadvertently infected their systems with ransomware while trying to download pirated software. To learn more about the ransomware attack, please see the link below.

Pirated textbooks or software can be appealing to those looking to save money, but it’s important to remember that such resources could be laced with malware.  To help students find affordable alternatives to pirated textbooks and software, we asked UCF Libraries and UCF IT to share resources that are available to UCF students.

1. UCF Libraries resources

UCF Libraries, through their Textbook Affordability program, works with campus partners and faculty to minimize the cost of course materials for students.  Since 2016, UCF faculty have taught over 950 classes using open or library-sourced materials, in turn reaching over 65,000 students and potentially saving them just over $6,761,705.

The UCF Libraries website contains tips for students to save money on textbooks.  For more information, and to see if the library has your course text as a free electronic book, review the Students tab at:  guides.ucf.edu/textbook-affordability/students .

Please note that, due to licensing requirements, only current students, staff, and faculty can access the free electronic books and resources through the UCF Libraries. Do not share the downloaded files; instead, share links to the catalog or databases for individuals to access the materials directly.

Sharing resources licensed by UCF can put the university at risk. Distribution of licensed materials accessed with UCF credentials could provide grounds for a breach of contract claim against UCF, which creates a legal liability for our university and potential loss of access to those resources. Similarly, participation in this type of distribution may result in legal and/or disciplinary consequences to the individual sharing content in this way. For more information, please see UCF Policies 2-103 and 4-002:  policies.ucf.edu.

2. UCF IT Resources

UCF students have access to the Microsoft 365 suite of apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Publisher, through their Knights email.  To learn how to access this free resource, please visit UCF IT Knowledge Base –Installing Office 365 on a Personal PC .

UCF Apps is a software streaming service like a virtual computer lab.  Students can access many software titles they need for their studies including ArcGIS, SPSS, LISREL, NVivo, SAS, and more!  UCF Apps is found here:  apps.ucf.edu/ucf-apps/

UCF Public Computing labs, found in various locations across campus, provide additional software resources like Adobe Creative Cloud for design work and a wide variety of other software titles.  Information about public computer lab locations and availability can be found here:  it.ucf.edu/techcommons/computer-labs/tech-commons-ii-lab/

Remember to only download software and digital textbooks from reputable sources.  Avoid pirated content to reduce the risk of malware infecting your system and make sure your devices are up to date.  Taking these steps to keep your system secure will help protect you, UCF, and your fellow Knights.

Learn more about the ransomware attack:  https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2021/05/06/mtr-in-real-time-pirates-pave-way-for-ryuk-ransomware/

UCF InfoSec wishes all students a safe, secure summer.  We are here to help with any information security concerns you may have.  Forward suspicious emails to the Security Incident Response Team at SIRT@ucf.edu and contact InfoSec at infosec@ucf.edu if you have any questions.

Ask A Librarian Featured Questions

Ask A Librarian Featured Question: December 2020

Our featured question this month is: “Why can’t I log in to access online resources off campus?

Here are some options you can try:

  • Use another browser
  • Clear your cache and cookies
  • Reset your NID password
  • If you logged in through WebCourses and used Library Tools, try logging on directly through the library website instead
  • If you are logging in from your workplace, you may be trying to access OpenAthens from behind a firewall.  Please contact your workplace IT to see if there is a work around

Tried all of the above and still having issues?  Please email our eResources team at eresourc@ucf.edu Provide the browsers you have used, the options you have tried and error messages you have received.

Faculty Support: We Have You Covered Text on Image of Open Book with Pen

Faculty Support: Planning for spring? We can help!       

We hope this fall semester has gone great. As you are preparing for your spring 2021 classes remember we are here to help!   

  1. Our Information Literacy Modules can be assigned for the Academic Engagement Requirement.  
  1. Check the library to see if we have you textbook available online with unlimited users or if there are open educational resources available.  
  1. We have many streaming videos that you can embed in your Canvas course.  
  1. Contact your subject librarian to see what resources we have available in your subject area.  

Check out our Services for Facultypage for more information on how we can support your research and teaching.

Faculty Support: We Have You Covered Text on Image of Open Book with Pen

Faculty Support: UCF Libraries Copyright Support for Teaching & Research 

Whether you’re preparing course materials for your course or have questions about copyrighted works for your research, UCF Libraries has got you covered with a variety of services and resources to help you navigate the complexities of copyright in all your teaching & research endeavors.   

The Office of Scholarly Communication provides general information about copyright, fair use, and other copyright-related matters. In addition to our website, you can also find information on our various intellectual property research guides where we explore topics, such patents, trademarks, and copyright.   

If you have specific questions or would like to speak with a librarian about copyright, Scholarly Communication Librarian, Sarah Norris, is here to provide general information to faculty for teaching & research purposes. She is also offering online office hours for drop-in questions. You can find her current virtual office hours, as well as how to schedule an appointment here: https://library.ucf.edu/staff/norris-sarah/  

Faculty Support: We Have You Covered Text on Image of Open Book with Pen

Faculty Support: Subject Librarians

The UCF Library Subject Librarians are here to help your students! Students can call, email, or request a Zoom session to inquire about assistance with their research topics, searching library databases, finding the best resources and so much more. Refer to the page below to find the contact information for each subject librarian. Librarians are available at the John C. Hitt Library, Curriculum Materials Center, Rosen Library, Downtown Library and UCF Connect Libraries.

https://library.ucf.edu/subject/all/

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