News & Blog

Join us for a lunch break Open Heart Open Mic on Thursday, November 30 from 12-1:15PM in John C. Hitt Library room 223. The UCF Libraries is partnering with the Women’s & Gender Studies Program to present an ongoing open mic event series.

You are welcome to bring a story, poem, song, or any other vocal presentation to share – on any topic.

For more information, check our event page.

Any original work presented at an Open Heart Open Mic event will be eligible to be listed in STARS KnightVerse. STARS is UCF’s digital repository designed to disseminate, publicize, and share works by, for, and about UCF. KnightVerse is the area within STARS for library related student work. After presenting, see the Open Heart Open Mic host for information about submitting your original work.

November in the United States is Native American Heritage Month, also referred to as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. It celebrates the rich history and diversity of America’s native peoples and educates the public about historical and current challenges they face. Native American Heritage Month was first declared by presidential proclamation in 1990 which urged the United States to learn more about their first nations.

Join the UCF Libraries as we celebrate our favorite Native American authors and books. Click the link below to see the full descriptions of the books which are also available for checkout from the Featured Bookshelf display next to the bank of two elevators on the 2nd floor.

Featured Bookshelf: Native American Heritage Month

Join the UCF Libraries in celebrating Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.  This is a traditional Mexican holiday when families and friends gather to honor and remember those that have died.  Typically on Day of the Dead, elaborate altars are created and offerings are made to aid loved ones on their spiritual journey.

Thursday, November 2

10:30am-12:00pm
Documentary Film and Discussion with Anthropology professor Dr. Beatriz Reyes-Foster

12:30-2:00pm
Dia de los Muertos Craft Table – color calaveras (skulls), and make marigolds and papel picado, which are often used to decorate altars honoring the deceased

For more information about Día de los Muertos events in the library and related UCF resources visit: guides.ucf.edu/dayofthedead  

UCF Diversity Week, October 16 – 20, is a celebration of our diverse community and an opportunity 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 2017 is Transform and Inspire Inclusion.

As part of the UCF Libraries’ enthusiastic support of maintaining an inclusive space in the UCF community, we are offering several workshops and activities through the week. The workshops include a Zine Workshop, fiber art demonstration, and how to start a family search. The first of our additional activities is just inside the entrance to the library where students can add a leaf to our tree saying how they inspire inclusion at UCF. 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.

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

Every October UCF celebrates Diversity Week. This year’s dates are October 16 – 20, and the theme is Transform and Inspire Inclusion. University-wide departments and groups champion the breadth and culture within the UCF community, and work to increase acceptance and inclusion for everyone at UCF and the surrounding communities.

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.

For information about the Library Diversity Week activities visit: guides.ucf.edu/diversityweek

Join the UCF Libraries as we celebrate diverse voices and subjects with the suggestions in the link below. You can also see a physical display with these books on the 2nd floor of the John C. Hitt Library next to the bank of two elevators.

Featured Bookshelf: UCF Celebrates Diversity