News & Blog

April 11, 2024, 5:45 pm – 8:00 pm

Free bookbinding workshop for students and library patrons:

The Simply Sewn Book: Japanese Stab Binding with Western Materials with David Nees
John C. Hitt Library
UCF Main Campus, Room 170, First Floor

Workshop description:
The tradition of book binding goes back thousands of years, spanning not only time but place as well. This workshop is to introduce the participants to Japanese Stab Binding and creating a book in that tradition with Western materials. The structure is beautiful, simple, and functional.

Class Duration: 2.25 hours

Required Skills: Folding paper, cutting with scissors and X-acto knife.
Some basic materials will be provided; however, participants are encouraged to bring papers and tools (awls  and waxed thread are particularly needed). Copy paper and some cardstock will be available, but you are welcome to bring other papers / cardstock / decorative paper to construct their books and possibly to share.  

Limited to 15 participants.

Free event

Register to RSVP: https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_02HIeS1HqIQKkYK

Hosted by Special Collections & University Archives and the Book Arts Guild of Central Florida

The 17^th Annual Student Book Arts Competition Exhibit is now open at the 4th Floor Gallery of the John C. Hitt Library. Sponsored by UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives, the competition invited UCF and Rollins College students to submit one-of-a-kind artist books. Unlike traditional books, artist books are handmade to reflect the personal artistic visions of their creators ranging from narrative storytelling through but not limited to drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, and/or text. The 17^th Annual Student Book Arts Competition Exhibit showcases of all entries created during the 2022-2023 academic calendar year.

Our guest judge for the competition was Karen Esteves, an artist, designer, and educator from Winter Gardens, Florida. Karen is an active member of College Book Art Association, The Movable Book Society, Chicago, IL, Book Arts Guild of Central Florida, Winter Park, FL and the Florida Craft Society, in St. Petersburg, FL.

This year the competition awarded two students.

“So I’ve Been Told ” by Stacie Becker (UCF) and “In Your Car” by Taylor Ingrassia (Rollins College). Both winners represented the creativity and craftsmanship of artist books and will be part of the Book Arts & Typography Collection at Special Collections & University Archives. Congratulations to both winners!

The exhibit runs from May 2023 – July 2023 which features all student book arts entries and select past winners.

Location: 4th Floor Gallery, John C. Hitt Library

Hours: 9 am – 4 pm Monday through Friday; closed weekends

For more information: speccoll@ucf.edu

Hello, everyone! My name is Diamond Williams; I am a second-year double-majoring in Criminal Justice and Writing & Rhetoric. Welcome to the ninth installment of Diamond’s Hidden Gems, a blog series in which I introduce you to the University of Central Florida’s library services that you may not have known about!

If you’re looking for a sixteenth-century book, artifacts from the early days of Walt Disney World, or the history of UCF, the UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives has what you need. Special Collections & University Archives (SCUA) houses the library’s rare, unique, and one-of-a-kind materials.

SCUA also provides an opportunity for students to showcase their art and potentially win a monetary prize. To learn more about the department, read on!

Special Collections contains original family papers, maps, photographs, oral histories, and more. You can view collections about: African Americana, Botany, Floridiana, Political Papers, Theme Parks, and more.

The University Archives holds materials on the University of Central Florida, formerly Florida Technological University, from its beginnings in 1963 to the current day. You can view collections about: Black Student Union History, University Branches, Offices, Services, and Programs, University Documents, and more.

UCF’s SCUA department holds an annual Student Book Arts Competition, in which students have the opportunity to showcase their handmade artists’ books and have them added to the permanent Book Arts & Typography Collection.

If you’d like to learn more about SCUA and the Book Arts Competition, visit Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Special Collections & University Archives in STARS.

“A Splash from the Past: Homecoming’s History at UCF” exhibit is officially open! Dive into UCF’s rich history of Homecoming. From sports, to performances, and the ever-elusive Spirit Splash ducks origin story, the exhibit features memorabilia from UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives. Be sure to check it out at the John C. Hitt Library Gallery on the 4th Floor.

The exhibit will run from August until November 2022.

The exhibit was curated by Trinity Cruz and Elisabeth Jimenez, Special Collections & University Archives staff, with the digital designs created by Jawn Roppoccio.

UCF Libraries’ Special Collections & University Archives is pleased to announce the 16^th Annual Student Book Arts Competition Exhibit. The competition invited UCF and Rollins College students to submit one-of-a-kind artist books. Unlike traditional books, artist books are handmade to reflect personal artistic visions of their creators ranging from narrative storytelling through but not limited to drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, and/or text. The 16^th Annual Student Book Arts Competition Exhibit showcases of all entries created during the 2021-2022 academic calendar year.

Our guest judge for the competition was Nikki Fragala Barnes. Nikki an editor, curator, experimental poet and participatory installation artist, whose practice is collaborative, participatory, and place-based. She is currently the co-leader of the Book Arts Guild of Central Florida.