News & Blog

Hello, everyone! My name is Diamond Williams; I am a junior double-majoring in Criminal Justice and Writing & Rhetoric. Welcome to 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 aren’t already familiar with this series, you’ve probably missed out on some advice that could’ve saved you money on textbooks, time locating research articles, energy finding a quiet place to study, and maybe even missed out on an opportunity to publicly present your art. 

To read up on these things (because they are still available, you’re welcome) and stay up-to-date with future postings that will be equally as beneficial, look out for weekly Hidden Gems postings during the Fall and Spring semesters. The series is located in the News section of the UCF Libraries website. 

I also write and post about various UCF Libraries events. If you’d like to read about opportunities to learn more and have fun, you know where to look. 

Welcome to the twelfth 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!

Are you interested in learning a new language? From refreshing your knowledge of French from those classes you took in high school to taking on the challenge of Korean or Igbo, Mango Languages has all of the resources you need to progress!

Below, I give a brief rundown of the content Mango Languages has to offer and maybe how to say a phrase or two in Pirate*!

The UCF Libraries, in collaboration with the Department of Modern Languages, hosts Mango Languages Learning, a database and self-learning software that includes more than 70 languages with lessons that teach real-world conversation skills.

The software can be easily used online on a desktop or as mobile app, making it versatile for students learning on the go. Access is available to all UCF students and employees; simply navigate to the Mango Languages page on UCF Libraries and select “Mango Languages”.

If you’d like to learn more about Mango Languages, please visit Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Mango Languages in STARS!

If you haven’t checked out the Mango Languages art wall, go visit the John C. Hitt library to see some amazing designs. Display your linguistic prowess by flaunting (putting stickers representing) how many languages you know!

*By the way, I haven’t forgotten: “blow me down” is equivalent to “oh my gosh” in Pirate, but to “blow a man down” means to kill him

Welcome to the eleventh 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!

With the end of the Spring 2023 semester right around the corner, finals are much closer than we like to think they are. Preparing for these exams are half the battle, especially when we can’t find peace and quiet at our respective homes, nor can we void ourselves of the distractions of the student union and nearby cafes.

I can help with that! Below, I provide some pretty useful information about my favorite study spaces!

Finding areas that are relatively quiet, conducive to learning, and available is increasingly difficult as the day goes on. Some areas are too loud, some are too hot, and some are just simply too popular, and you can never find a space to sit and work.

The list below is some of my favorite study spaces; fit with desks, computers, and relative quiet (from simple chatter to complete silence), these areas are the perfect places to get some work done on campus.

• The Curriculum Materials Center (CMC) (Ed Complex room 194)
• The 5th Floor of the John C. Hitt Library
• Trevor Colbourn Hall (TCH)
• Classroom Building 1 Computer Lab (Room 101)

If you’d like to learn more about these study spaces, check out Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Study Spaces in STARS!

Welcome to the tenth 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!

ARC & General Collection

If you’ve been inside the John C. Hitt Library, you’d find it a bit hard to believe that in the north side of the building, there is a room containing nearly 800 thousand volumes of the library’s print collection, placed in bins three stories high, for retrieval by 3 robotic cranes.

Below, I give you everything you need to know about the technology that makes retrieving library materials for student-use quick and easy!

The Automated Retrieval Center (ARC) is the second phase of a multi-year project of library expansion and renovation. Completed in Fall 2020, the existing library building was expanded to connect to the ARC, which created the entrance that faces the Student Union.

The ARC houses the following materials: 

• Call numbers A-M
• Almost 100% of Call numbers PR-PZ and Q-QA76.

A request for items stored in the ARC is initiated normally: by any UCF user directly from the online library catalog. When a request is placed, staff will retrieve items and send out an email when the item is ready.

If you’d like to see the ARC in action, you can get a window-sized peek from the third floor. Viewing windows are located near the Student Union side of the library along the brick wall.

To read more about the ARC, check out the full version of Diamond’s Hidden Gems – ARC in STARS.

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.