News & Blog

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.

Welcome to the eight 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!

Nearly everyone at UCF is involved in research, from students learning how to conduct research for the first time to faculty conducting research for publication. There are many programs and resources that motivate students to participate, from the Student Scholar Symposium to the Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

SAGE Research Methods supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process. Read on to learn more about what this resources can do for you, and how to access it!

SAGE Research Methods is the essential online tool for researchers; it is the ultimate methods library designed to guide users to the content they need to learn about their method.

The core database provides materials that focus on the research process and design, helping users design methodologies, understand particular methods, identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up findings.

This resource that acknowledges and mitigates an issue often left ignored: an unfamiliarity with physically conducting research. By making use of their database; watching videos, reading cases, and practicing data analysis; you can learn more about the reality of research and conduct your own more efficiently.

If you’d like to learn more about SRM and how to access the database, in addition to the three additional components, visit Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Sage Research Methods in STARS.

Welcome to the seventh 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!

Considering the majority of titles you can grab off of the shelves in the UCF John C. Hitt Library are academic journals and articles, it can difficult to find current, popular titles and YA novels.

While physical access to these novels may seem impossible, UCF actually has two sections in which you can find popular titles.

Read on below to learn about Knight Reads, New Books, and how to access the catalogs for popular titles!

You have access to two collections located on the 2nd floor: Knight Reads and New Books. Knight Reads is located across from the Java City, near the pond entrance of the library and New Books is located right beside the
Circulation Desk, near the Student Union entrance.

Both of these library sections/areas house current, popular titles. If you are looking for some of the newest fiction, non-fiction, graphic, and YA novels, please browse the catalogs and visit the displays to pick out a title! The New Books section, for example, has subjects ranging from photography, science, and history to poetry and biographies.

If you’d rather navigate from the UCF Libraries website, you can make use of the filters on the left-hand side bar. Open the “Library Section/Area” dropdown menu and select either “Knight Reads” or “New Books 2nd Floor”.

If you’d like to learn more about the sections and how to access their respective catalogs, please check out “Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Knight Reads & New Books” in STARS.

Welcome to the sixth 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!

As a society, we are incorporating a new perspective on education, in which we value videos and films just as beneficial as textbooks and lectures. Documentaries, for example, do more than just entertain; they challenge our perspectives, educate us about important issues, and inspire us to take action.

UCF is no stranger to the value of academic videos, hosting a plethora of streaming platforms with free access to students.

In fact, videos are one of the best ways to provide a personalized learning experience. They increase motivation and can specifically impact students’ ability to facilitate discussions and identify problems. Learning through film is memorable, comprehensive, affordable, accessible, and inclusive.

UCF has partnerships with several video streaming platforms to bring these benefits to students for free! If you’d like to learn how to access these platforms (and their academic videos, documentaries, and films), visit Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Library Streaming Videos in STARS.

Welcome to the fifth 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 working late on a research project, unable to find the exact resources you need? Do you think the only way to get help from a librarian is by walking up to the help desk? Think again!

Whether you’re too busy or simply don’t have time to run to the library, Ask Us provides virtual access to UCF librarians.

Available six days a week, the librarians staffing this service have the knowledge and expertise to point you in the right direction.

Ask Us is a free service for those seeking assistance with library and research-related questions from reference staff. The librarians staffing the service answer questions in-person, by phone, and online through email, instant messaging, and texting.

Simply navigate to https://library.ucf.edu/ask/ and select your communication method.

I had the honor of speaking with Dawn Tripp, the Library Technical Assistant in the Research & Information Services/Ask Us. During our meeting, she shared various tips and tricks regarding the service that many students don’t know about!

If you’d like to read further about Ask Us services, visit STARS – Diamond’s Hidden Gems – Ask Us.