News & Blog

The exhibit “Thomas E. Azzari, The Art of Theme Parks: Stage Design and Production” features items from the “Thomas E. Azzari Theme Parks and Attractions Collection, 1973-2018” highlighting Azzari’s work as a designer of theme park productions. Included in the exhibit are drawings, illustrations, project paperwork, and photographs related to SeaWorld, Weeki Wachee Springs, and Silver Springs.

Thomas E. Azzari studied industrial design at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and attended the ArtCenter College of Design in California. Azzari worked over forty years in the media and entertainment industry as a production designer, set designer, and art director.

The exhibit, curated by Sarah Ryschkewitsch, Intern, and Burak Ogreten, Senior Archivist for Special Collections, runs May to August 2019. The exhibit is in the Special Collections & University Archives’ exhibit space located on the 5th floor of the John C. Hitt Library.

UCF Student Book Arts Competition: 13 Years of UCF Student Designed Artists’ Books showcases winning entries from the UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives’ Annual Book Arts Competition. Artists’ books are works of art that use the structure or function of a book or book-like objects. While most artists’ books are published in limited editions, the works featured in this exhibit are one-of-a-kind objects.  The annual competition, open to all UCF undergraduate and graduate students, encourages students to explore the world of artists’ books by creating their own works. Each year’s winning entry is added to Special Collections & University Archives’ Book Arts & Typography Collection. The exhibit is located on the 5th floor of the John C. Hitt Library on UCF’s main campus.

On its 13th year, the Book Arts Competition sponsored by Special Collections & University Archives at the University of Central Florida Libraries have been recognizing the artistic works of undergraduate and graduate students in book arts. Book arts are works of art that pushes the form and reading structure of traditional books. Many artist books are handmade by the artist themselves. Each year the competition awards one student artist book to be included in the permanent Book Arts & Typography Collection at Special Collections & University Archives. A panel of judges selects the winning artist book based on creativity, craftsmanship, content, and design. This year’s judges were David Benjamin, Head of UCF Libraries’ Special Collections & University Archives, and Rachel Simmons, Professor of Art at Rollins College.

The competition had a breadth of unique entries. Each artist book submitted was distinct in both form and content, ranging from personal experiences to whimsical stories. Leaves by Jacob Wan is the 13th Annual Book Arts Winner. Wan’s artist book visually tells the longing of nostalgia; the connection and disconnection, the familiar and unfamiliar, the similarity and difference between reality and memories. Delicate sewing stitches and handmade paper interweave throughout the book as photographs recreate moments of the artist’s youth.

This exhibit runs through February which features all entries submitted as well as select past winners.

Visit the Rosen Library to see our latest exhibit, Utamaduni na utalii wa Kenya. Translated from Swahili, this means “Culture and Tourism of Kenya.” This exhibit showcases a slice of what a tourist in Kenya can expect in the way of souvenirs, food, and beverages. Make sure to pick up a mini-zine to learn how to make poussin chips and tikka paneer. This exhibit will be running from January 18^th, 2019 to March 11^th , 2019. It was curated by Shivanghi Swaly and Schuyler Kerby.

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 and where we will be heading in future. Diversity Week, an Office of Diversity and Inclusion initiative, is the way we celebrate this.

Between October 15 – 19, UCF will celebrate our diverse community and provide opportunities 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 2018 is A New Day Dawns.

As part of the UCF Libraries’ enthusiastic support of maintaining an inclusive space in the UCF community, we are offering many workshops and activities through the week. The workshops include a

• Zine Workshop
• a presentation on the DIVerse Families Bibliography
• two fiber art demonstrations
• henna art
• an open mic
• multiple days of film screenings
• 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 sticky note saying what they hope tomorrow brings. 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. The UCF community can also stop by the Curriculum Materials Center library in the Education Complex to view a display on the DIVerse Families Bibliography.

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