News & Blog

The roads we travel in life are interesting and varied. One of the more complicated aspects happens at the intersection of Religion and Sexuality. Join UCF Libraries and the Religion & Cultural Studies Program for a series of films that examine what happens when religion and sexuality meet from the perspective of three different traditions.

“Undressing Israel: Gay Men in the Promised Land”
Discussion facilitated by Kayla Symonds

Tuesday, September 25
2:30 – 4:30 pm
John C. Hitt Library 223

When many people think of Israel, it is often in terms of modern war or ancient religion. But there is much more to the Jewish state then missiles and prayers. In his debut as a documentary filmmaker, adult-film entrepreneur and political columnist Michael Lucas examines a side of Israel that is too often overlooked: its thriving gay community. Undressing Israel features interviews with a diverse range of local men, including a gay member of Israel’s parliament, a trainer who served openly in the army, a young Arab-Israeli journalist, and a pair of dads raising their kids. Lucas also visits Tel Aviv’s vibrant nightlife scene-and a same-sex wedding-in this guided tour to a country that emerged as a pioneer for gay integration and equality.

“A Jihad for Love”
Discussion facilitated by Dr. Michael Muhammad Knight and Dr. Cyrus Zargar

Tuesday, October 9
2:30 – 4:30 pm
John C. Hitt Library 223

Fourteen centuries after the revelation of the holy Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad, Islam today is the world’s second largest and fastest growing religion. Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma travels the many worlds of this dynamic faith, discovering the stories of its most unlikely storytellers: lesbian and gay Muslims.

“Fish Out of Water”
Discussion facilitated by Dr. Jeanine Viau

Tuesday, October 30
2:30 – 4:30 pm
John C. Hitt Library 223

Inspired by the experience of coming out as a lesbian to her sorority sisters during her senior year at Vanderbilt, filmmaker Ky Dickens explores the Biblical passages used to condemn homosexuality in this informative yet entertaining documentary. Interweaving whimsical animation with enlightening interviews from both within the lesbian and gay community and as well with theologians from across the country, Fish Out of Water breaks down seven key passages from the Old and New Testaments – from Adam and Eve to Sodom and Gomorrah and the Purity Codes – while confronting the debate over translation and historical context that affect today’s interpretations of the Bible.

Man on Mars: Mission to the Red Planet
Friday, August 24th
1:00 pm
John C. Hitt Library Room 223

Horizon goes behind the scenes at NASA to discover how it is preparing for its most ambitious and daring mission: to land men – and possibly women – on the surface of Mars. It’s over 40 years since Neil Armstrong made the first human footprint on the moon. But getting to the red planet would involve a journey of at least three years.

Horizon meets the scientists and engineers who are designing new rockets and space suits, and finding ways to help astronauts survive the perils of this long voyage. It turns out that having the ‘right stuff’ for a mission to Mars might not be quite what you expect.

Discussion immediately following the film led by Dr. Kevin Cannon, our own UCF Mars expert, on the topic of “Why Does Mars Exist, and Why Should We Go There?”

Mars, the small frozen desert planet, is the way it is and couldn’t be any other way…right? But what if we look back with billions of years worth of hindsight, and apply a bit of chance and probability. If we do so, we will find that Mars very easily might not have formed at all, or could have ballooned to the size of the Earth and evolved quite differently than it did. The discovery of thousands of exoplanets allows us to see how those alternate realities did play out around distant stars, and gives insight into our own red planet. But should we go to Mars? Is it worth the cost and risk, especially with so many pressing problems back here on Earth? The potential rewards are immense: a sustained human-led science campaign at Mars is the best chance we have of answering fundamental questions about the origin of life in the solar system, and determining how rare life is in the universe as a whole. The challenges and accomplishments associated with sending humans to Mars may also inject a bit of hope and existential meaning into a society that increasing needs it.

Knights Under The Stars Viewing Mars
Friday, August 24, 2018
8:30 – 10:30 pm
Memory Mall

All are welcome to drop by Memory Mall to take in a telescopic view of Mars during its wonderful viewing season, the best since 2003. We will set up several telescopes to give everyone a chance to see what’s going on on the surface of Mars. We will also have telescopes trained on Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn as well, for a multi-planet viewing bonanza. Some things to note:

• There is no need to stay for the whole two hours, nor any need to come right at 8:30. In fact, the wait times will probably be shorter later in the session.
• The event is on Memory Mall, not at the observatory itself.
• This observing session is weather-dependent, and we will announce on our website, Facebook, and Twitter about whether the clouds will allow us to hold the event.

Check out our guide for additional resources on Mars: guides.ucf.edu/mars

While every day is a time to celebrate your identity and orientation, June is a notable month set aside to loudly and proudly celebrate with and for the LGBTQIA community. Here at UCF Libraries we are loudly proud of everyone at UCF who identifies as part of the queer community. In recognition of and support for our LGBTQIA Knights, we are hosting a series of displays and events including a UCF Remembers display from the Pulse Collection, a featured bookshelf, three film screenings and discussions, and our new Speak Your Truth: A Queer History of UCF project.

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Join UCF Libraries and the Department of Women and Gender Studies for the second annual WomanFest on Thursday, March 22, in library room 223.

Film Screening and Discussion of Miss Representation, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Miss Representation explores the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America, and challenges the media’s limited portrayal of what it means to be a powerful woman. The film will be followed by a discussion facilitated by Dr. Anne Bubriski-McKinzie, Women and Gender Studies.

Popcorn will be provided by UCF Libraries.

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Ready for Ready Player One?

There’s still time to read the best selling book, Ready Player One, before it comes out in theatres on March 30^th. It takes place in a bleak future where people escape their

poverty laden lives by plugging into OASIS, an online utopia. The creator has left three keys in this online world and the finder will inherit his fortune.

Read it before you watch it here!

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Or read Ernest Cline’s second novel

Armada If you enjoy your alien taking over the world stories with an abundance of pop culture and nerd references thrown in, then this might be your book.

And finally check out one of these if you’ve already availed yourself of Ernest Cline’s books and find yourself wanting more.

In Real Life Graphic  novel by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang featuring Anda, a gamer who enjoys spending time on Coarsegold Online, a multiplayer role playing game. After spending most of her time in Coarsegold, Anda’s ideas of right and wrong develop complexity as she meets a user who is doing something illegal but necessary for survival.

Death Dream Ben Bova’s “novel of “technology gone too far” could easily take place today. Dan Santorini has been hired to develop the ultimate virtual-reality simulation game. He moves to Florida only to find that something is very wrong. First his daughter has some disturbing encounters in the games that the company provides for her school, and then a colleague is killed while practicing one of his VR programs. As Dan races against time to find the answers and to save his family, he is hampered at every turn by greedy investors, a desperate boss, and government investigators. A well-researched and timely book.-Susan McFaden, Fairfax County Public Library, VA 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Eye of Minds “Michael is a skilled internet gamer in a world of advanced technology. When a cyber-terrorist begins to threaten players, Michael is called upon to seek him and his secrets out”– Provided by publisher.

Reamde When his own high-tech start up turns into a Fortune 500 computer gaming group, Richard Forthrast, the black sheep of an Iowa family who has amassed an illegal fortune, finds the line between fantasy and reality becoming blurred when a virtual war for dominance is triggered.