News & Blog

Today we’re highlighting Andy Todd, a seasoned reference librarian at UCF. Andy is the UCF Connect Librarian at the EFSC/UCF Joint-Use Library on the Cocoa Campus. He’s also the go-to Subject Librarian for the UCF College of Nursing, where he collaborates closely with faculty to support scholarly research and teach students the ins and outs of research resources.

With a Master’s in Library Science from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor’s in Nursing from UCF, Andy’s expertise is well-respected among librarians and nurses alike! He’s passionate about providing top-notch instruction and reference support to both main campus and distance learners. We sat down with Andy to learn more about him, his core philosophies, and his connection to nursing!

Tell us a little bit about your background and how long you’ve been with us at the UCF Libraries.

Absolutely! I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from UCF (class of ’96) back when it was the School of Nursing. After I graduated, I worked for about 5 years in public health. One of the initiatives I worked with involved auditing local primary care providers and providing them with the latest guidelines and other literature with the goal of increasing county immunization levels. The internet had just started, and I loved it! I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in library and Information Science and graduated in 2003 from the University of Central Florida. I started working for UCF in 2004 as a librarian for the South Lake Campus in Clermont. I currently serve as the Subject Librarian for the UCF College of Nursing and interim subject librarian for Physical Therapy and Kinesiology. I also work as a UCF Connect Librarian at the EFSC/UCF Joint-Use Library on the Cocoa Campus. 

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Today we’re celebrating one of our Library superstars, Dawn Tripp. Dawn works as a Library Technical Assistant in our Research Engagement department and is responsible for many of the touch points that we have with our students and faculty. As she successfully leads our incredibly popular “Ask A Librarian” chat functionality, Dawn has been integral in providing services that are innovative and move our mission forward. As a member of the UCF Libraries that consistently goes above and beyond her call of duty, Dawn exemplifies what it means to be a caring team member of our Library. She’s thoughtful, kind, and takes pride in the work and services she provides. We sat down with Dawn to get a little bit of insight on what makes her work so fulfilling.

Tell us a little bit about your background and how long you’ve been with us at the UCF Libraries.

I was born in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and have called Orlando home since 1998. My library journey began in 1992 as a part-time shelver in the Children’s department at the Palm Beach County Library System. After moving to Orlando, I was fortunate to secure a full-time shelver position at the Orlando Public Library just two months later, eventually transitioning to a full-time reference clerk in 2004 until 2010. After a hiatus from library work, I realized how much I missed it. This led me to my first academic library role as a Senior Library Technical Assistant for UCF’s Ask a Librarian service in July of 2013, I am now an LTA III. Although I was initially nervous, my colleagues quickly put me at ease, and I remain deeply grateful to them.

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