What's New at the UCC Library?

Memorial Day

In observance of Memorial Day, The Sue Shaffer Learning Commons & Library will be closed on Monday, May 26. We pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who have given their lives in service to our country. Regular hours with resume on Tuesday, May 27. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful holiday.

For a complete list of hours click here.

Recognizing Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Fostering Digital Inclusion

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), held annually on the third Thursday in May, promotes digital access and inclusion for the over one billion people worldwide with disabilities. GAAD highlights the importance of creating equitable and innovative digital experiences for all users.

Inclusive Digital Resources

The UCC Library supports digital inclusion through tools and platforms designed with accessibility in mind:

• Niche Academy: offers a variety of instructional video tutorials, including Windows Basics, all featuring closed captioning to support users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Films on Demand: provides accessible educational videos such as a Yoga for Everybody video created with diverse user needs in mind.
• Gale One File: offers additional accessibility tools and features, helping all users interact with academic content in ways that work best for them.

These are just a few of the many resources available that reflect our ongoing effort to make digital learning environments more usable and effective for everyone.

Library Services that Support Accessibility

The UCC Library provides a comprehensive array of services to ensure that students, faculty, and staff with disabilities can fully engage with our resources and facilities. These include:

• Alternative Text Formats: Access to materials in large print, audio, or digital formats.
• Assistive Technologies: Availability of specialized software and devices to support users with visual, auditory, or physical disabilities.
• Private Study Spaces: Quiet areas that support focused, distraction-free learning, you can book online or at the desk.
• Adaptive Equipment: tools such as ergonomic keyboards, mobility aids, and other assistive devices.

These services are provided in partnership with the UCC Office for Accessibility Services, and students are encouraged to reach out early to explore how accommodations can enhance their academic experience.

Digital Accessibility and Universal Design

The UCC Library also leads initiatives to promote digital accessibility and universal design across campus. The Digital Accessibility Guide serves as a valuable resource for students, staff, and faculty. It includes:

• Best Practices for Accessible Content: guidelines for designing documents, websites, and multimedia that are inclusive and user friendly.
• Assistive Technology Information: a breakdown of tools that help individuals access and interact with digital content.
• Training and Educational Resources: Materials to help faculty and staff understand digital accessibility standards and integrate them into their work.

We encourage everyone to explore these tools and consider how accessible design benefits all users. By prioritizing accessibility, we contribute to a more inclusive, effective digital world. Help us on the road to accessibility.

A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month—a time to honor and celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of AANHPI communities to the fabric of American life. From culinary delights to influential music and movies, such as Flower Drum Song, on Kanopy. AANHPI individuals have shaped our world in countless ways.

Did you know that instruments like the slide guitar and ukulele, rooted in Hawaiian culture, have influenced genres such as blues music? You can find videos on Or that AANHPI innovators contributed to the development of everyday technology like USBs and made vital advances in medicine, including the development of birth control for women?

You can also explore powerful personal stories like George Takei’s They Called Us Enemy, a graphic memoir that recounts his childhood experience in Japanese American internment camps during World War II.

Explore more about these incredible contributions through Gale OneFile: U.S. History and our library’s curated collection. Stop by to discover, learn, and celebrate!

Celebrate National Library Week at the UCC Library April 6–12, 2025

What draws people to the library? Everything! From books and digital resources to job assistance and creative programming, libraries are essential to thriving communities.

National Library Week, April 6–12, 2025, is a time to celebrate the many ways libraries bring people together, spark imagination, and support lifelong learning.

At the UCC Library, we invite the community to join the celebration! Whether you're a longtime patron or haven’t visited in a while, now is the perfect time to explore all the library has to offer. Our library provides services to students, faculty, staff, and community members alike! We offer Wi-Fi, comfy seating, a safe and cozy space, and access to library collections for all. Current UCC students can check out various technology pieces, and course reserve items to help ensure their success at UCC. Faculty can work one-on-one with a credentialed librarian to help build stronger connections to resources for them and their students. No matter what you're looking for, we aim to provide access to resources that educate, inspire, and connect.

For more information on different services to different groups please see our Library Services page.

Whatever draws you in, the library has something for everyone. Whether you’re preparing for a career change, launching a business, raising a family, or embracing retirement, the UCC Library is here to support your journey. Libraries serve as hubs for learning, creativity, and connection, helping people of all ages explore new ideas and opportunities.

First celebrated in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

Stay tuned for more information tomorrow on  Right to Read Day!

March is Women's History Month!

National Women's History Month "is an American observance held during the month of March to recognize and celebrate women's contributions to culture, history, and society. It grew from International Women's Day , a global celebration of women's achievements celebrated each year on March 8, and the Women's History Week celebration, which was first held in Sonoma County, California, in 1978. In 1987, US Congress officially established the month of March as Women's National History Month (Harmon, 2025)". 

Learn more about Women's History Month by exploring the library databases on women such as Shirley Chisholm, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Marie Curie and so many more amazing women.

Watch Films with Kanopy

Check out some of the award-winning films available through Kanopy and learn more about amazing women throughout history.

Malcolm X: Murder In New York

On February 21st in 1965, human rights activist, Malcolm X was assassinated.

We use this day to honor his legacy and as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality.

Learn more about Malcolm X's work from documentaries such as Malcolm X: Murder In New York via one of our streaming media databases, Kanopy.

Fun fact: Kanopy is available to be streamed on all your digital devices, see this document for instructions and guidelines on how to do this. Don't forget to log in using your UCC ID# for access.

 Making Black America: Through the Grapevine

This four-hour series, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chronicles the vast social networks and organizations created by and for Black people-beyond the reach of the “White gaze.” Gates takes viewers into an extraordinary world that showcases Black people’s ability to collectively prosper, defy white supremacy and define Blackness in ways that transformed America itself.

Check out the trailer below, an then head on over and watch the series via Films on Demand, one of the UCC Library's streaming databases.  

Watch the series today by clicking here. Don't forget to use your UCC ID# to log in and gain access.

February is Black History Month

In 1986 the United States Congress passed, and President Ronald Reagan signed, Public Law 99-244, which formally established Black History Month as a federally designated observance. The month is honored with historical, cultural, and educational presentations in several countries with substantial Black minority populations. In the United States, Black History Month (sometimes also known as African American History Month) is observed during the month of February (Issit, 2024). 

Explore eBooks such as this one, Freedom facts & firsts: 400 years of the African American civil rights experience, using the UCC Library Discovery Search. Come to the UCC Library to learn more about black individuals throughout history.

References

Issitt, M. (2024, November 26). Black history month: Overview. In Points of view. Great Neck.

Wynn, L. T. (2009). Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, March (1965). In Freedom facts & firsts: 400 years of the African American civil rights experience (pp. 68-70). Visible Ink Press.

Celebration!

Celebrate diversity, cultural traditions, and the impact of Muslim Americans throughout history.

Check out this brief article celebrating Muslim American Heritage Month from Gale OneFile News, one of our many library databases! 

Want to learn more about different countries and their cultures? Check out Global Road Warrior, one of the many databases provided to you by the UCC Library. With Global Road Warrior you can easily learn about different countries, their culture, and their customs. You can even find recipes, business etiquette, languages spoken, country demographics and statistics, ethnic groups, stereotypes, society and culture, and lots more!