University Library News

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a far-off concept or sci-fi fantasy—it’s already changing how we work and teach in 2025. Join Heidi Cramer from the FGCU Small Business Development Center and Librarian Rachel Cooke for their upcoming workshop, “Beyond the Hype: Demystifying AI for Educators and Professionals,” on Monday, November 17 from 11 a.m. to noon.

This engaging session will cut through the hype and myths to offer a clean, plain-language introduction to AI’s core concepts. You’ll learn what AI really means (and what it doesn’t mean), gaining an accessible understanding of how today’s AI tools operate without the technical jargon.

We will also explore how AI is being used right now in higher education and the workplace from smart classroom assistants to time-saving office tools. You will also see a peak at what the next year of AI might bring.

Whether you’re curious, cautious or already experimenting with AI, you’ll come away with practical insights, examples and confidence to navigate AI’s opportunities in your teaching and professional life.

This workshop will be held in person in LIB Room 222 and online. You may register here! Come join us to demystify the world of AI together!

About the presenter:

Cramer is a technology strategist and business consultant who translates over 35 years of high-impact technology leadership into practical AI solutions. A go-to-market expert, her experience spans Fortune 10 companies, private equity firms and high-growth ventures. She has launched over $2B in new technology products and markets.

Today, as a consultant for the SBDC at FGCU, she demystifies emerging technology, helping organizations adopt AI to streamline operations and ignite strategic growth.

Holding an MBA and currently pursuing a doctorate focused on AI in learning, Cramer is a dynamic speaker who makes complex technology accessible, and most importantly, actionable.

Bring your stories to life with Knight Lab’s Story Maps! Join University Archivist, Vic Jones, and the Language & Literature, History and Communication Librarian, Rachel Tait-Ripperdan, on Thursday, November 13 at 12 pm in LIB Room 222 to learn all about this user-friendly tool. 

Story Maps is a free, open-source product that provides flexibility and access for all researchers. It is a great entry level option for people who are not ready to delve into more complex tools like ArcGIS or QGIS. 

In this workshop, you will learn how to map texts, images and videos. Story Maps can be utilized to deliver spatially based content for presentations, projects and personal narratives. We will provide a brief tutorial using materials from University Archives and Special Collections, followed by hands-on practice.  

Drop in or out anytime—we’d love to see you!

Check out some examples of story maps here:

https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/350d65c8a540fade00dcbaf7cd4a8802/vaillancourt/draft.html

https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/350d65c8a540fade00dcbaf7cd4a8802/fortunoff/index.html 

https://www.georgiahumanities.org/southern-literary-trail-story-map/ 

https://storymap.knightlab.com/examples/aryas-journey/

Grey Literature is often overlooked, yet it is a vital component of evidence synthesis. The Evidence Synthesis Collaborative invites you to an engaging workshop where you’ll explore the role of Grey Literature in strengthening systematic reviews and evidence syntheses. 

Workshop: Grey Literature in Systematic Reviews & Evidence Synthesis 
Presenters: Kim Reycraft & Traci Mays 
Date/Time: Friday, November 14, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. 
Location: LIB 222 (in-person) or via Zoom 

Grey Literature refers to research and information not controlled by commercial publishers—such as reports, dissertations, conference proceedings and policy papers. Including these sources leads to more comprehensive, robust reviews. 

In this interactive session, you’ll gain an overview of Grey Literature and be introduced to tools and strategies for effectively finding and incorporating it into your research. 

We warmly encourage faculty and graduate students to join us for this opportunity to expand your evidence synthesis toolkit. Please register here! 

The University Library is proud to present this semester’s upcoming Scholar Series: Student Edition, “The Bower School of Music & The Arts,” Brass, Woodwind & Percussion Area Chamber Ensembles.

Join us on Wednesday, November 5 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. by the Data Visualization Wall for an incredible performance from FGCU students (including some who performed at Carnegie Hall earlier this year)!

Approximately 20, music majors and non-music majors, will showcase their skills in chamber ensemble performances. A question-and-answer period will follow the performance, giving the audience an opportunity to engage with the performers. This presentation is open to students, faculty, staff and the greater Southwest Florida community. Snacks will also be provided.

Dr. Tim Yontz, Professor of Music, Head of Instrumental Studies and Director of Bands at the Bower School of Music shares he is thrilled to see his students perform. Yontz says his students really shine in what they do, and they consistently put together very mature musical concepts. 

Registration on Eagle Link is encouraged but not required. We hope you join us for this vibrant afternoon of music!

FGCU's institutional repository, ScholarsCommons, is an accessible repository that collects, preserves and disseminates the scholarly and creative output of our university community. Think of it as your professional portfolio meeting an academic archive that is accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world, 24/7.

There is an array of benefits to updating your ready-made researcher profile, chief among them being that your work in ScholarsCommons becomes immediately discoverable through Google Scholar and other search engines. While traditional journal articles may sit behind paywalls, limiting who can access them, ScholarsCommons provides easier access to your scholarship. This means:

Global reach: Researchers, practitioners and students worldwide can find and cite your work.
 

SEO optimization: Content is indexed by major search engines, increasing your digital footprint.

Persistent URLs: Each item receives a permanent link that won't break over time.

ScholarsCommons also accepts a wide range of scholarly materials, allowing you to display your work with ease. Some options include:

• Publications: Journal articles (check publisher policies), book chapters, working papers
• Conference materials: Presentations, posters, proceedings
• Creative works: Performances, exhibitions, artistic projects
• Teaching materials: Instructional guides, syllabi, learning modules (when appropriate for sharing)
• Datasets: Research data with appropriate documentation
• Technical reports: White papers, policy briefs, commissioned reports
• Theses and dissertations: Student work you've directed (through existing ETD programs)

Ready to increase the impact of your scholarship? Visit ScholarsCommons or contact the University Library to learn more about how you can showcase your work. Whether you are submitting your first article or building a comprehensive collection of your life's work, ScholarsCommons provides the platform to ensure your scholarship reaches its full potential. 

Your research deserves to be seen! Let ScholarsCommons help you share it with the world.

Join us for Monopoly Night: A Vintage Game Experience on Tuesday, October 28 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dr. Hanna Lipsey, Visiting Assistant Professor of History, will take you through a fun evening of history and friendly competition at the Data Visualization Wall on the first floor of Library West.

Many individuals grew up playing Monopoly, never questioning how it came into existence. At Monopoly Night, attendees will learn about the history of Monopoly and how it transformed into the version we play today. In addition, you will have the opportunity to play with vintage sets from the 1930s and 1960s!

Those in attendance will also receive a Monopoly affiliated sticker! All are welcome, and we hope you come out to this one-of-a-kind experience!

Interested in starting a new business? Join Steve Rokusek (Social Sciences Librarian) and Dr. Robert Diotalevi (Associate Professor of the Department of Justice Studies) on Wednesday, October 29 from 11:30 a.m. to noon for a virtual Forms of Business Ownership workshop.

This presentation will serve as an examination of business entities available for those interested in possibly starting a new business or learning more about business ventures in general, including but not limited to, sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations. A focus will be on determining which organization will best suit individual needs.

At the conclusion of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of different types of legal business entities

• Summarize the structure of sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations

• Understand the consequences of taxation and state and local taxes applicable to types of businesses

• Analyze recent court decisions as well as hypothetical situations in the field

• Identify current legislation involving the regulation of business

You may register for this workshop on the library's calendar page here. We hope to see you there!

Are you tired of juggling endless articles and struggling to organize your research? Discover powerful tools that can streamline your workflow and elevate your evidence synthesis in this upcoming workshop!

Join Kim Reycraft and Traci Mays from the Evidence Synthesis team on Thursday, October 16, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for an exciting workshop designed to help you master tools for systematic reviews and evidence synthesis.

What is Evidence Synthesis?
It’s a method of gathering, selecting and combining results from multiple studies to paint a clear, comprehensive picture of all the scholarly research on a topic—including published and unpublished work.

Why attend?
This workshop will introduce you to online tools that simplify the complex process of systematic reviews — from screening studies to managing citations. You’ll leave equipped with practical knowledge about the latest tools to make your research faster, easier and more effective.

How to join?
Registration is required. You may choose to attend either in-person or online. Sign up now on the library’s calendar page.

Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your research process. We look forward to seeing you there!

The University Archives & Special Collections (UASC) of the University Library is thrilled to present their newest exhibition—Nature’s Canvas: Works of the Southwest Florida Environment. This vibrant and immersive showcase captures the beauty and history of our region, and you’re invited to experience it starting Monday, October 20.

Special Collections actively seeks to collect and preserve materials documenting the cultural and environmental history of Southwest Florida. Their commitment to delivering diverse educational programming to FGCU and the Southwest Florida community is coming to life this month in Nature’s Canvas.

Megan Crawford, our Special Collections Librarian, and Emily Murray, Archives Coordinator, drew inspiration from the Southwest Florida environment, the local art scene, and the university itself. Crawford says, “I was very inspired by the passion and commitment to nature and the arts that I see walking around campus every day. I wanted to draw attention to those noble efforts and highlight the inextricable link between the two disciplines.” 

 This exhibition will feature photographs, paintings, sketches, films, music and more, capturing the beauty and history of the Southwest Florida environment. Nature’s Canvas will feature an array of local artists such as Clyde Butcher, Charles Ray, Lisette Morales, Doug MacGregor, Rob Storter and Andy Owen.

Crawford wanted to make sure she was creating a well-rounded and representative experience. In addition to pulling from 10 of their own collections, UASC is borrowing archival pieces from the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, Collier County Museums and multiple private collectors. 

“Exhibitions like these allow us to highlight pieces that typically live in special collections storage,” said Crawford. “To display these connections is a real joy to me. I want this exhibition to be inviting and hopeful for the Southwest Florida community.”

Nature’s Canvas will be on display from October 20, 2025, through May 1, 2026. Visitors can explore the exhibition Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Room 322 on the third floor of the University Library.

The opening reception will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event is open to the public. If you would like to attend, you can RSVP here.

Please stay tuned for upcoming events and programming throughout the year that will dive even further into the themes of the exhibition. 

Nature’s Canvas offers something for the nature lover, art lover and everyone in between. We hope students, faculty, staff and the greater Southwest Florida community come out and enjoy this profound and inspiring exhibition!