Textbooks cost college students approximately $1,200 per year. The Education Data Initiative suggests that 65% of college students skip buying textbooks because of the expense.
The University Library works to provide access to more than 2,000 print and electronic textbooks, including those with the highest price tags and classes with high enrollment.
Search the library's course reserve collection to find out if your textbook is available.
By Victoria Jones, University Archivist
Over the last several years, it has become increasingly common to come across students who are unable to read cursive handwriting. In the archive, we began to notice this as our interns and student workers expressed difficulty describing and transcribing letters, diaries, and other materials. Why? They couldn’t read the writing.
Also known as script and connected writing, cursive is a style of writing where the letters are joined together in some way. Unfortunately, this style of handwriting declined in popularity during the 1990s and early 2000s. Then, in the 2010s, cursive was removed from the curriculum of many K-12 schools across the country. As a result, many of our students have received little or no instruction in reading or writing cursive.
Reading cursive is still a valuable skill, though. Scholars often study languages to better understand their area or time of research. Papal historians, for example, study Latin. Similarly, students studying the 20th century (and earlier!) need to understand the written language of the time - cursive.
This year, the University Archives and Special Collections sought to tackle this situation head-on! We offered two workshops – one in December and one in April – where we shared with students how to read cursive and tips that we use in our own work. We also partnered with Dr. Melodie Eichbauer and Dr. Jordan Von Cannon for our April event. “Deciphering Cursive.” The two professors brought an amazing perspective that highlighted their experiences researching Medieval papal law and 19th-century female authors. We all had fun and got practical advice for our next cursive projects!
Want to get some practice in? Here are some great items to get started with:
Postcard to Gloria Baylin, 1941, from the Joseph Fishbein P.O.W. Collection
Letter to Fritz, 1880, from the Southwest Florida History Collection
Day Book of Mona Burroughs, 1915 - Southwest Florida History Collection.
Follow us on Instagram (@fgcuarchives) to hear about our next cursive reading workshop. We hope to see you there!
We know that April is one of the most stressful months for college students. With finals right around the corner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the studying and assignments you need to get done.
Taking breaks and relaxing is essential to refresh your brain and increase your productivity in the long run. That’s why our ambassadors have set up relaxation stations in the library for you to do a fun activity that will help you decompress!
We will have various puzzles for you to build, different types of coloring sheets and word searches for you to complete, and bracelet making! The relaxation stations will be located right outside the Makerspace on the first floor of Library West. The tables will be set up as long as supplies last. The event runs all week from April 21-25 while the library is open. Stop by to get your mind off your finals and destress at the library!
Join us on Wednesday, April 16, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for SOCRATES CAFÉ DIALOGUE 12. The topic will be: “Is absolute freedom of speech an inviolable right, or must it be curtailed for the greater good of society?"
Socrates Café, founded by Christopher Phillips in 1996, are gatherings around the world that use the Socratic Method to exchange philosophical perspectives based on experiences. The Socratic Method is a form of cooperative dialogue. Utilizing probing questions, this method allows individuals to think critically and promote a deeper understanding.
This is the 12th meeting of the Socrates Café at FGCU. Our facilitator, Lonni Howington, Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Integrated Studies, will make some opening statements. Attendees will then be welcome to participate in the discussion, which is mostly organic.
All are welcome to attend--faculty, staff, students, and community members. We will be meeting here at the University Library in Room 464. We hope you join us for a fun opportunity to connect, share ideas, and build friendships with people with different perspectives and backgrounds!
The Makerspace is hosting a Drop-in day for 3D modeling and printing on Tuesday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There are no prerequisites for students who join us. Everyone is welcome, regardless of their skills or knowledge level. All they need is a laptop, if they prefer to use their own, and a passion for learning!
Students will get hands-on experience with the machines and will gain practical knowledge on how to use them. Matt Losey, our Creative Commons Lab Coordinator, will guide students through every step, from operating the machines to designing their own projects, if they’re interested.
Our goal is that students leave with a solid foundational understanding of the technology, how it works, and its possibilities. Hopefully, this experience will spark their interest and set them on a path to exploring 3D printing further.
The Makerspace is located on the first floor of Library West 119. We hope to see you there!
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Take a study break and have some fun!
Join the Southwest Florida Library Network (SWFLN) on Tuesday, April 15, from noon - 3 p.m. for a fun and innovative time where you will have the opportunity to play with a collection of technology toys. Drop by to try out a FREE sampling of SWFLN’s rentable technology, including Cricut Joys--a small and compact cutting machine for quick and easy crafting projects, 3D pens, and CoDrones--specifically made for learning in the classroom.
SWFLN is a non-profit Multitype Library Cooperative that unites and strengthens libraries throughout Southwest Florida by providing opportunities to learn, engage, and connect with one another through training, workshops, and special events.
We invite you to join them on the first floor of Library West by the Data Visualization Wall area and play with this amazing collection of technology toys!
Registration is encouraged but not required. To register, please visit Eagle Link by clicking HERE.
Join University Archives and Special Collections as we partner with Dr. Jordan Von Cannon and Dr. Melodie Eichbauer on Tuesday, April 8 from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. to teach and practice reading cursive.
This workshop is open to readers of all skill levels. We plan to discuss the importance of reading cursive in the 21st century and provide useful tips to get started or improve.
Dr. Jordan Von Cannon is an associate professor in the Department of Language & Literature. Her research and teaching interests range from early American literature, 19th century American literature, U.S. women writers, feminist theory and more.
Dr. Melodie Eichbauer is a professor in the Department of Political Science, Public Administration & History. Her research specializes in legal and ecclesiastical history from c.1000 to c.1500.
This workshop will take place on the first floor of Library West by the Data Viz Wall. We hope to see you there!
To RSVP for this event, please go to Eagle Link by clicking HERE.
Help support the University Library on Give Day 2025! Beginning at noon Wednesday, March 26, through noon Thursday, March 27, you can give to the library to help us continue to support academic success.
Your donation is invaluable to us because it allows our more than 16,000 students, faculty, staff, and community members increased access to technology, teaching, high-quality resources, collections, research, and more. We’re more than just books!
Please make your gift today by clicking HERE. Please spread the word and help us reach more people to achieve our goal. Every donation counts and we can’t do it without your support.
Join University Archives and Special Collections in conjunction with the Spring 2025 History of Photography course for “The Student Research Summit: A Collaborative Fair of Creative Archival-Inspired Projects” on Monday, April 28, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
This “science fair” style showcase will highlight semester-long projects of FGCU students who have found inspiration in the University Archives and Special Collections to create new, creative, and scholarly works.
Throughout the semester, the students in this course worked with historic photographs, rare books, Florida postcards, and other materials. They then reimagined these sources, expanding upon scholarship and creating new visual interpretations. From re-stagings of vintage postcards to podcasts and original paintings, the projects celebrate our region’s history.
Join us on the first floor of Library West at the Data Viz Wall. Instructors, archivists, and student creators will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the stories behind the work. The celebration welcomes FGCU students, faculty, staff, and the public to explore how archives serve as a springboard for innovative academic research.