Celebrate National Library Week with UCBA Library

Posted on April 20, 2026 by Michelle Leonard

Happy National Library Week, UCBA! The theme for this year’s celebration of libraries is “Find Your Joy!”.

This week, we invite our campus community to take a moment to think about where they find library joy, whether that comes through discovery, learning, creativity, or connection. National Library Week is a time to recognize the important role academic libraries play in teaching, research, and lifelong learning. From scholarly collections and digital resources to technology and expert support, the library remains at the heart of our campus.

To celebrate, we are hosting a variety of fun events and activities throughout the week. Be sure to check out the message monitors inside and outside the library, where we have curated some of our most joyful library moments from over the years.

Monday – Thursday Events

Find Joy in Unexpected Places: Students are invited to explore the library and keep an eye out for a hidden gifts of joy. Each day, one small squishable surprise with a National Library Week message of encouragement will be tucked away somewhere in the library. Finders keepers!
Guess the Bookworms: How many gummy bookworms are cozied up in the jar? Students can stop by the library and submit their best guess through Thursday this week. We’ll review guesses on Friday and the student with the closest guess wins the entire jar of bookworms!
Book Blooms Display: Fresh reads for a new season! Browse our spring book display, check out a book, and grab a treat to enjoy along the way.

Wednesday | 12 pm – 2 pm

Spring Fling: Visit our table at the Student Life and Success Spring Fling for freebies, treats, and a chance to say hello.

Thursday | 2 pm – 3 pm

Coffee, Cookies & Community: Books in the Nook Finale: Faculty, staff, and students are invited to stop by to enjoy coffee and cookies, and take a moment to recharge in the library’s wellness space or anywhere in the library. This gathering also marks the final Books in The Nook event of the semester and is a perfect opportunity to reflect and connect as the semester wraps up.
Thursday is also Take Action for Libraries Day, a time to rally support and show appreciation for libraries and the work they do.

Students and staffed reading and relaxing in the Nook — Faculty, staff and students enjoying the Books in the Nook silent reading party.

We hope to see you around the library this week. We also encourage you to show some love to your local public libraries. We are truly fortunate to have such an outstanding library system in the greater Cincinnati area.

Thanks, and see you in the library!

UCBA Library Joy Abounds

Photo collage of UCBA Library faculty, staff, students and visitors expressing joy in the UCBA Library.

Three library staff members holding their spin art.

The Nook Open House – Oct 22

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Michelle Leonard

Join us on October 22, 2025 from 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm to celebrate the opening of The Nook located in the UCBA Library. Enjoy snacks and refreshments while exploring the new wellness space designed to help you take a break, reflect, and recharge. All attendees will receive a gift bag with wellness tips.

New Nook area filled with comfy seating and quiet activities like fidget spinners on tables. A handwritten sign saying Welcome to the Nook is shown on the whiteboard behind the furniture.

The Nook is free and open to all UC Blue Ash students, faculty, and staff. We look forward to welcoming you to this calming space in our library! Learn more about The Nook by visiting: libraries.uc.edu/libraries/ucba/reservations-spaces/nook.html

A long white table is topped with puzzles in progress and a sign in a signholder listing information about the new Nook area.

Spring Book Blooms Display at the UCBA Library

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Michelle Leonard

by Lauren Wahman

a field of blooming yellow and purple flowers

Looking for some good reads for the upcoming summer break? Find novels, short stories, and more at the UCBA Library’s Spring Book Blooms Display. Visit the Spring Book Blooms virtual featured books or stop by the UCBA Library during open hours to browse these featured books and check out an item with your UC ID. The display will be available until Thursday April 30.  

Women’s History Month at the UCBA Library

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Michelle Leonard

by Lauren Wahman

The UCBA Library is featuring a selection of books highlighting the 2025 theme for Women’s History Month – Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations. Visit the Women’s History Month virtual featured books or stop by the UCBA Library during open hours to browse the full selection and check out an item with your UC ID.

Women’s History Month at the UCBA Library — Women’s History Month Books

UCBA Library’s Research Lightning Talks

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Michelle Leonard

by Lauren Wahman

Tuesday March 4, 2025
2:30-3:30 pm

These 5-minute presentations showcase current research of UC Blue Ash faculty, spark conversation, encourage collaboration, and inspire action within the UC Blue Ash community.

UCBA Library’s Winter Book Crush

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Michelle Leonard

by Lauren Wahman

Looking for some good reads for winter break? Visit the UCBA Library during open hours to browse a selection of recently published novels, short stories, biographies, and more and get a winter treat (while supplies last) or explore the virtual display.

Books can be checked out with your UC ID. The display will be available until Friday December 13.

Research Lightning Talks: Recording Available

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Michelle Leonard

by Lauren Wahman

Heather Maloney speaking in front of the Research Lighting Talks audience. — Heather Maloney, UCBA Library Director, introduces the event

The UCBA Library’s Research Lightning Talks is an annual event that showcases research efforts of UCBA faculty and staff, sparks conversation, encourages collaboration, and inspires action within the UCBA community. This year’s event (view recording) took place on March 5, 2024 and featured five faculty presentations:

Libby Anthony
Associate Professor of English
Pedagogies of Online Knitting Teachers

David Freeman
Professor of Mathematics
What Is a Number? And Why Does it Matter?

Smita Jadhav
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Integrating ChatGPT in General Chemistry Education

Rhonda Pettit
Professor of English
Immersion Research for Poetry

Heather Vilvens
Associate Professor of Health Promotion & Education
Stakeholder-Driven Strategies for Improving the Discharge Process in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Concept Mapping Study

Spring Book Blooms Display at the UCBA Library

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Michelle Leonard

by Lauren Wahman

Looking for some good reads for the upcoming summer break? Find novels, short stories, and poetry at the UCBA Library’s Spring Book Blooms Display. Visit the UCBA Library during open hours to browse these featured books and check out an item with your UC ID. The display will be available until Thursday April 25.  

Spring Book Blooms Display at the UCBA Library

UCBA Library’s Research Lightning Talks

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Michelle Leonard

Tuesday March 5, 2024
2:30-3:30 pm

These 5-minute presentations showcase current research of UC Blue Ash faculty, spark conversation, encourage collaboration, and inspire action within the UC Blue Ash community.

Libby Anthony
Associate Professor of English
English & Communication Department
Pedagogies of Online Knitting Teachers 

David Freeman
Professor of Mathematics
Math, Physics, and Computer Science Department
What Is A Number? And Why Does It Matter? 

Smita Jadhav
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Chemistry Department
Integrating ChatGPT in General Chemistry Education

Rhonda Pettit
Professor of English
English & Communication Department
Immersive Research for Poetry 

Heather Vilvens
Associate Professor of Health Promotion and Education
Allied Health Department
Stakeholder-Driven Strategies for Improving the Discharge Process in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Concept Mapping Study 

Library Chat Service Now Includes FAQs

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Michelle Leonard

UC Blue Ash Library and the Marcotte Library at UC Clermont are partnering to pilot a new proactive chat and knowledgebase service, LibAnswers, which provides real-time support to students in places they access regularly, such as Canvas, and respective UCBA and Marcotte Library websites and research guides. Students, as well as staff and faculty, can connect to the library from anywhere with an internet-accessible device.

What is chat? The library’s chat service allows guests to talk with a library staff member in real time via the web, tablet or mobile device.

Who is chat for? Library guests (UC students, staff, faculty and community members) are able to use chat to talk with a library staff person in real time to ask questions and get help.

When can they use chat? Chat will be available Monday through Friday from 8 am – 5 pm. When chat is unavailable, students can browse or search our robust and detailed set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to get the help they need any time of day. Students can also submit their own questions which help to grow the list of FAQs and expands support for all students.

Where can they use chat? Chat boxes are available in multiple places:

Library website (UC Blue Ash and the Marcotte Library at UC Clermont)
On most UC Blue Ash Library and the Marcotte Library at UC Clermont research guides (which can also be accessed via Canvas courses)
FAQs web space