University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries

08/31/2026

The Smathers Libraries honor the life and legacy of Kenneth Treister. The Libraries are proud to hold the Kenneth Treister Collection. The collection includes architectural drawings, project files, correspondence, publications and writings, photographs, and other materials spanning from the 1950s into the 21st century. Treister also designed our beloved Judaica Suite, located in the historic Smathers Library. The Libraries display multiple Treister works in UF Library West and Marston Science Library (UF). You can visit his digital collection here: https://ufdc.ufl.edu/collections/treister/results?sort=title

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/obituaries/article317049787.html

He called the Holocaust Memorial his greatest challenge.

08/20/2026

It's Dean Patrick Reakes' last first day of fall classes! 25 years as a UF librarian. Can we get a Go Gators?!

08/12/2026

To Be Black and Free explores freedom, power, and agency in Haiti from the 1791 revolution to today. Hosted by Lillian Guerra and Nedgine Paul Deroly, the podcast is a call to re-Haitianize, or, as Paul Deroly states, "center Haitian assets in our understanding of the problems and solutions.” Through conversations with Haitian scholar-activists, historians, and community leaders, the podcast presents Haitians as the agents of change. Haitian culture, history, language, and identity itself carry the assets that we need to be free.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/03432PP7oYzawv2M0yckw2?si=R3FUhfz_S8ifcOSezRXV_Q&utm_source=copy-link

YouTube: https://youtu.be/FPnb5_DgY5E?si=lECXC0sB1dl8lllQ

08/11/2026

08/11/2026

Library lovers! Help Gators win on and off the field this season by grabbing your 2026 BEAT Tees! Your gift doesn’t just show school spirit — it can also be directed to support the Libraries!

Make a lasting impact on all UF students. Support the Libraries with the 2026 BEAT Tees!

It's a no brainer.

These tees are available through September 4th, while supplies last.
https://affinitygiving.ufl.edu/campaigns/beatem-2026/

07/22/2026

As we finish out July, we are excited to share a remarkable book from our Judaica collection! "A Collection Of The Speeches Of The President Of The United States To Both Houses Of Congress" showcases numerous speeches delivered by President George Washington. Notably, one speech addresses religious freedom in the United States, in response to the Hebrew Congregation of Rhode Island, bringing us the iconic quote: "To bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance."

07/10/2026

Check out this map of the seat of war in the Southern British Colonies from 1776! You can see that the panhandle was called West Florida and Gainesville was decades from its founding.

You can find this map and more in our digital collections.
https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF90000094/00001/images/0

07/07/2026

✨Stretch✨ your mind at the Libraries

07/04/2026

it's giving 250

06/30/2026

Documenting Campus History with UF University Archives

What are University Archives?
University Archives’ goal is to save, secure, and share the story of the University of Florida. In order to accomplish this goal, we collect records of enduring historic value from the various colleges, departments, and units across campus. We also collect the President’s papers (and have them from every president from Andrew Sledd in 1904 through Charles Young’s in 2003). Campus and student life is documented through records from organizations and clubs, and through photographs, newspapers, yearbooks, scrapbooks, film, and memorabilia. A particular highlight of our campus organization collections is the Black Student Union’s records, which allows researchers to see how the BSU has changed and shaped campus life from its inception in 1968.

Documenting Campus Architectural History
University Archives’ materials are how we know what campus was like years ago, and how it has developed, grown, and changed over time. One of the ways we can document these changes on campus is through our extensive photograph collection, some of which is digitized and freely available online.

Documenting Student Life
We can also document how student life has changed as time marches on. Reading through the Alligator newspapers, or flipping through the yearbooks (The Seminole and The Tower), provide insight into student life—the issues they cared about; the teams, clubs, and organizations they joined; and fashions and fads.

Below are two photos from the Archives of an 80-year-old summer student at UF in the 1940s!

Find these images here: https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00029532/00001/images, https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00044646/00001/images