Special Collections & University Archives, UCF Libraries

09/24/2026

09/14/2026

It is with a very heavy heart that we say goodbye to our colleague, mentor, and friend, Larry Cooper, from UCF’s School of Visual Arts and Design.

For those of us in Special Collections & University Archives, Larry was much more than a colleague from across campus. He was a friend to our department, a champion of our students, and someone who believed deeply in the importance of book arts. His generosity, creativity, and enthusiasm helped shape our book arts collection and his impact will remain part of our history.

Beginning in 2005, Larry supported our Student Book Arts Competition, encouraging students to create, exhibit, and preserve their artist books. Because of his support, many students have had the opportunity to see their work become part of UCF’s permanent Book Arts collection. He understood the importance of giving students a place for their creativity to be seen, valued, and remembered.

Larry also played an important role in establishing our conservation lab. He generously shared his knowledge, tools, and craftsmanship, even donating specialized equipment that he built himself. His willingness to help and share what he knew gave our conservation lab a strong foundation.

Some of our fondest memories are of Larry bringing his classes to Special Collections. His enthusiasm for books and bookmaking was often quiet but very impactful. He had a remarkable ability to inspire students to see books not simply as things we read, but as objects of art, craft, history, and storytelling.

We will miss Larry’s kindness, generosity, and unmistakable enthusiasm for the craft of the book. His legacy lives on in the students he inspired, the Student Book Arts Competition he helped build, the conservation lab he helped establish, and the artist books he helped bring into our collection.

We are grateful to have known and worked alongside him.

08/24/2026

07/14/2026

05/15/2026

The UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives is pleased to announce the call for submissions to the UCF Student Book Arts Competition. Now in it's 20th year, the competition invites UCF and Rollins College students to submit one of a kind books called artist’s books. Artist’s books are handmade books to reflect personal artistic visions of their creators ranging from narrative storytelling through drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, and/or personal text. This year's judges are David Benjamin, Head of UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives and Denise Bookwalter, Professor of Art at Florida State University and Director and founder of Florida State University's artists' book press, Small Craft Advisory Press. Deadline for submissions is May 11, 2026. For more information go to stars.library.ucf.edu/bookartscompetition or find the link in our bio

10/17/2025

09/18/2025

09/18/2025