University Resources

Library Access

FAU Libraries’ mission is to support the University’s instructional, research, and service activities through provision of access to information and materials, assistance and instruction in their use, and preservation of collections for use by future generations of students and scholars.

The main library is the S.E. Wimberly Library on the Boca Raton campus. There are also collections and services at our branch and joint use facilities:

• University/College Library located on the Davie campus of Broward Community College
• John D. MacArthur Campus Library in Jupiter, the Treasure Coast Campus Library in Port St. Lucie
• Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Broward County Public Library for students at the FAU Tower.

The libraries have approximately 2.5 million items including books, periodicals, government documents, microforms, and audiovisual materials. We also subscribe to several hundred databases and thousands of electronic journals.

Like many other university libraries, the FAU Libraries are somewhat complex and intimidating at first glance; the electronic environment where many of our resources reside can make the new user anxious. To assist with research we offer a full range of services:

• reference help in person, by phone, email or instant messenger
• circulation help for accessing and borrowing materials
• interlibrary loan to locate items we do not own
• workshops and instructional sessions to develop research skills

The librarians and staff of FAU Libraries wish you much success in your academic career at Florida Atlantic University, and look forward to working with you.

Writing Center

The University Center for Excellence in Writing (UCEW) is devoted to the support and promotion of writing for all members of the FAU community-undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and visiting scholars. Our Center provides a range of free support services, including informed and sensitive readers who help writers become more reflective readers and more self-sufficient crafters of their written work. We will help at any point in the writing process (i.e. brainstorming, drafting, revision) with papers for courses, senior or master theses, dissertations, job applications, applications for graduate school, articles for publication, grant proposals, and other documents. In the future, we hope to provide a host of other services, including supporting computer-facilitated teaching and learning for writing classes, and hosting brown-bag discussions, workshops, and presentations by guest speakers for FAU and local communities. The UCEW will eventually serve as the clearinghouse on campus for research in literacy, pedagogy, and computer-facilitated writing across the curricula.

Conferences

Conferences will vary according to the writing project. In some cases, writing consultants will help writers unpack difficult readings, understand assignments, or generate and clarify ideas. In other cases, they may help writers flesh out weak or biased arguments, understand documentation and citation practices, or follow task-appropriate format. Also,, conferences may help writers develop strategies for identifying patterns of error that can be tracked and proofread for conformity to American academic English. Consultants specializing in creative writing will also provide expert perspectives for creative projects.

We provide writing aid rather than an editing service. Consequently, consultants will write with, not for writers. This means that consultants may not get to all of a paper's issues, but writers will come away with a fresh perspective on their work and documents that are improved in one or more aspects.

We encourage all writers to take advantage of this free service to interact with other writers, gain perspective on their own work, and further develop strategies in reading and writing for all writing projects.

We welcome suggestions for improving our services.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What services does the University Center for Excellence in Writing offer?

• Writing consultants help writers at any point of the writing process (i.e. brainstorming, drafting, revision) with a variety of documents: papers for courses, senior or master theses, dissertations, job applications, applications for graduate school, articles for publication, grant proposals, course syllabi, among other documents.
• Consultants help writers understand assignments, generate ideas, and flesh out weak or biased arguments.
• Consultants help writers identify and address patterns of error in sentence structure, mechanics, grammar, and documentation format, as well as share proven proofreading strategies.
• Consultants will provide consultations for creative writers and their writing projects.

Who may use the Center?

• Our services are available to all members of the FAU community: full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and visiting scholars.

• Center for Teaching and Learning: Tutoring and academic support.
• MyFAU : Web portal providing access to educational online options.
• FAU Resources for Current Students : Campus maps, student handbook, housing information, traffic and parking, financial aid and much, much more!
• Explore FAU : Everything you need to know to get started at FAU.
• Career Development Center : Career assessments and information on internships and job opportunities for students.
• Student Accessibility Services : The staff of the SAS helps those with disabilities achieve academic success at FAU through a wide range of support services, scholarship opportunities and assistive technologies.
• Tips about Online Learning: This is a resource that provides helpful facts and tips about online learning.
• Counseling and Psychological Services: We recognize that college is exciting, but sometimes stressful.  Many students encounter situations that are difficult to handle.  Counseling here at FAU is caring, confidential and FREE to currently enrolled students.  Counseling can help you make sense of your problems and create new ways of looking at situations.
• Student Health Services: SHS promotes university-wide wellness and encourages healthy lifestyles and personal responsibility to enhance students' capacity for reaching academic and personal goals. Student Health Services is funded exclusively by you, the student - it is your health program. The health fee you pay every semester subsidizes the cost of services.  However, there are nominal charges for office visits, lab tests, treatments and procedures. Registered FAU students may utilize our variety of health services regardless of health insurance coverage.