These instructions will teach you how to make a Reading Room request. This can be done at home, your office, on your phone, or on-site at the service desk - from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection.

  1. Go to the Special Collections Research Account log-on page: http://researchspecial.library.ucsb.edu/logon/ and choose either the UC Santa Barbara current affiliates button or the non-affiliates button.
  2. Current UC Santa Barbara affiliates will be prompted to use their UCSB NetID to create their Special Collections Research Account. Non-affiliates will have to click on the First Time Users link after they've selected the non-affiliates button.
  3. Both Affiliates and Non-Affiliates will have to agree to terms and conditions and continue to fill out the registration form to submit. Once you complete the form, you are ready to request materials!
  4. Locate the item on the UC Santa Barbara library catalog.
  5. See REQUEST OPTIONS. If the item has a Special Research Collections link, you can request the item for reading room use or reproductions via your account.
  6. Click on the link, this will take you to the login prompt to confirm your identity. After logging in you will see a New Request form populated with the information from the item record.
  7. You can include additional questions or requests for library staff in the "Special Requests/Questions?" section or include your own notes regarding this item in the "My Notes" section.
  8. Please include a "Retrieval Date." This should be the date you plan to visit our reading room. You can also keep the item for "My Review" which will keep the record in your requests but will not be submitted for staff processing.
  9. Once you press submit, staff will receive a notification about this request. You will see that the status is "Awaiting Request Processing." This will change as staff process your request. Take note of the "TN" number on the left hand side - we can use this number, along with your name, to pull up your request once you arrive at the Reading Room or for assistance over the phone.
  10. When you arrive at the Special Research Collections reading room, you will be asked to present proper identification and to follow reading room rules: Rules for Use of Special Research Collections materials