Services

Ever been frustrated by how long it takes for you to find a seat in the Library?

The UCSB Library has partnered with the founders of Waitz to customize an app that shows how busy the UCSB Library is in real time by floor so that you can save time. 

The UCSB Library team was busy during the summer preparing for the start of the academic year. Here’s a summary of what’s changed. 

The UCSB Library has merged its Reference Desk and Services Desk in order to offer a more convenient and efficient one-stop shop with longer hours for users seeking basic information and services.

The Reference Desk closed on September 14. 

UCSB Library is pleased to announce a new Presentation Practice Room available for reservation by UCSB students, faculty, and staff. Located on the 1st Floor Mountain Side (room 1506), the space allows you to practice, refine, and record oral and multimedia presentations for classes and seminars, conferences, teaching preparation, the Grad and Undergrad Slam, thesis defenses, and other events.

There are some exciting changes coming to UCSB Library this Fall.

Finals hours are in effect at the UCSB Library through Thursday, January 11. MLK holiday weekend hours will be in effect Friday, January 12 through Monday, January 15. Normal operating hours resume Tuesday, January 16 at 8AM.

Finals Hours:

Sat (1/6), 10AM – 9PM (Regular) 9PM – 10AM (Late Night Study)

Sun (1/7), 10AM – 10 PM (Regular) 10PM – 8AM (Late Night Study)

Mon (1/8) – Thu (1/11), 8AM – 10PM (Regular) 10PM – 8AM (Late Night Study)

MLK Holiday Weekend Hours:

Due to circumstances related to the Thomas Fire, the UCSB Chancellor has postponed fall finals until after the new year.  For this reason, recess hours will be in effect for the UCSB Library Monday, December 11 through Saturday, December 23. For the main building, hours are:

Mon–Thu, 8AM–6 PM (Regular) 6 PM–10 PM (Late Night Study)
Fri & Sat 8 AM–5 PM (Regular) 5 PM–9 PM (Late Night Study - except 12/23) 

The Library Catalog is now UCSB Library Search. UCSB Library Search, an advanced discovery tool, searches across hundreds of catalogs, indexes, and databases to deliver the most relevant results from the Library’s increasingly diverse resources. UCSB Library Search is accessible from the Library’s website homepage. In addition to the new UCSB Library Search, users looking to sign-on to their My Library Account now need to use a UCSBnetID and password.

Researchers who use the UCSB campus VPN (virtual private network) to access Library subscription resources from off-campus should be aware that Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) has upgraded the service.  The new VPN supports a wider variety of operating systems, including mobile clients for iOS, Android, and ChromeOS.  To use the new VPN, users must download and install new client software. 

The UCSB Library website (www.library.ucsb.edu) just got a major facelift--our first redesign of the site in more than five years. The redesigned website is mobile friendly and takes advantage of increased database-driven functionality to minimize duplicate content. A simplified navigational structure and reduced number of pages makes it easier for users to quickly find what they’re looking for.