Art & Architecture Services Desk

As of September 12, 2022, the Services Desk located inside the Art & Architecture Collection on the First Floor Mountain Side of the UCSB Library, is closed. A FAQ is provided below with information on how to access collections and services that were previously offered from the desk. 

How can I access Art & Architecture Closed Stacks materials?

Art & Architecture Closed Stacks materials can be requested directly through a request button in UC Library Search. Library staff will evaluate those requests on a case-by-case basis for immediate lending or for mediated viewing/teaching in Special Research Collections. After a determination has been made, the requester will be contacted to either: 1) check out the materials at the Services Desk in the Paseo or 2) make a Special Research Collections appointment for viewing or teaching with the materials.

What is happening with the Art Exhibition Catalogs (AECs)?

Art Exhibition Catalogs, which were previously non-circulating, are all available for borrowing by faculty, staff, and students.

How can I request a locker in Art & Architecture?

Lockers throughout the Library, including in Art & Architecture, can be requested by faculty, graduate students, and honors students using this online Locker Request Form

Can I use or get access to the Seminar Room?

The Art & Architecture Seminar Room has become a Library meeting room and is no longer available for instructional or study purposes. 

Requests for accessing Art & Architecture Closed Stacks materials for the purpose of teaching should be placed through UC Library Search. If the materials are determined to be available for circulation, instructors can check them out and teach with them in their classroom or in a Library classroom as part of an information literacy session with a librarian. If the materials are determined to be rare or distinctive, Special Research Collections (SRC) staff will arrange for instructors to teach with them in the SRC Seminar Room. 

Who can help me with research, collection, or instruction questions?

Chizu Morihara continues to serve in the role of Subject Librarian for Art & Architecture. Patrons can contact Chizu directly for research and instructional assistance or can schedule a research consultation appointment. Requests for additions to the collection should also be sent to Chizu.

Where can I go with general service questions? 

General information and collection access questions will be handled at the Services Desk in the Paseo. General inquiries can also be submitted online through our chat and email services.

Why is the Art & Architecture Services Desk being closed?

The reasoning behind this change is both financial and strategic. Over the past decade, UCSB Library has been working to reduce specialized staffed desks and unify front-line patron services at the main Services Desk. By closing the Art & Architecture Services Desk, the Library will generate significant operational savings by reducing its student assistant budget and redeploying staff to other areas of the Library. The Library is also engaged in ongoing work to standardize and create efficiencies with our collection management practices. Our goal is for all rare and distinctive collections to be properly housed in Special Research Collections, where they can receive specialized care, conservation, and preservation, while all other materials are integrated into the general collection and opened up for circulation. 

If you have questions or concerns about any of these service changes, please submit your feedback through the Library’s online suggestion box.