A storage facility

In an effort to bring more Library materials to campus as well as to reduce spending on storage, the UCSB Library will not be renewing the lease on our remaining off-site storage facility known as Annex 2. All collections must be out by Sept. 30, 2020. 

Costs associated with leasing and maintaining Annex 2 amount to roughly $250,000 per year. By vacating Annex 2, the Library can redirect these funds to better align with strategic goals, such as the acquisition of new collections.

As the Library works to physically relocate all materials from Annex 2, we are committed to enabling seamless access to the collections in ways that best serve the research and teaching needs of faculty and students.

The collections stored in Annex 2 that are being relocated include some Art & Architecture, Map & Imagery, and Music materials. Many of the materials are coming to the main Library, where we are installing additional compact shelving to efficiently house them. Some items will be stored in other campus facilities.  

Of the Music collection items stored at Annex 2, some books and journals have been returned to the Music Library. LPs and reel-to-reel Music Department recordings are moving into the main Library. The process for requesting these will not change: LPs can be requested via the UCSB Library Catalog, and all Music Department recordings, including reel-to-reels, can be digitized on demand. UCSB-affiliated patrons can request digitized Music Department recordings by emailing Cathy Jones at cathy.jones@ucsb.edu.

Of the Art & Architecture materials stored at Annex 2, after reviewing the materials, we brought 1,400 items back to the Library, making them more easily available. 

Any items not relocated to the main Library, Music Library, or other campus storage will be stored at the UC Regional Library Facilities (RLFs).  

The Southern Regional Library Facility (SRLF), located on the UCLA campus, is one of two secure, climate-controlled, high-density storage facilities maintained by the UC Libraries. Together with the Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF) in Oakland, it enables the UC Libraries to store, preserve, and provide access to low-demand collection materials economically while devoting a greater portion of limited onsite shelving space to new acquisitions and other high-demand collection materials.  

The user experience for requesting collections stored in RLFs has not changed. Library users make requests through the catalog or Melvyl, and receive PDF delivery of articles from the RLFs within 1-2 business days, or print volumes within 2-3 days. However, because of COVID-19, the RLFs are not currently operating. 

If you have further questions, please reach out to your subject librarian