Remote Resources & Services for UCSB Library Users

The Library is closed in accordance with the Governor's statewide shelter-in-place order. No faculty card access is being provided as had been previously communicated before the Governor's order was issued.

There are many ways the Library can provide you with expert help and services if you are studying or working remotely.

Ask a Librarian

Use the “Ask a Librarian” chat window to submit questions at any time for 24/7 immediate assistance. This is a cooperative service, so you may be chatting with a librarian from another academic library. You can also submit your questions via our email reference service and UCSB librarians will respond to you within one business day.

Book Returns & Fines

The book return at the Paseo West entrance (for Main Library books) and the book return at the Music Library (for Music materials only) are now open. Returned books will remain on your library account until we have staff in the buildings to process them. We are working on extending due dates until Sept. 12. No overdue fines are being charged at this time. Please email library-circ [at] ucsb [dot] edu if you have questions.

Course Reserves

Faculty can upload their own electronic materials to the Library’s Course Reserves system or request that the Library scan and upload materials from our collections. When available, the Library will purchase multi-user ebooks to put on Reserves. For help, email cres [at] library [dot] ucsb [dot] edu.

Although online textbooks for purchase by libraries are limited by publishers, your subject librarian may be able to help you locate a title you're looking for.

Kanopy streaming licenses for individual films are available for all courses at this time. Faculty/instructors should submit requests via the Library's Course Reserves System. Follow these instructions. There is a limit of 9 films per instructor per quarter.

For questions about Music Library Electronic Reserves materials, please email music [at] library [dot] ucsb [dot] edu.

Datasets

Datasets and other resources that usually require in-person visits to the Interdisciplinary Research Collaboratory will be uploaded to Box when possible. Email library-collaboratory [at] ucsb [dot] edu.

Digital Collections

Access digitized primary source materials from UCSB Library’s Special Research Collections.

Electronic Books & Full-Text Articles

You can find electronic books and articles through UCSB Library Search, including tens of thousands of ebooks that publishers have made temporarily accessible to support remote instruction during the Covid-19 crisis.

Millions of electronic books are also now available to UCSB users in the HathiTrust Digital Library, thanks to their Emergency Temporary Access Services (ETAS) for member institutions. These include both in-copyright and public domain books held in the UC libraries' physical collections. You will need to login using your NetID and Password. More details here.

Instruction

Librarians can provide faculty with online instructional assistance with Library resources and services, such as:

Synchronous Zoom presentations
Recorded lectures using GauchoCast
Monitored discussion forums in GauchoSpace / Nectir
Research guides for your course
Online office hours
Information literacy activities and resources

To request online instructional support from a librarian, please use the Instruction Request Form a minimum of two weeks before your desired date of integration. A librarian will promptly contact you to review what can be made available to your class.

Existing online instructional resources from UCSB Library:

Interlibrary Loan

Articles and book chapters from other libraries can be requested and delivered electronically through Interlibrary Loan. ILL service may be delayed or disrupted, however, due to the majority of other research libraries also being closed. For help, email library-ill [at] ucsb [dot] edu.

Online Library Resources for Teaching During the COVID-19 Crisis

Librarians have compiled this guide with links to library resources that are available for teaching and research during the COVID-19 crisis. Some of these are temporary, but should be available to you through the end of Spring Quarter, and perhaps longer.

Remote Access to Library Databases

You can access our many subscription research databases from off campus using either the proxy server or the Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Streaming Audio & Video

UCSB Library provides access to audio streaming databases as well as several streaming video collections.

Films in the Library's collection can be made available for course viewing in GauchoSpace. Faculty should contact Instructional Development to place requests: fvo [at] id [dot] ucsb [dot] edu.

For films that the Library does not own, Kanopy streaming licenses are available for all courses at this time. Faculty/instructors should submit requests via the Library's Course Reserves System. Follow these instructions. There is a limit of 9 films per instructor per quarter.

Subject Guides

View our collection of subject guides - they’re a great place to get started with research. Our librarians have developed guides that focus on a specific subject area and include links for databases, websites, recommended books, and other resources relevant to that subject area.

Technical Support

The Interdisciplinary Research Collaboratory staff are available to troubleshoot standard campus technologies remotely. Email library-collaboratory [at] ucsb [dot] edu for assistance.

Virtual Research Consultations

UCSB students, faculty, and staff may schedule a virtual research consultation with a subject librarian for assistance with their research needs. A librarian will contact you by email to set up a session using Zoom.

Questions & Contact

Additional questions? Email ask [at] library [dot] ucsb [dot] edu.

Do you have other needs or ideas for how the Library can help you remotely? Send us your suggestions.