From new portable chargers and additional large rolling whiteboards to a brand-new equipment lending webpage, your feedback is shaping the UCR Library.
Earlier this spring, we shared the first wave of changes inspired by your feedback from our Add It | Fix It | Love It campaign. Thanks to your input, we are continuing to add tools and resources that make your time here easier.
Our Cyberinfrastructure and Access Services departments worked together to make several of these new additions possible, like our new Omni 20C+ high-capacity portable battery packs available for checkout at the circulation desks in both Rivera and Orbach, 10 at each library. Compatible with both USB-C and USB-A devices, these let you charge your laptop or phone from any seat without needing an outlet. Our Access Services Team also acquired six new large rolling whiteboards for Orbach Library, a direct response to the high demand seen during 24-hour Study Hall in Orbach during finals.
And if you didn't already know, we have a variety of additional items available for checkout like noise-canceling headphones, clipboards, rulers, and multi-outlet cords.
Your feedback made clear that not everyone knows the full range of what UCR Library has available for checkout, and we want to change that. Beyond books and study spaces, you can borrow everything from headphones and HDMI cables to gaming consoles and a portable DVD player, all at no cost. This school year, students have already checked out library equipment more than 20,000 times, with chargers, calculators, study room markers, and bicycle/scooter locks among the most popular items.
To make it easier to explore what's available before you even walk in the door, we've launched a new Equipment Lending page. Our Cyberinfrastructure and Access Services departments worked together to build the page, which organizes everything into easy-to-browse categories including Cables and Chargers, Calculators, Gaming and Media Room Equipment, Multimedia Accessories, and more. Each listing includes photos, descriptions, loan periods, and which library carries it, so you can plan ahead and find exactly what you need.
"While the UCR Library has offered an incredible range of equipment for loan for years, it wasn't always easy for students to discover exactly what was available to them," said UCR Library's Head of Access Services Sahra Missaghieh Klawitter. "This new webpage brings those existing resources along with recent purchases into the spotlight, making it incredibly simple for students to see our full inventory and find the exact tools they need to succeed."
We’re also committed to keeping the second floors, our designated quiet floors, a great place for quiet study. Our Library Safety Monitors are now conducting twice as many patrols on the second floors of both libraries to help keep noise levels in check. We've already seen encouraging signs that the additional rounds are making a difference. If you notice noise that goes beyond quiet conversation on the second floors, please don't hesitate to reach out to library staff.
We are still working on making more of your feedback a reality, and we will continue to share updates as they occur. Thank you for helping us build a better UCR Library for everyone.