There will be a minor service disruption of OpenAthens on Friday, August 15, from 7am - 7:15am. A restart of OpenAthens is needed to renew the annual security certificate. The restart will impact those attempting to sign in to Alma/Primo or other online resources that use OpenAthens. However, it will not affect those who are already in the process of using electronic resources. If you have any questions, please contact Ramon Barcia (email: ramon.barcia@ucr.edu ).
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Celebrating our Class of 2020 library student employees
Each spring, the UCR Library typically hosts a Student Employee and Staff Appreciation Picnic to honor the people who serve the UC Riverside community through their work at the library.
Due to the COVID-19 closure, we were not able to hold the celebration this year, nor could we recognize the 22 library student employees who would be graduating with UC Riverside’s Class of 2020: Cristina Canales, Janely Cruz, Julianna Gil, Sheyla Hernandez Amador, Leonardo Kim, Jiayi Lin, Ayanna McDowell, Belen Meza-Hernandez, Alejandro Moody, Giselle Moreno, Sophia Mosbe, Ashley Nguyen, Jalak Patel, Victoria Pedrosa, Stacy Rodriguez Chavez, Justus Ross, Elias Sells, Jacqueline Stewart, Glen Sturgeon, Isabel Torres, Tracy Vargas, and Kimberly Wu.
We asked our 2020 graduates to share their favorite memories from their time spent working at the UCR Library, and what they would miss most about working here. Here are some of their responses:
Kimberly Wu
“My favorite memories from working at the library was getting to see parts of Orbach and Rivera that I didn't know existed if I wasn't working there. It was interesting to see where some doors led to, and I also got to learn where all the different stairwells were as well. I am going to miss joking around with my coworkers and not having to wait in a line to use the printer (because there's a printer inside the office).”
Jalak Patel
“One of my favorite parts about working in the Creat’RLab is the amount of flexibility and creativity I’ve had to grow personally and professionally. Each day, I was constantly challenging myself with new technology and engaging with various students ranging from different majors/years. At the end of the day, the best part was always interacting with students. I always enjoyed giving tours and sharing all the amazing things that Creat’RLab had to offer that I loved dearly myself. I easily fell in love with the Creat’RLab space and community that I would find myself in there often even when not on my shifts. That’s when you know your job doesn’t feel like work!
“The greatest thing about working in such a creative and innovative space was the ability to engage in a wide variety of activities. As a student technician for three years, I had an opportunity to grow and engage in various creative facets ranging from 3D printing, sewing, to VR headsets and even consulting students for laser cutting. And that was the best part, no day at work was the exact same! I am beyond thankful to UCR Library, Creat’RLab community, bosses, and my small group of close-knit co-workers who easily became family and made my first job an amazing experience!”
Ayanna McDowell
“My favorite memory was our team bonding experience last fall. We had to get over a rope without touching it. I ended up splitting my pants, but it was such a good time. I will miss the staff and student employees the most. They truly were a joy to work with; and I know that is very rare in a work environment. So I will miss them deeply.”
Giselle Moreno
“My favorite memory working at the library was setting up for Finals Week Stress Relief week with staff at the front desk. I loved collaborating with my other coworkers and being able to be a resource to my peers during finals week. What I will miss most about working at the UCR Library is working in a supportive environment. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of a team that uplifts their student workers and views them leaders. I will also miss my supervisors Elisha, Greg and Michelle. I am grateful to have been able to work with each and everyone of them.”
Sophia Mosbe
Favorite memory: “Playing cornhole at the Student Picnic last year with library staff.”
“I'm going to miss the staff and my fellow student workers. Everyone was always so kind and cared about each other that it really did feel like a second family. Not being able to finish my final quarter with them has been heartbreaking, but I am determined to pop in for a visit once things become relatively normal again. #OrbachPride”
Julianna Gil
Favorite memory: “Laughing and joking around with my student coworkers, and developing great friendships with them. As well as drawing little pictures on the whiteboard inside our workspace.”
What she will miss: “All my student coworkers and archivists that worked in Special Collections. They were always so kind to me. Both my supervisors were great and incredibly understanding.”
Leonardo Kim
Favorite memory: “Going out with co-workers after shifts on hangouts and grabbing last minute food.”
“I will miss having a flexible schedule and working with Shelly and Greg. I think they are some of the best people I have met at UCR and have been really helpful when I had questions. Hopefully we can still be in touch after I graduate.”
Isabel Torres
“My favorite memory from working in the library is being able to help my fellow classmates discover the amazing resources the library has to offer. I will miss working with the department of Teaching and Learning and my Information Desk coworkers.”
Glen Sturgeon
Favorite memory: “The time everyone passed around a boxed toy called a Shmoo. It was such a ridiculous object and the staff reacted to it in varying degrees of delight and horror. The library has so many quirky holdings in special collections, it always brightened my day to help process them! See attached photo of the Shmoo.
“I already miss the staff at SCUA so much! Being at Special Collections and University Archives cemented my love for archives and library science. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my supervisor, Andrew Lippert, I applied to and was accepted to UCLA’s MLIS program this fall! I’ll miss sharing strange finds from the collections and gawking at new rare acquisitions with the incredible staff of SCUA. The real treasures in the archives are the people who work there.”
Elias Sells
“My favorite memory is probably just hanging out in the office and talking with all of my coworkers and my boss on slow days. What I'll miss most is probably the Thanksgiving potlucks.”
Stacy Rodriguez Chavez
“My favorite memory from working at the library is the people that I got to work with. I had amazing people that helped me and encouraged me throughout the years that I worked at Orbach. I'm forever grateful for Kit, Pat, and Sara for making my work environment amazing and for the constant motivation they would give me. What I'll miss the most from working at Orbach would be the people I learned from and worked with. I wish them the very best and hope to see them very soon.”
Jacqueline Stewart
“My favorite memory working at the library is just being there almost everyday working with so many cool stuff at special collections. The coolest thing I saw was a really tiny book that fit on the tip of my finger. I will miss everyone I worked with. Everyone I worked with was so helpful and such a pleasure to work with.”
Belen Meza Hernandez
“My favorite memory of working at the library is during finals week, when the staff would bring in puppies to de-stress. And also, when my friends would ask me for help to find library materials. What I will miss the most is the friendliness of the staff and having a flexible schedule that allowed me to focus on school.”
Victoria Pedrosa
“To the Class of 2020, we did it! Thank you to Special Collections, you made working there one of my most memorable experiences at UCR.”
Janely Cruz
“My favorite memory from working at the library was going to the annual picnics and potlucks. Seeing everyone come together and have a good time was always something I looked forward to. I will most definitely miss all my coworkers, supervisors Shelly and Greg, and all the other staff at the UCR Library. From my first day working there, everyone was so welcoming. I am going to miss coming into the library almost every day and working with the most amazing people.”
Sheyla Hernandez
“We made it!”
Special Collections & Manuscripts
Special Collections at the UCR Library consists of archival collections and related books documenting a wide range of subject areas that reflect the research needs and interests of the UCR community. This includes over 275 manuscript collections of both personal and family papers and organizational records, along with over 50,000 books, journals, and other print materials related to those collections.
Footsteps to You - Chattel Slavery
Footsteps to You - Chattel Slavery
Ownership in which one person has absolute power over the life, fortune, and liberty of another.
1 : a piece of property (as animals, money, or goods) other than real estate
2 : Slave
“Publications and artifacts from the 1800s help us to obtain a greater insight and understanding of the institution of slavery in America as it relates to the growth and development of this country. These items can also help us to understand and appreciate the courage and strength millions of enslaved African men, women, and children had to possess in order to endure, overcome and fight against the physical and psychological terrors of slavery. It educates us on the tremendous abuses leveled on humans for over 300 years to build the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the history of this world.” - The Gore Collection
This exhibition of original artifacts from the collection of Jerry Gore encompasses a specific portion of the Era of Enslavement in the United States. It allows students to view up close documents such as tax receipts from the sale of human beings, wills passing property from one generation to the next, first edition slave narratives, and slave shackles. As we learn from the Gore Collection, curated by the Black Voice Foundation, we will ask several questions including: If presented with the opportunity, which side of history would you choose?
Historian Jerry Gore believed that “you can’t talk about the Underground Railroad without talking about slavery." His goal during the span of his career was to tell the most clear and concise vision of what slavery was all about so that visitors to his hometown of Maysville, Kentucky could better appreciate those pearls about people trying to make it to freedom. This partnership with the Black Voice Foundation (Gore Collection) and University of California, Riverside now brings these unique artifacts to the Inland Empire.
The Black Voice Foundation has hosted over 1400 educators on the Footsteps to Freedom tour where they have walked the steps of freedom seekers from the 1800s for more than 21 years. This experience allows you to look with empathy through the eyes of those who were on the historic journey of the Underground Railroad.
About the Foundation:
The Black Voice Foundation was founded in 1988 with a mission to train and educate individuals in print media. With the digital revolution, the rapid growth of technology in the world of communications and media, and the need to impact lives through a diverse set of multi media platforms; the foundation has expanded its mission to include a new set of projects in the area of education, professional development, history, and the arts.
University of California, Riverside
The Tomás Rivera Library serves as the main library of the campus providing access to materials in the humanities, social sciences, and arts. Special Collections & University Archives house archives and manuscript collections, photographs, maps, books, and other rare or unique research material that document a wide range of subject areas. As a partner of the American Collections Advisory Board, UCR Library's has planned collaborative efforts to share, create, and sustain knowledge among ethnic groups whose history and experiences are woven into the fabric of the country.
Eaton Collection and George Brown papers highlighted on C-Span Cities Tour
Two of our UC Riverside librarians were recently interviewed by C-SPAN as part of their 2018 "Cities Tour."
C-SPAN interviewed JJ Jacobson, Jay Kay and Doris Klein Librarian for Science Fiction, in a Local Content Vehicles (LCV) “Cities Tour” segment looking at UCR’s Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
C-SPAN also interviewed Jessica Geiser, collections management librarian in the Special Collections & University Archives, about congressional papers of U.S. Rep. George Brown Jr., housed at the UCR Library.
Newly Processed Collections - Summer 2021
Special Collections & University Archives employees are constantly working to process recently acquired collections and make those materials ready for use by students, faculty, and researchers.
Each quarter, we will provide a list of the UCR Library's newly processed archival and primary source collections. Check out this list to see if there are any items that fit your research area, or share with a friend!
Below you'll find brief descriptions and links to the finding aids or collection guides for each new collection. To use any of these materials, simply click the "Request Items" button at the top to submit a request, and log in with our Special Collections Request System. For more on conducting research in Special Collections, see this page.
For questions, email specialcollections@ucr.edu.
Newly Processed Collections - Summer 2021
Philip Flint papers (WRCA 248)
This collection consists of research materials for Flint's dissertation, printed materials; statistics, tables, and graphs; as well as a small amount of correspondence and personal material. Related subjects include nitrogen nutrient levels, arctic tundra, and the International Tundra Biome.
Joan Simpson Collection on Philip K. Dick (MS 081)
The collection consists mainly of letters, poems, and story drafts written by science fiction author Philip K. Dick to Joan Simpson, who he was in a relationship with for most of 1977. Letters in the collection focus mostly on Dick's relationship with Simpson, including their breakup in November of 1977, as well as reflections about his life and experiences. Also included in the collection are some correspondence from Dick to reviewers and publishers about his works and others, and personal correspondence and invitations sent to Simpson.
Anne R. Dick Collection on Philip K. Dick (MS 083)
The collection contains correspondence and related materials from author Philip K. Dick compiled by his third wife and biographer Anne R. Dick. Items in the collection are from the period after their divorce, and consist mostly of personal correspondence, along with some items related to Anne's biography of Philip K. Dick.
Explore the Rich World of Fanzines for Research and Study
The UCR Library’s Special Collections & University Archives is thrilled to present a digital collection of fanzines, an exciting online resource for researchers of science fiction at UCR.
This digital archive features over 1,000 items from 12 different publications, offering a glimpse into the vibrant world of fan magazines.
This fanzine collection is a subset of the much larger collection of fanzines housed in Special Collections. Our comprehensive collection includes more than 68,000 fanzines, primarily from the 20th century, covering topics such as science fiction, fantasy, animation, and related genres. This extensive archive was created by integrating several individual fanzine collections from prominent members of the fan community, including the Bruce Pelz and Fred Patten fanzine collections.
Please note that the content on this site is for use by individual UCR-affiliated researchers only and you will need to log in with your UCR credentials for access. Specific written permission is required for public display or publication of these resources. To request reproductions of materials from the fanzine collections at UCR, please visit our SCUA Reproductions Policy.
To find out more about the fanzine collections at UCR, visit our LibGuide, Fandom Materials in the Eaton Collection: Fanzines.
Scotty's Story
Mascot's history dates back to UCR's inaugural year
Scotty, the UCR mascot, celebrated his 61st birthday this year, but did you know that his history dates all the way back to the first year that UCR was open for classes?
In November 1954, an election ballot listed six potential campus symbols whittled-down from 67 student suggestions including "The Unicorns." When none of these received a majority vote, the men’s basketball team led a write-in campaign for the "Hylanders." With a brief spelling adjustment, the "Highlanders" came to be the campus nickname. Scotty — originally a pint-sized bear in a kilt and scarf, playing bagpipes with a determined look — became UCR's mascot symbol.
In 1998 the mascot was redesigned with a fiercer image, and in 2010 students voted on a sleeker Scotty featuring a growling bear wearing a Tam O’Shanter. Scotty’s half-blue face plays homage to the Scottish hero William Wallace. For more UCR history, visit the University Archives on the fourth floor of Rivera Library.
Smith Acorn Press Finds a New Home
A Smith Acorn Press, a historic toggle-style printing press made in 1828, is now on display on the first floor of the Tomás Rivera Library
Patented by Peter Smith in 1821, the Acorn Press is known for its acorn-shaped frame and precise printing capabilities.
The press on display was discovered in Philadelphia in the 1930s by Jackson Burke, who used it in San Francisco to produce “Pocket Press” editions. In the 1950s, Burke gifted the press to Lewis and Dorothy Allen of the Allen Press, where it was used to create 12 titles, including Dialogues of Creatures Moralised.
In 1967, the press moved to the University of California, Santa Cruz. There, poet and printer William Everson used it at the Lime Kiln Press from 1968 to 1981, producing works like West to the Water and Granite and Cypress. After the Lime Kiln Press closed, UCSC’s McHenry Library donated the press to UCR in 2005.
Previously kept in the stacks of Special Collections & University Archives on the fourth floor of the Rivera Library, the press is now accessible to all visitors on the first floor, located to the right of the Library Support/IT Support Desk.
Visit during the library's operating hours to get a glimpse into the history of printing and the craftsmanship that went into making printing presses.
New primary source collections available for spring quarter 2018
Special Collections & University Archives staff are constantly working to process recently acquired collections and make those materials ready for use by students, faculty, and researchers.
Each quarter, we will provide a list of UCR Library's newly processed archival and primary source collections. Check out the list below to see if there are any items that fit your research area, or share with a friend!
Below you'll find brief descriptions and links to the finding aids or collection guides for each new collection. To use any of these materials, simply click the "Request Items" button at the top to submit a request, and log in with our Special Collections Request System. For more on conducting research in Special Collections, see this page.
SCUA is open to the public on weekdays from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm. Check here for closures or other changes to our regular hours.
For questions, email specialcollections@ucr.edu.
Newly Processed Collections – Spring 2018
15.29 linear ft. (30 boxes)
This collection contains photographs, negatives, and slides taken by Stephen J. Wayne, a local photographer from the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Images in the collection primarily reflect the landscape of Riverside and the greater Inland Empire during the later 20th century, and include depictions of local events, residents, architecture, and nature.
0.25 linear ft. (1 album)
The collection consists of approximately 200 photographs and photographic postcards depicting various places, people, and landmarks in Veracruz, Mexico, taken between 1910 and 1920.
9.17 linear ft. (8 boxes)
The collection contains materials created and compiled by LGBT activists Connie Confer, a retired assistant city attorney for Riverside, California and her partner, Kay Berryhill Smith, a retired social worker in Riverside County. Materials in the collection focus on local, state and federal LGBT rights issues and include organizational records, political campaign and lobbying efforts, research and publications on the LGBT community and discrimination, and legal records related to anti-discrimination cases.
0.83 linear ft. (2 boxes)
The collection consists of approximately 850 photographic slides, mostly of science fiction conventions, taken by well-known fan Don E. Ford in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Slides in the collection depict various parts of conventions, including audiences listening to performances and speakers, dinners, discussions, and other fan gatherings.
2.09 linear ft. (5 boxes)
The collection consists of materials related to various play-by-mail games collected and developed by John C. Muir and his daughter Shannon Elise-Muir Broden, including rulebooks, specification sheets, forms, newsletters, team rosters, turn results, reference manuals and play-by-mail publications.
5.86 linear ft. (14 boxes, 1 map case folder)
The collection consists of the papers of author, playwright, and screenwriter Michael Craft. Materials in the collection include manuscripts, notes, research materials, correspondence, promotional materials, reviews and other items related to Craft's career and creative works, most notably the Mark Manning and Claire Gray series.