More News December 19, 2024

We’re excited to share that the UCR Library is introducing OpenAthens, a new and improved way to access library resources from off-campus!

OpenAthens will be available alongside the existing GlobalProtect VPN, giving you more flexibility in how you connect.

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What is OpenAthens?

OpenAthens is an identity management platform that ensures fast, seamless, and secure access to the UCR Library’s licensed resources. Integrated with our Central Authentication Service (CAS), OpenAthens lets you log in using just your UCR NetID and password—no extra steps needed.

What Will Change?

• Simplified Access: Use your UCR NetID and password to log in to your library account, which will also start an OpenAthens session. 
• One-Time Authentication: With OpenAthens, you only need to sign in once per session for uninterrupted access—no more concerns about dropped VPN connections! 
• Faster Browsing: Experience quicker page and content loading compared to VPN.

GlobalProtect VPN and On-Site Access

While OpenAthens is now the preferred method for off-campus access to library resources, we will continue to support IP address authentication and there will be no changes to the way you access resources on-site. The VPN will remain an option for off-campus access.

How Can I Start Using OpenAthens?

Start using OpenAthens now:

1. "Athenized" links are now available via UC Library Search, our Databases A-Z list, and LibGuides. You can also Athenize your own links using the OpenAthens Link Generator.
2. Sign in at a publisher or resource page
   Look for Sign in Through My Institution, Sign in via OpenAthens, or similar on your favorite resource page. Search for “Riverside” to find UCR, then choose “University of California Riverside - QA” from the OpenAthens screen, if prompted. Note: as we are still in the implementation phase, not all resources are available with this method. Try it out at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/. 

Note: The UCR Library is in the process of rolling out OpenAthens for all our resource providers. If you encounter a resource that is not accessible using OpenAthens, please try the GlobalProtect VPN.

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page. 

UC Library Search

You will be able to use OpenAthens through UC Library Search, our catalog. The login URL has been updated to provide access to resources via OpenAthens. If you've bookmarked our old UC Library Search login page, please use this new link to login. 

What’s Next?

In the near future, we’ll roll out additional sign-in options, including access via UC Library Search and authentication on select resource homepages. Stay updated by visiting the Library’s Latest News or subscribing to the UCR Library Newsletter.

We’re confident that OpenAthens will enhance your research experience, offering easier, faster, and more reliable access to the resources you need.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to colldev@ucr.edu. 

More News October 16, 2017

As the first person in his entire family to attend college, Carlos Rodriguez ’90 was a true pioneer when he arrived at UC Riverside for orientation in 1985.

“Since then everyone has followed me,” Rodriguez said. After he blazed the trail, both of his sisters went to college and graduate school. “All my cousins have gone on to college, as well, all the younger ones.”

As his career clearly demonstrates, there’s no wonder that forging new paths in uncharted territory comes so naturally to Rodriguez. From pioneering work with early internet databases and ejournals in the mid-1990s at UCR, to reimagining library learning environments for an enhanced student experience at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, to his current role as the Dean of the University Library at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), Rodriguez continues to chase the horizon.

Originally a pre-engineering major, Rodriguez came to UCR planning to transfer after two years to either UCLA or UC Santa Barbara.

He began working in the library as a student employee shelving books. “Back in the 80s, people checked out books,” he laughed.

Having developed a strong peer network and relationships with faculty and staff, Rodriguez ended up changing his major and staying at UCR instead of transferring. It wasn’t until an internship with a credit union that he realized he preferred a culture of learning and service-based organization over a traditional corporate environment, and so his career in higher education and libraries was born. “I wasn’t in it for the money. I was in it to help other people,” he said.

As he approached graduation, Rodriguez realized he might enjoy a permanent career in the library. During his senior year, he transitioned from a student employee position into a part-time staff role, which is when he met two influential mentors, librarians Nancy Huling and the late John Tanno.

In Rodriguez’s first year as a science librarian, Tanno nominated him for a leadership and career development program for underrepresented racial and ethnic minority librarians with the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). “John was really supportive of diversity. There wasn’t a lot of diversity back then,” Rodriguez said. “He saw leadership potential in me early on.”

Rodriguez credits the small, tight-knit community at UCR for advancement opportunities like this. “If I had been a student assistant at UCLA, I probably wouldn’t have had the same opportunities that I had at UCR,” he said.

Ultimately, Rodriguez went on to get his Masters in Library and Information Science from UCLA. He came back to UCR as a Science Librarian before advancing through a variety of library positions, including the Associate Dean of Technology and Information Services at Grand Valley State.

Rodriguez helped the library at Grand Valley State shift from being library-centric and collection-centric to learner-centric. “Every decision we made, we asked ourselves, ‘Does this benefit the learner?’ The reason we’re here is for our students. We need to meet their needs.”

From Grand Valley State, Rodriguez returned to California to serve as the Dean of the University Library at Cal State LA. One of his goals at CSULA has been to transform the library’s physical space to make it less intimidating for their diverse, predominantly first-generation student population. “We’re changing the perception from ‘you’re visiting the library’ to ‘this is your library, and you own this space,’” Rodriguez explained.

In Rodriguez’s opinion, the library plays an active role in student success, research, faculty partnerships, and community engagement. “Libraries can provide opportunities for people to learn, grow, discover, create, and really transform how they see the world,” he said. “Libraries are probably one of the most important institutions at universities to do that.”

Another vision turned reality is the creation of an Academic Success Center, which is the cornerstone of Rodriguez’s capital improvement strategy for the Cal State LA Library. He plans to design a physical space around a suite of student services with a central student-led concierge to direct users toward the best solution for their needs.

What’s next for this innovative thinker? “I’m happy where I’m at now, but UCR is the only other place that I’d want to work at because of the students and what they’re doing. It’s a place I’d like to return to one day.”

The UCR Library is committed to enhancing the student learning experience, which includes supporting the professional development and advancement of our student employees. This article is the first in a series of stories following the success of former UCR Library student employees. We are incredibly proud of the alumni talent that was cultivated here, at the UCR Library. 

More News June 01, 2021

In years past, the UCR Library would host a Student Employee and Staff Appreciation Picnic in May to honor the people whose work serves and supports the UC Riverside community.

Due to the continuing campuswide COVID-19 closure, we were not able to hold the celebration again this year.

Still, we would like to recognize and celebrate these library student employees who will graduate with UC Riverside’s Class of 2021: Haneen Abbas, Sabrina Aguilera, Hugo Arcos, Samantha Berrospe, Daphne Burnett, Nicholas Carter, Martin Cruz, Daniel Garcia, Ted Kim, Tim Koo, Terry Mach, Michaela Miller, Brenda Nguyen, Carol Rodriguez, Daysia Rodriguez, Sandra Samayoa, Jonathan Sanchez, Mina Shiratsuchi, Manasi Soni, Kathy Tran, Phyllis Ung, Lisette Ureno, Jasmine Vaquera, Sebastian Vizcarra, Xeng Yang, and Jennifer Zhou.

We asked our 2021 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:

Jasmine Vaquera

My favorite memory from working at the library was my first week on the job and still being invited to the annual student appreciation picnic. My favorite part of working at the library was being exposed to so many books that I wouldn’t have otherwise encountered. I also loved my bosses and coworkers at ILL and Reserve. What I will miss most about working at the library are those that helped build my best memories there, my bosses and coworkers.

Daysia Rodriguez

My favorite memory working from the library is the finals week activities we would do for the students. I will miss the amazing staff and students who I worked with for the past 3 years. All of you have truly made my experience at this university memorable and fun. Thank you to everyone who has shown me support and especially thank you to Leslie and Sahra for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful team.

Tim Koo

My favorite memory from working at the library is when I first learned how to use the myriad of technologies and tools at the Creat'R Lab. I will definitely miss my coworkers for making my experience of working at the library incredibly fun!

Lisette Ureno

My favorite memory from working at the UCR library Would definitely have to be Finals Week Stress Relief programs! I loved seeing the joy these programs brought to students as they were able to take a break from their studies and interact with other students and staff rather than just their books. I worked at the UCR library since freshman year so I will definitely miss the amazing staff that grew to be great mentors and friends to me. The student life inside the library is also something I feel nostalgia from as I observed throughout the years how social, helpful and welcoming students were to one another despite being in a library setting. I love that!

Haneen Abbas

My favorite memory working at the library would be finals week each quarter when we would put on Disney movies and students would poke their heads in or take a seat for a quick study break. What I'll miss most is interacting with all the unique students and faculty with equally as unique and exciting projects that I was able to watch come to life.

Michaela Miller

My favorite memory of working at the library was coming into a shift at Special Collections after class and just being able to work in the quiet of the library. It was always so calming being there. I’m going to miss working up in Special Collections. Everyone was always super nice there and it was a great experience working there.

Kathy Tran

During week 10 and finals week, the library was giving away snacks for people who were studying at the library at that time. I was able to walk around the library and encourage people with their studying and also spend time with Scotty! It was such a blast. Honestly, I think I'll miss walking up and down aisles and aisles of books. Although I've only used the library a couple of times throughout my undergraduate career, something about the tons of books available just fascinated me. I'll also miss talking to the librarians (shoutout to the Teaching & Learning Services) about our days or something so small. These librarians have made my day 10x better from talking to them and I'll definitely miss them.

Hugo Arcos

One of my favorite memories was celebrating the graduation of past students in the library's patio. Alongside good food and games, it was great to reflect on the many bonds I developed with fellow coworkers. What I will miss the most are the encouraging staff across all sectors of the library. The library was the first job I had at campus, and I was naturally scared of the environment I potentially had to deal with, but I am glad the library turned out to be a place filled with motivational and understanding people. I can't thank everyone enough for providing me with a positive work experience, and many of the skills I learned from various people will hopefully manifest themselves into my future aspirations.

Carol Rodriguez

My favorite memory from working at the UCR Orbach Science Library would be meeting new friends and meeting new people that would come in and come out from the library every day. Also, one thing that I will miss dearly would be the annual Thanksgiving Feast where they would give us so much good food and we would just have fun. Also, congrats, grads -- we did it!

Samantha Berrospe

My favorite memory from the library is seeing all the students take a break from studying, and enjoy relaxing by attending our Finals Week Stress Relief activities. What I will miss most about working at the library is hanging out with my coworkers and gaining some new friends.

More News December 30, 2016

Here are some suggestions from the library team for new things to try in 2017 that you might not have known you could do at UCR Library, or that you may never have tried before.

They might even make you feel like a kid in a candy store.

Explore Rare Treasures in Special Collections & University Archives:

“A lot of people think if they’re not a UCR graduate student or UCR faculty member, then they can’t access our Special Collections, but anyone can come,” explained Zayda Delgado, Special Collections Public Services Assistant. “We encourage everyone to contact us, we encourage walk-ins. Come up, look at the exhibits, and to talk to our staff to get a feel for what we have here.”

In the Scotty catalog, most things housed in Special Collections have a blue “request” button. Archival collections (which can include letters, diaries, photographs, and more) are also listed in Scotty, but the detailed descriptions are found in finding aids on the Online Archive of California (OAC).

Once you’ve found what you want, submit the request and library staff will pull the materials for you.

Before you arrive, it helps if you register online. This makes things a lot easier for library employees and for you. Your online account can also track what you’ve looked at in previous visits, which comes in handy down the line for future research.

Then when you arrive on the 4^th floor of Rivera Library, you’ll simply check in at the Special Collections desk, present photo ID to verify your identity, receive the materials you requested, and start working. Just expect to follow a few guidelines that help keep these materials safe and in good condition for future researchers: you’ll check your bags, use pencils only, turn off your camera’s flash, and enjoy any food or drinks before coming into the reading room.

Current hours for our Special Collections department can be found on the library website.

If you can’t come to the reading room in person, Special Collections & University Archives staff can provide electronic reproductions of certain materials, which can be emailed to you.

Instead of clicking “request,” simply click on “switch to reproduction order.” Then select your preferred format (PDF, JPG, or TIFF) for delivery. This is service is not exclusive to archival material, is available for a fee and scans are delivered electronically through your account in our online request system. Those details are here.

Our staff will gladly communicate back and forth with you to answer any questions you may have. You can always ask a question about our collections or how to use them by emailing specialcollections@ucr.edu.

Create and Play with our Maker Boxes

Visitors to Rivera or Orbach libraries may have noticed boxes situated on the counters near the entryway, filled with Legos, coloring books, magnet poetry, chess / checkers, and other assorted activities and craft supplies.

These are our Maker Boxes, and they serve two main purposes:

They can give you a break while you’re here studying, to do something creative, which can in itself refresh and inspire. This can also spark new ideas for creative projects that you might want to pursue in your studies.

Additionally, the Maker Boxes are meant to establish the UCR Library as a place where creativity can and should happen, in addition to all of the more traditional functions that a library serves.

“Walking through the library is my son Aiden’s favorite activity on campus,” said William H. Grover, Assistant Professor in UCR’s Department of Bioengineering. “One day, the Maker Boxes caught Aiden’s eye. He couldn’t believe that there were Legos in the library at daddy’s work. In his eyes, UCR Library went from ‘the cool place where daddy hangs out all day’ to ‘the most awesome place in the universe,’” Will said with a smile. “I explained to him the basic idea behind the Maker Movement and told him how, at UCR, we don’t just teach students. We also try to create opportunities for students to be creative, inventive, and artistic, and the Maker Boxes are part of that. Aiden thought that was pretty awesome and asked how old you have to be to go to UCR.”

Collaborate with a Subject Specialist

If you have never collaborated with a subject specialist on your research papers or projects, you might find this resource vital to take your UCR learning experience to the next level.

“Making an appointment with a subject librarian can add depth to research projects and papers that students are already working on, and help them to navigate through the sea of information to the resources that are most relevant and useful to their specific work,” explained Dani Brecher Cook, Director of Teaching and Learning. “Students can also meet with subject specialists to learn about the wealth of resources in their field that are available to them as UCR students. Developing a relationship with your subject specialist can help you to succeed in your coursework, especially in higher-level courses, and enrich your understanding of your subject area.”

To make an appointment with a subject specialist, simply reach out to the person that matches your field of study by email or phone to set up a meeting time.

Check out a DVD or Video Game from our Media Collection

The Media Collection was moved from the Multimedia Library back in September 2016, and is now available on the first floor of Rivera Library for browsing.

Our Media Collection contains films and video games, which you can check out or use in the media viewing or gaming rooms on the second floor. Rivera Library also has individual viewing stations on the first floor.

You can also check out equipment at the Rivera Library Circulation/Reserves desk.

To reserve media viewing or gaming rooms in Rivera Library, visit the library website. On upper left of the home page menu, under “Using the Library,” navigate to “Study Spaces.” Once on that page, check the box for “Media Viewing” to see how many media viewing rooms we have available.

You can reserve study spaces online using Dibs. Rivera 227 and 228 are viewing rooms, and Rivera 229 and 230 are gaming rooms.

More News June 04, 2021

Before you leave for summer break, here is a summary of how the upcoming transition to UC Library Search on July 27, 2021 will affect you.

UC Library Search will replace the local UCR catalog and Melvyl as the unified UC-wide search tool, allowing you to discover the collections of all 10 campuses’ libraries in one place. Each campus will no longer use its own catalog; this new platform will bring all of the UC campus libraries into the same system.

With enhanced features like single sign-on, UC Library Search allows you to borrow and renew materials without retyping your library card number, and without having to search in multiple places for different kinds of resources. It will maximize the value of the UC collections by making it easier for you to find and borrow items, thanks to improved inter-campus resource sharing tools and a simplified user interface.

Current UC students, faculty and researchers will also be able to pick up items from any UC campus, allowing you the option to choose the UC library closest to home as your pick-up location.

The best part is, UC Library Search will look and feel very similar to the catalog search tool that UCR has been using since 2018, but it will also have the expanded features mentioned above, and more. This should help to shorten the learning curve for UCR patrons.

Melvyl will be retired on July 27, after 40 years of use by the University of California Libraries. Before this happens, if you have saved lists, saved searches, or bookmarks to Mevyl records, then you should preserve these items as they will not be imported into UC Library Search. Follow the steps outlined here to save your data.

Additionally, during the data migration phase (“cutover”) from July 6 to 27, patrons will be unable to access their accounts and library staff will be unable to add new acquisitions to the catalog. Therefore, any UCR faculty who wish to request new resource acquisitions must do so either before July 5 or wait until after cutover is complete and UC Library Search has launched on July 27. For Course Reserves, please review the information on this page.

Library staff plans to release training materials for UC Library Search as we approach fall quarter.

Read more about the development of UC Library Search and other FAQs here.

More News April 30, 2021

UC Library Search will replace Melvyl on July 27, 2021. What do you need to do to prepare for this change?

How can you learn how to use UC Library Search?

UC Library Search is user-friendly and will strongly resemble the discovery portal you have been using for the last three years. Think of it as an upgrade that will allow you to search for materials across all 10 University of California campuses and the local UCR catalog, all in one place.

UCR librarians will make training materials available after July 27, 2021. Look for workshops on how to use UC Library Search in the fall. Our librarians would also be happy to teach a workshop during your class time. Contact Teaching and Learning Services for more information.

What will happen to your library account? Do you need to do anything? Do you need to turn books back in?

No. Melvyl accounts will become UC Library Search accounts. You do not need to take any action, unless you have saved lists, saved searches, or bookmarks to Melvyl records.

If you have personal saved lists saved in Melvyl, what should you do to keep them?

Melvyl saved lists will not be moved to UC Library Search. Before July 27, log in to Melvyl by clicking “Sign In.” Enter your username and password. Click on your account name, and select “My Personal Lists” from the drop-down menu. From there you can access your saved lists. You can email your lists to yourself, or you can click on the “Cite” button and export them into citation management software.

What do you do with your saved searches?

Melvyl saved searches will not be moved to UC Library Search. Before July 27, log in to Melvyl by clicking “Sign In.” Enter your username and password. Click on the “Saved Searches” link in the gray menu bar. Before July 27, you should make a note of your search terms if you wish to reproduce them later in UC Library Search.

What do you do about links or bookmarks to Melvyl records?

Melvyl links will not redirect to UC Library Search. If you have links to Melvyl records, either in your browser bookmarks, iLearn, Yuja, or elsewhere, you can log in to Melvyl and save them to a list, which you can then email to yourself or export into citation management software.

More News August 21, 2019

After many years in the basement of the Arts Building, the Music Library materials and services will be relocated to the Tomás Rivera Library in mid-September.

All materials (music scores, audio CDs and LPs) will be relocated to the Rivera Library during the week of Sept. 9 - 13. The Music Library will close its doors at 6 p.m. on Friday, September 6, 2019.

Note that due to the move, music scores, audio CDs and LPs will be unavailable to the public during the week of Sept. 9 - 13.

The integration of the Music Library into the Rivera Library comes as a response to the request from the Music Department and the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) who have long needed more space for their expanding academic programs. 

While the library is sad to be leaving the Music Library space, this move finally brings together all the physical music library content (books, journals, scores and audio) into the same building, as the Music Library only held the scores and audio. The scores and audio will now be available to faculty and students for over 50 more hours per week during the academic quarters, as the Music Library had limited hours of operation.

Library staff carefully determined the new locations of the collections involved, taking extensive measurements, evaluating the space available, and deciding on the best locations for optimal accessibility.

Where to find Music Library materials, starting on Sept. 16:

Music books, journals, and scores

• Music Library M, ML and MT call number materials will be moved and shelved after the new location of the L call numbers in Rivera Library, second floor (unit one).
• Music Study Scores will be shelved separately, following the MT call numbers.

Music media (CD, VHS, LP, etc.)

• Music audio (CDs and LPs) will be interfiled in security cases along with the current Media Collection on the first floor of Rivera Library.

Listening equipment

• The record and cassette players will be set up along the southwest wall on the first floor of Rivera Library (past the print stations).

More News February 24, 2022

More News September 19, 2019

The UCR Library team has been busy all summer long, moving departments and collections to prepare for fall quarter 2019.

Here is a summary of what has changed since spring quarter:

In July, Elsevier suspended direct access to articles published in 2019 for the University of Calfornia. This article contains more details about who is affected, how to get the articles you need, and more.

A new open access agreement between Cambridge University Press and the University of California is now ready for author submissions.

The Music Library closed its doors on Friday, September 6. All music materials are now housed in the Rivera Library. See this article for more specifics.

Most of the collection materials formerly held in the Map Collection have been relocated to the first floor of Orbach Library, under the new Geospatial Resources section. This area is located outside the Creat'R Lab. A portion of the collection (lesser-used materials) is being moved to the basement of Rivera Library; these items will fall under the management of Special Collections & University Archives and will be available at a later date in the fall, once construction has been completed on the new Rivera basement space.

Items in the juvenile literature and Curriculum Resources collection are now located in the basement of Rivera Library, including puppets, manipulatives, teaching aids, and more.

The library switched from Melvyl to WorldCat Discovery for access to UC-wide collections in June. Update your Melvyl bookmarked links to: ucr.on.worldcat.org/discovery

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) moved its offices to behind the right side of the Circulation / Reserves Desk at Rivera Library. The new location puts ILL front-and-center, along with the rest of patron services at Rivera.

The library adopted a revised Fines & Fees structure in July, which should greatly benefit both the library and its patrons.

Lastly, our Collection Strategies department acquired several new databases, archives and reference works, which will enhance the library's existing collections.

More News May 31, 2018

Starting on July 16, 2018, how you access library materials will look and feel different.

On this date the UCR Library will launch an enhanced library catalog with a modern, mobile-responsive visual display and new search tools.

The new library catalog (formerly known as “Scotty”) will have a streamlined user experience with improved access to library materials and more intuitive ways for you to discover new content.

New features include:

• Combined access to both print materials and online licensed e-resources
• Easy-to-tailor search results using active content filters in the sidebar
• Book and journal cover image previews
• Table of contents previews
• Full text access to digital items when searching through the on-campus network

We invite you to preview the new search interface starting today. This preview will give you a taste of the new search capabilities, although not all the functions of the catalog are implemented yet.

Millions of records are currently being migrated and/or modified as part of this transition. We expect to have the new library catalog fully functional on July 16, 2018.

If you have questions or comments, please email them to library@ucr.edu or use the comment form on the library website.