• Read more about Put Materials on Course Reserves

More News November 22, 2024

Finals Week Stress Relief at the UCR Library provides much-needed support to students during the most demanding time of the quarter.

The week before finals and the week of finals, the UCR Library offers free activities to students like arts and craft events, food giveaways, contests, and games to help students take a break, recharge, and refocus. Therapy dog and cat visits, known as Therapy Fluffies, are a special highlight and brought to students with the help of our on campus partner The Well’s Active Minds. 

UCR Library Serials Assistant Andrea Newman, a member of the UCR Library's Finals Week Stress Relief Committee, shared how impactful these events are. “The number one comment I’ve heard from students is, ‘Thank you so much… You guys are amazing!’ Whether we’re handing out snacks or boba drinks, the students are always so appreciative,” she said.

Students have shared how these programs help them navigate finals. “I really like the food-related ones because sometimes I forget to make time to eat,” one student said. Arts and crafts are another favorite, providing a creative escape from the pressures of exams. “Students often ask us to put on more arts and crafts events because they find them so calming,” Newman added.

The UCR Library is a space all students use, and programs like Finals Week Stress Relief ensure that it supports students in more ways than one. With over 900,000 visits annually, the library is a cornerstone of campus life, offering students not just academic resources but also a place to find balance during stressful times.

With additional donor support, the UCR Library could expand these offerings, creating even more opportunities to help students de-stress and succeed. If you’d like to support Finals Week Stress Relief at the UCR Library, there are many ways to contribute: you can donate food/snacks, beverages, arts and craft supplies for stress-relief activities, or provide financial support to help us broaden these initiatives. Please contact our Sr. Development Officer Shannon Castro to learn more about how you can make a difference. Your generosity will help us continue to ensure students have a space that supports their well-being and academic success.

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Curious to see what we have in store for students for Fall 2024 Finals Week Stress Relief? Click here!

More News April 28, 2025

UCR students looking for support with their coursework, research, or general library questions have another valuable resource at their disposal: librarians are now available at the Help Desk in Rivera Library. 

Located at the combined Library Support/IT Support Desk, this service offers in-person help for a wide range of needs. Since the start of the academic year, the number of students seeking in-person help has increased by 32% compared to the same period last year, demonstrating that more students are turning to the library for guidance.  

Bringing librarians back to the Help Desk is part of the library’s efforts to support students in their academic success. According to Britt Foster, Director of Teaching and Learning, this change helps ensure students have access to the guidance they need when navigating their research and assignments. “Student success research has demonstrated that relationships with university faculty and staff have a positive impact on student engagement and sense of belonging: by having librarians very visible and available to our students, the hope is the Help Desk is a place where these relationships can form,” Britt said.

Today’s information landscape is increasingly complex, and students often need support not only in finding sources but also in evaluating them. Britt explained that “now it’s less about finding information, and more about efficiently navigating the flood to find high quality, relevant resources.” Librarians can help students develop these skills, offering practical strategies for identifying credible materials and managing research challenges.

Students are encouraged to visit the Help Desk for a wide variety of questions, from finding books and e-books to developing effective search strategies. Librarians are also equipped to help students verify citations, particularly as issues with inaccurate references generated by AI tools have become more common.

“We can help with almost anything”, Britt says. “Probably the unofficial model of reference is, I might not know the answer, but I know how to find it.”

Britt emphasized that students should feel comfortable seeking help at any stage of their research process. “Wherever you are in your research process, we’re excited to join you there,” she said. “Librarians want research help to feel like a warm conversation where we focus on getting you to your goals.”

Trained student assistants are also available at the Help Desk in both libraries. Their work not only supports patrons but contributes to their own professional growth. One student assistant researched technology to improve accessibility at the Help Desk, while another is developing a guide for evaluating social media posts. These projects reflect the library’s commitment to both quality service and meaningful mentorship experiences.

For students looking to get the most out of their visit to the Help Desk, Britt recommends bringing assignment details, if possible, as this can help librarians connect students with the most relevant resources. Most importantly, she encourages students to visit sooner rather than later. “The only thing that kills us at the desk is when our upper division or grad students say, I wish I had known I could get this kind of help from the library sooner! ”

Librarians are available at the Rivera Library Help Desk, located at the combined Library Support/IT Support Desk, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Students are encouraged to stop by, ask questions, and take full advantage of this valuable support system. 

• Read more about IL Outcomes and Assessment

• Read more about How Do I Find - Articles & Journals

More News October 21, 2019

The UCR Library is delighted to announce that effective Oct. 21, Ashley Coyne joined the UCR Library as an Access Services Desk Assistant.

Ashley’s office is located in Circulation / Reserves on the first floor of Rivera Library. She will report to Leslie Settle, Access Services Desk Coordinator.

Ashley earned her BA in Literature and Writing from CSU San Marcos, Certificate in Library and Information Technology from Palomar College, and is currently enrolled in the MLIS program through San Jose State University. 

She has worked circulation at several public libraries; but most recently, Ashley served as a Library Assistant in Circulation at the Palomar College Library and as a Library Technician in Acquisitions at the Carlsbad City Library.

Please join us in welcoming Ashley to the library!

More News July 17, 2018

The Library has a new launch date for the new catalog and search interface: Saturday, July 21.

You may have noticed that we had to delay the launch due to unforeseen issues with data migration. Below are the pertinent dates regarding the transition.

The following service alerts are in effect:

• Thursday, July 12 to Saturday, July 21:

No new holds, recalls or paging will be available until the catalog has launched on Saturday, July 21. 

• Friday, July 20: limited circulation services*

*Limited circulation means checkouts and returns.

• Saturday, July 21 at 10 a.m.: Catalog launch

On July 21, we will be able to establish new user accounts, see what’s on hold, and provide information regarding overdue items.

We have tried our best to anticipate all possible issues with the new system. However, if you run across anything that has slipped our notice, please email us at library@ucr.edu or use the comment form on the library website.

This new library catalog offers more intuitive ways for you to discover new content, including:

• Combined access to both print materials and online licensed e-resources
• Easy-to-tailor search results using content filters in the left sidebar
• Book and journal cover image previews
• Table of contents previews

Again, we truly appreciate your patience and thank you for your understanding during this important transition!

More News October 28, 2016

UCR Library is delighted to share that Melanie Ramiro has joined the Library Administration team as our Communications Specialist.

Melanie holds a BA in International Relations from Stanford University. She has over 15 years of experience as a communications and marketing professional in corporate, non-profit and academic environments.  She has experience with brand development and developing communications plans.

As the Communications Specialist, Melanie will be responsible for developing, implementing, managing and contributing to a comprehensive communications program for the Library.

More News November 01, 2016

UCR Library is pleased to announce that Danielle Sanders has joined the Library Human Resources (LHR) team as the HR Analyst.

Danielle holds her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration – management and human resources.

She most recently served as a Human Resources Manager at Cal Poly Pomona before joining the University Library as an affiliate HR Analyst in September 2016.

As a member of the LHR team, Danielle will support key initiatives through the administration and assessment of HR services and procedures including compensation/classification, training and development, and employee engagement and relations.

More News February 08, 2017

From 6:15 pm-7:15 pm on Friday, February 10, 2017, all library online services will be temporarily unavailable due to routine network maintenance.

After the Library closes at 6:00 pm, UCR Network Operations in collaboration with a member of the library's Cyberinfrastructure team will perform routine maintenance on the library’s network routers.

During this period, routers will be relocated to a secure server rack and rebooted, resulting in an expected network outage of approximately one hour.

The following services will be unavailable until the maintenance has been completed:

• The library website
• Library digital resources
• Millennium/Scotty
• Library wireless
• Desktop computers will lack Internet connectivity