More News May 30, 2025

The University of California Libraries have restructured their regional library facilities into fully systemwide service centers. 

The Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF) and Southern Regional Library Facility (SRLF) are now known as Systemwide Library Facility-North (SLF-North) and Systemwide Library Facility-South (SLF-South). This transition aims to enhance strategic planning, budget management, and service provision across the UC system. Both facilities will continue to be governed by the Systemwide Library Facilities Board.

A new SLF director, based at UC Berkeley, will oversee both facilities, promoting greater alignment in practices and operations. 

For more details, visit the Systemwide Library Facilities FAQs.

Tiffany Moxham Staff Profile

Interim University Librarian

• Read more about How Do I Find - Dissertations & Theses

More News June 28, 2022

WisCon is a feminist science fiction & fantasy convention held annually in Madison, Wisconsin. 

This year's conference took place in late May with Andrew Lippert, Special Collections Processing Archivist, Sandy Enriquez, Special Collections Public Services Outreach/Community Engagement Librarian, and Dr. Phoenix Alexander, our soon-to-be Jay Kay and Doris Klein Science Fiction Librarian, in attendance. Learn more about the conference from Andrew and Sandy in our WisCon Q&A. 

How did it feel to go to an in-person conference again?

Sandy: It was both exciting, and a little bit nerve-wracking! But part of the reason I felt comfortable attending WisCon was that they took extensive precautions and implemented many best practices to keep folks safe. All the conference-goers I encountered respected the protocols (including a mask mandate) and I felt very comfortable. Having those safety measures in place meant that I could fully enjoy all the benefits of in-person conferences.

Andrew: It was wonderful to attend a conference in-person again. There are definite upsides to being able to get conference content from the comfort of one’s own home, but you miss all of the little conversations and encounters that happen outside of the sessions. It’s also fun to wander around a town you’ve never been to for a couple of days.

What were some of the highlights from WisCon?

Sandy: One of my favorite moments was listening to readings from the new speculative fiction anthology, "Trouble the Waters: Tales from the Deep Blue" edited by Sheree Renée Thomas, Pan Morigan, and Troy L. Wiggins. One of the stories centered on the care and shepherding of space whales, which was so magical and whimsical to imagine! 

Andrew: WisCon was a fantastic event and there were a lot of great elements. First and foremost, the panels and the conversations that they inspired were truly superb. This might have been the most intellectually stimulating and inspiring conference/convention I have been to. There is a lot of really important work going on in these spaces.

How does WisCon’s mission align with the goals you have for your work here at the UCR Library?

Sandy: WisCon is a community-led, feminist science fiction and fantasy convention. They aim to make their events as inclusive, safe, and welcoming as possible for people from all walks of life. Their mission to promote inclusivity and uplift underrepresented voices in science fiction aligns strongly with my goals for public services, outreach, and community engagement at UCR Library. Part of my job is to help people find and utilize our collections, and I especially strive to reach communities who have been traditionally excluded from, or misrepresented in, the historical record. I aim to increase access and knowledge of the collections through innovative and collaborative outreach, as well as highlighting underrepresented stories whenever possible. For example, I have recently taught several workshops centering Chicano student activism at UCR, in collaboration with graduate student instructors, and with Chicano Student Programs. While science fiction is only one aspect of our collecting focus, I think we can learn a lot from this field (and feminism in general) about how to partner with communities and practice more equitable outreach, teaching, and research.

Andrew: The primary way that my work with the Eaton Collection aligns with WisCon is in efforts to diversify the genre of speculative fiction. WisCon started out as the feminist science fiction con in the late 1970s, and it still has a lot of those feminist roots with its current incarnation. However, I saw an organization that has evolved to be radically inclusive of all peoples, with a very strong emphasis on the LGBTQ+ community. There were also themes of decolonization and anti-capitalism that popped up from session to session that also work their way into how I think about building a speculative fiction collection.

Was there anything interesting or noteworthy you learned at the conference?

Sandy: Absolutely! Marie Vibbert gave a fantastic presentation about her research on labor in science fiction novels. She analyzed the jobs and classes of main characters across almost two hundred science fiction novels to create her dataset. She found that, contrary to popular belief, science fiction protagonists were more likely to be upper/middle class than working class. She also found that male authors were more likely to write male characters than other genders.

Andrew: The most notable learning opportunity for me — as a cis, white, male — was to be immersed into a queer space. This is not something that I encounter very often in my day-to-day life and I appreciate opportunities like this that center and value the voices and points of view of people that are not often afforded that opportunity. To me, the incredibly engaging discussions only reinforce the value and importance of inclusion and diversity and the degree to which more diverse points of view only serve to enrich the conversation.

Does the Eaton Collection include many feminist works?

Sandy: The Eaton Collection does include many works by feminist authors and works that explore feminist themes, but given how quickly the field is evolving, there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, we have feminist science fiction classics such as 'The Female Man' by Joanna Russ or 'The Left Hand of Darkness' by Ursula K. Le Guin, along with more contemporary examples of feminist science fiction such as the graphic novel 'Bitch Planet' by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine de Landro. We are actively working to diversify our holdings by identifying and acquiring new works, including those that may incorporate feminist themes but are not explicitly labeled as such (one that comes to mind is the fantastic anthology 'Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit & Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction' edited by Joshua Whitehead).

Andrew: Yes! We have many novels by feminist authors (for example: Octavia Butler, Joanna Russ, and many more). There is also a lot of feminist work done in the comics and graphic novel space (such as: Bitch Planet or Maiden, Mother, and Crone). We have quite a lot of secondary, academic literature on feminism and science fiction. In the manuscript collections, we have the papers of feminist author Jody Scott. Former UCR professor Nalo Hopkinson has also been donating her papers to the Eaton Collection. There is so much material in the collection, far more than can be listed succinctly!

Do you plan on going back next year?

Sandy: I would love to! I'm not sure yet where next year will take me, but it would be fantastic to return.

Andrew: I would love to! It’s hard to plan that far out, but I hope to make it back to WisCon in the near future.

For more information on WisCon, visit wiscon.net or follow WisCon on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

More News September 14, 2020

On Monday, Sept. 28, the UCR Library will launch Ask a Student, a chat service to help new and returning UC Riverside students navigate campus and get timely assistance from fellow UCR students.

Ask a Student will be available Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; students can submit questions by email outside of those hours. Starting on Sept. 28, students will have three ways to access Ask a Student: via chat widgets on the library's Ask Us page, the new Ask UCR webpage, and the Keep Learning website.

Jointly managed by the library's Teaching & Learning and Research Services departments, Ask a Student will provide a place for students to connect with peers to get to the resources they need to be successful in the remote learning environment.

“One aim of this program is to support the Dean of Students’ initiative to build connections and feelings of belonging among the student body, despite our physical distance,” explained Dani Cook, the library's Director of Teaching and Learning.

Returning library student employees will staff Ask a Student, under the supervision of Teaching and Learning Services Coordinator Christopher Martone and Research Services Department Assistant Margarita Yonezawa.

“We still have Ask a Librarian for in-depth research questions,” Cook added. “And the student staff will be able to transfer questions between the services if needed.”

“The UCR Library looks forward to launching this new service to support our students. We hope it will be a useful complement to the ScottyBot, which focuses on financial aid and residential life, and help build a sense of connection for our students,” said Ann Frenkel, Deputy University Librarian. “We are grateful to our campus partners for helping us identify the need for this kind of service, and for taking the time to share details and scenarios with our student staff, so we can provide the best service possible.”

These partners include: the Dean of Students, Academic Resource Center, Basic Needs, CARE, CAPS, GSOE Academic Advising, the Ombuds, the Registrar, Residential Life, Student Life, the Student Disability Resource Center, Undergraduate Education, and The Well.

 

 

More News January 17, 2017

In fall quarter 2016, a small task force convened to evaluate UCR Library’s single search (“OneSearch”) on the website homepage and make recommendations to improve user experience.

This week, the library implemented the first round of suggested changes.

When you now conduct a search, you will notice the following:

•             Drag-and-drop functionality allows you to move the boxes into your preferred order of display. This function requires cookies, so you must use the same browser on the same computer consistently for the site to remember your preferences.

•             The “professor” field in the Reserves box is now labeled “instructor”

•             Calisphere is now titled “Digital Collections (Calisphere)”

•             LibGuides is now called “Library Guides (LibGuides)”

•             There is less white space at the bottom of each box

In winter quarter 2017, the task force will gather further input from faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students through focus groups. Next week, the library will invite volunteers to participate through a number of targeted channels.

Applications will be open for two weeks beginning on January 23, 2017. Interested parties are encouraged to apply here.

After these focus groups have completed their next round of evaluations of OneSearch, the task force will present additional recommendations for changes to the Library Cabinet.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding this process, please contact Dani Brecher Cook.

More News July 11, 2016

Flexible classrooms provide space for students, faculty, and librarians to teach collaboratively and engage students in active learning and critical thinking.

Thanks to a campus technology grant submitted under the leadership of Associate University Librarian Ann Frenkel, a Rivera Library classroom recently underwent a “flexible” transformation.

Splashes of bright tangerine now brighten the space of room 140 with one end of the room serving as a dedicated whiteboard wall.  New lime-green rolling chairs and mobile tables encourage group collaboration. Flat screen monitors are mounted on three walls with a rapid charging station housing MacBook Pros for students to engage in multimedia learning and production throughout the space.  Mobile charging units are also available.

This spring, the campus Faculty Technology Support Group and the Library’s Research and Instructional Services Division hosted Re-thinking the Classroom Mini “Unconference” as one of the first sessions held in our newly, redesigned flexible classroom. Faculty came together in the flexible classroom to share best practices for online teaching as well as discussing effective approaches for active learning and student engagement. The attendees left rave reviews and thoughtful comments on the whiteboard wall.

The room is now available for booking library instruction sessions this fall.

More News June 08, 2022

The UCR Library is delighted to announce Dr. Phoenix Alexander will serve as the UCR Library’s new Jay Kay Klein and Doris Klein Science Fiction Librarian beginning August 1.  

As the Jay Kay Klein and Doris Klein Science Fiction Librarian, Dr. Alexander will be responsible for the development, stewardship, and promotion of the Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy — one of the world's largest, richest, and deepest collections of science fiction, fantasy, horror, utopian literature, and related genres. 

Dr. Alexander currently serves as the Science Fiction Collections Librarian at the University of Liverpool, Special Collections and Archives where he manages the largest collection of cataloged science fiction in Europe. 

Prior to his work at the University of Liverpool, Phoenix completed his Ph.D. in the departments of English and African American Studies at Yale and worked as a curatorial assistant at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library for three years, alongside his studies. 

Phoenix also is a scholar and writer of science fiction. His work has been published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Black Static, Safundi: The Journal of South African and American Studies, and Science Fiction Studies. A full member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, his expertise in science fiction writing has allowed him to serve as a judge for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, an award given annually to the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom.  

Dr. Alexander’s demonstrated expertise and passion for science fiction, as well as his commitment to social justice and including marginalized communities in his work, complements, and will continue to advance, the UCR Library’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through the Eaton Collection. 

We invite the UCR community to join us in welcoming Phoenix to UCR when he arrives on August 1! 

More News August 29, 2024

The UCR Library plays a vital role in preserving and celebrating the Hispanic community's history on campus and beyond. 

Through our Special Collections, exhibits, and collaborative projects, we connect students with their cultural heritage while also providing a space for all students to learn about and appreciate the rich history and contributions of the Hispanic community. 

As we approach Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place September 15 - October 15, we want to highlight a few stories you may have missed that underscores our commitment to preserving and celebrating Hispanic heritage. 

One story highlights the experience of Belen Cardenas, a third-year English major in Fall 2022, who discovered a personal connection to her grandfather’s activism in the 1960s through the library’s archives. “Seeing and being able to interact with the history he lived through made me feel connected to him,” Cardenas shared. This connection was made possible by the library’s archival materials that were pulled specifically for her Chicano Studies class. Read more here.

The library’s collaboration with Chicano Student Programs (CSP) led to the creation of the first Semana de la Mujer exhibit in 2023. The exhibit was located in the Tomás Rivera Library and celebrated the Chicanas/Latinas in the lives of UCR community members. Special Collections Public Services, Outreach, and Community Engagement Librarian Sandy Enriquez emphasized the importance of this project, stating at the time, “I hope this exhibit helps people realize that this is their space too, and their stories deserve to be showcased with the same care and intention.” The exhibit’s success led to its return in 2024, and plans are already in place for it to continue in 2025. Discover more about the first Semana de la Mujer exhibit here.

A key way the UCR Library helped preserve UCR Chicano history was through the digitization of Nuestra Cosa, a UCR alternative Chicano newspaper that ran from 1972 until 2012. The project was made possible through a partnership between the library, CSP, Teatro Quinto Sol, and the Encuentros, Student Participatory Research Project (ESPARiTU). Sandy Enriquez highlighted the significance of this project saying, “There are so few opportunities, unfortunately, for students of color, students from underrepresented backgrounds like immigrant families to feel their experiences are reflected in the general narrative of UCR. Nuestra Cosa does really provide that authentic connection.” Learn more about the Nuestra Cosa digitization project . 

Through strong partnerships with campus groups, the UCR Library plays a vital role in preserving, sharing, and celebrating Hispanic heritage. These collaborations not only keep the history and voices of the Hispanic community alive but also enrich the entire UCR community. By making these stories accessible, the library fosters a deeper understanding and connection among all students, helping to build a more inclusive and informed campus environment.

More News September 23, 2016

UCR Library will open a new exhibition on Monday, Oct. 24, titled, “Orange Roots: The Remarkable Story of Two Trees, a Pioneer Town, and the University of California, Riverside.”

The exhibition will be located at the Tomás Rivera Library, and will be on display through June 2017.

A welcome reception in honor of the exhibition’s opening will be held on Thursday Nov. 10 at the Tomás Rivera Library, from 2-4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The reception will include a talk by Susan Straight, professor of creative writing at UCR, and a citrus-tasting station where guests can sample different varieties of citrus fruits. The citrus-tasting station will be organized by Tracy Kahn, UCR’s Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection Endowed Chair. Free parking will be available - those interested in attending should email Carole Meyer-Reith at carolem@ucr.edu.

“‘Orange Roots’ brings to life the exciting history of Riverside, and how the Washington Navel orange tree revolutionized citrus,” states Krista Ivy, UC Riverside librarian and curator of the exhibit.

The “Orange Roots” exhibition will showcase the remarkable history of Riverside’s citrus heritage. It will feature photographs, historical documents, and ephemera from the UCR Library Special Collections & University Archives, the UCR Citrus Variety Collection, the UCR Department of Biological Sciences, the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, and the Riverside Public Library.

“Orange Roots” will present the rich tale of Riverside’s citrus heritage from its early pioneer days, to the establishment of UCR.

“Notable pioneers such as Eliza Tibbets and Matthew Gage, along with the labor and expertise of various immigrant groups and Native Americans, launched Riverside into the national spotlight in the late 19^th Century,” Ivy explains.  They helped to transform the dry landscape of Riverside into lush citrus groves. “Riverside’s international role and importance in citriculture would continue to grow with the establishment of the Citrus Experiment Station and later the University of California, Riverside.”