More News May 29, 2019

As the second-largest student employer on campus, each spring the UCR Library takes time to celebrate the students who comprise half of our staff team.

At the annual Student Employee and Staff Appreciation Luncheon held in the lower courtyard at Rivera Library, we also recognized these 25 library student employees who will graduate with UC Riverside’s Class of 2019: Alma Ramos, Andrea Mares, Anthony Valverde​, Cameron Tuck, Chia Wu, Cindy Chau, Daniel Chen, Dulce Melo, Gursimran Singh, Hana Tran, Jacqueline Hernandez, Janice Liu, Jessica Leon, Jose Peralta, Kaitlyn Lara, Margaret Gardner, Matthew Diep, Matthew Garrido, Matthew Moreno, Noah Nguyen, Patrick Zydziak​​, Reajinae Jenkins, Roger Peralta Gomez, Serena Rodholm, and Sergio Banegas.

We asked our 2019 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:

"I have worked at Rivera Library since my very first weeks of my first year of being at UC Riverside, so I have a lot of great memories from these past 4 years. It took me a while to pick my favorite one, so I would have to say my favorite memory from working at the library is being able to see our wonderful diversity at this school. I come from a place where there are predominately Asian and Hispanic people and not much diversity. The Rivera Library is one of the most visited places on campus, so I was able to see many different students, staff, and visitors. After my first month working here, it was nice to see how diverse our campus is and I wish the world was more like it. Four years later, I believe I have assisted and encountered almost all the ethnic groups around the world and it's a pretty great achievement. I myself come from Poland and I do not think I have met another individual from there at UCR, but that just shows the diversity of the campus. I wish I had the time to get to know these different ethnic groups better, but I cherish the short conversations I was able to have. I think what I will miss most about working here is being able to actually encounter and talk to a diverse community. Working at the library gave me an excuse to talk to and meet people. I cannot think of any other way to be able to talk to these people unless I go up to anyone on campus and introduce myself to anyone who walks by me but that is obviously out of the norm. The food industry also experiences many different people, however, it is a much faster paced environment and gives workers not much time to see around them. I'm not sure if my future career after graduation will have a diverse community like this, so that is something I will surely miss from working at the UCR Library. " - Patrick Zydziak

"My favorite memory from working at the library is actually a collection of memories. I loved running into my professors while working at the desk. I enjoyed having conversations with them about what books they were reading, any literature recommendations they had, etc. I also enjoyed being helpful to those who were helpful to me in the classroom. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to give back to professors who have given you so much. It was also crazy to see how much they read! I am going to miss my coworkers and supervisors the most. I have been working at the library since I started undergrad and because of this, my coworkers have become close friends. We always catch up with one another during our shifts. Even outside of the library we are texting one another, making each other laugh. We are a group of students from different backgrounds, different majors, different years -- but we are all connected by our love for the library. I will especially miss my boss Leslie Settle. She always emphasizes how we are a family and we look out for one another. She would continuously go out of her way to help her student employees, and she would give us cute treats for each holiday! Her laugh is contagious and her smile lights up the room. It is truly bittersweet to leave such a caring group of people." - Andrea Mares

"It is really difficult to pick a favorite memory from working at the library because there were so many fun moments from collection maintenance projects to staff potluck events. If I had to pick one, it would have to be getting to serve pie to fellow students on Pi Day. I got to smile at stressed students during week 10 and wish them good luck on their finals while handing them free food. Moments like those made my job at the library more special. I think I am going to miss all of the friendly people I have had the opportunity to work with. It has been really fun to interact with new faces every year." - Jessica Leon

"My favorite memories are the crazy finals week festivities. I loved helping set up events to lighten the mood, listening and motivating patrons to push through until school break, and seeing all the funny things patrons would resort to sleeping on. Finals week brings a bittersweet sense of community feeling to the library as it is stressful because we all have important deadlines and tests to take, but comforting because we're all going through similar struggles. The thing I'll miss most about about working here at the library is how much the career staff here supports and cares for the student workers. It is so easy to get adjusted to working here because the staff is so helpful and friendly. I have never seen another workplace that praises and supports their workers as much as they do here. Shoutout to everyone working in circulation, you guys are wonderful." - Anthony Valverde

"Even though it was a stressful time for myself, students and staff alike (as they had to organize and put on a variety of events), my favorite memories are usually associated during the Finals Week Stress Relief events. I enjoyed working finals week because of the various events we had to host. It felt really good to see how grateful students were when we handed out food, scantrons, UCR gear, etc. My favorite event was probably working Therapy Fluffies. The dogs were honestly the best and always brought a smile to my face. I will probably miss the staff the most. My supervisor, Elisha Hankins, gave me so many opportunities to be a leader, grow, and flourish both academically and professionally. She hired me for my first real job and I will be forever grateful she took a chance on me. I will also miss the other staff; they were also so welcoming, available, and ready to help me with whatever assignment or life decision I needed to make. The environment was always cheery and even on the not so good days, they were always there to make it a little better." - Alma Ramos-Gutierrez

"Working at Special Collections has been one of the most formative experiences of my collegiate experience. I have made some of the closest friends working at the UCR Library that have influenced my life for the better." - Kaitlyn Lara

"My favorite memory from working at the library is when I helped out with the Therapy Fluffies, and was able to hold them! Something that I will miss the most from working at the library will be the people. Everyone is so kind and makes you feel welcome every time you enter the circulation desk." - Jacqueline Hernandez

More News September 21, 2015

Library launches new exhibit program with opening display in partnership with LGBT Resource Center.

In celebration of LGBT History Month, the UCR Library will launch its new exhibition program with a poster display entitled The History of the LGBT Civil Rights Movement. Created by the ONE Archives Foundation located in West Hollywood, the material "explores the incredibly inspiring journey of the LGBTQ Civil Rights movement" from the 1940s to early 1990s.

Nancy Jean Tubbs, Director of the UCR LGBT Resource Center, approached UCR Librarian Steve Mandeville-Gamble earlier this year to solidify an ongoing relationship of education and support for our students, faculty, staff, and broader community. As the conversation evolved and the ONE Archives exhibit came to light, the partnership was naturally evident. Excited to launch a new, world-class exhibit program in the library, Mandeville-Gamble eagerly agreed to host the exhibit as well as opening ceremonies and related programming.

From the start of "gayborhoods," to the Lavender Scare, the Stonewall Riots, the national pride movement, and the AIDS crisis, The History of the LGBT Civil Rights Movement complements UCR's own history in supporting the LGBT community. In 1993, UCR was the first campus in the state of California to open a professionally-staffed LGBT resource center and, in 1996, the first to offer an LGBT studies minor. We are proud to be the first public university in the nation to offer gender-inclusive housing, to co-found T*Camp — the first intercampus retreat in the nation for trans/genderqueer and gender questioning college students, and to found the BlaqOUT Conference — the first college conference in the nation serving Black/African American students and students of African descent who identify on the LGBT spectrum.

The History of the LGBT Civil Rights Movement exhibition will open on October 12, 2015 in Rivera Library on the University of California, Riverside campus.

More News June 02, 2017

It’s hard to believe that the 2016-2017 year is drawing to a close, but suddenly Finals Week is only days away.

UCR Library is committed to creating a supportive atmosphere to help our students cope with the stress of final exams. This is why we present our Finals Week Stress Relief event series at the end of every quarter.

These events give library employees an opportunity to get to know our students better, and for our students to let off steam together in a safe and fun way.

This quarter, we have crowd favorites returning to the line-up, such as Surprise Snack Giveaway and Study Jam, as well as a few new activities.

Finals Week Stress Relief will kick off on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. The full schedule of events is as follows:

Wednesday, June 7

• Ah, Fudge - It's Finals! Surprise Snack Giveaway (Rivera & Orbach Libraries)

Thursday, June 8

• Chili Cheese Fritos - 3:00 pm* (Orbach Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Friday, June 9

• Scantron Bingo - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm (Orbach Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Saturday, June 10

• Make Your Own Gauntlets with the Cosplay Brigade - 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (Orbach Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Sunday, June 11

• Study Jam Tutoring with the Academic Resource Center - 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Orbach Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Monday, June 12

• It's Finals! Are You Cereal? Bar - 10:00 am* (Orbach Library)
• Massage Therapy - 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm  (Rivera & Orbach Libraries)
• Stress Busters - 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm (Orbach Library)
• Smoke Free, Stress Free - 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm (Rivera Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Tuesday, June 13

• Cookie Break - 2:00 pm* (Rivera Library)
• Snack Attack: Sandwiches with ASUCR - 6:00 pm* (Orbach Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Wednesday, June 14

• Float Through Finals - 3:00 pm* (Orbach Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Thursday, June 15

• #TBT: Unstressable Uncrustables - 1:00 pm* (Orbach Library)
• Late Night Snacks brought to you by the Provost & Student Affairs - (Orbach Library)

Friday, June 16

• Donut Worry, Be Happy - 10:00 am* (Orbach Library)

* = while supplies last

In addition, there is a contest to win a VIP Study Room. Details for the contest are available on our Facebook page.

• Read more about Building Use Policy

More News October 21, 2016

At noon on Thursday, October 13, UC Riverside launched the kick-off for Living the Promise: The  Campaign for UC Riverside at UCR’s iconic bell tower.

This comprehensive campaign is the first of its kind for the University of California, Riverside, with a target completion date in the year 2020.

A week of celebratory events followed the launch including large and small festivities and research symposia on campus and around the region.

Campaign co-chair Dr. Thomas Haider declared, “We are very proud to announce that the goal for Living the Promise: The Campaign for UC Riverside is $300 million. It’s a very ambitious goal, but we are more than halfway there.” To date, UC Riverside has secured $155 million in gifts, more than 51% of the goal.

UCR Library has its own goal as part of the comprehensive campaign. Fundraising efforts by the Library’s development team to date have generated more than 71% of our target in contributions.

University Librarian Steven Mandeville-Gamble stated, “We’ve had such a strong start that I would love to see the library blow right past our goal.”

He added, “The library’s campaign priorities include facility enhancements, endowed support for collections, funding for paid undergraduate and graduate student internships, endowed librarianships, and a Science Fiction research center in collaboration with CHASS.”

What would reaching these goals mean in terms of impact the library could have on UCR’s students and faculty?

Right now, the library’s impact is somewhat restricted by the assets, talent, or funding that we currently have. Having more resources would allow the library to:

• enhance existing library spaces to serve the next generation of Highlanders
• design and build new library spaces to increase community engagement
• create more employment and internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students
• foster innovation and entrepreneurship
• enhance our information resources in quantity, quality, and diversity
• support leadership positions that will help guide us toward the library’s and the university’s strategic vision

Reaching our campaign goals will truly enable us to become a library of the future.

“It’s time for us to make the mark in the world that we and our students and our faculty and our staff all deserve,” commented Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox during the campaign kick-off.

The campaign has designated six key themes, “Solutions that change lives,” including: social innovation and empowerment, new voices and visions, health and wellness, from genomics to harvest, emerging technologies, and renewable nature.

As one of the few university departments connected to every field of study on campus, the UCR Library is uniquely poised to support all six of the comprehensive campaign’s themes.

More News July 02, 2015

The UCR Library has been awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association to highlight Latino American history.

A total of 203 organizations will be participating in the Latino Americans: 500 Years of History grant initiative, which seeks to familiarize public audiences with the people, places, history, and contributions of Latino Americans in the United States. The public programs slated for the grant will occur between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.

Through the Latino Americans: 500 Years of History public programs grant and its partners, the UCR Library will showcase a host of programs that include film screenings, presentations from UCR scholars, a field trip, dramatic readings, and performances. All programs will be free and open to the public.

Project partners include the UC Riverside Chicano Student Programs, the Riverside Public Library, the Spanish Town Heritage Foundation, and the Riverside Community College District’s Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties.

Latino Americans: 500 Years of History, a public programming initiative produced by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA), is part of an NEH initiative, The Common Good: The Humanities in the Public Square. 

For additional information about the UCR Library's involvement in this initiative, please contact Anthony Sanchez, Program Director, at anthony.sanchez@ucr.edu or Melissa Cardenas-Dow, Assistant Program Director, at melissa.cardenas-dow@ucr.edu.

More News March 25, 2013

By Ross French

​RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) — In the weeks since he joined the University of California, Riverside as the new University Librarian, Steven Mandeville-Gamble has impressed staff and faculty with his leadership skills and friendly, outgoing personality. But Mandeville-Gamble made an even better impression at his welcome reception, held on March 22 at the Raymond L. Orbach Science Library, by presenting a gift that had the audience buzzing.

Melissa Conway, head of Special Collections at the University of California, Riverside, holds a copy of the first American edition of “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” by Charles Darwin. New University Librarian Steven Mandeville-Gamble gave to book to the UCR Special Collections as a thank you gift. PHOTO BY ROSS FRENCH

Saying that he wanted to give back to the campus for hosting the reception in his honor, Mandeville-Gamble presented the library with a first American edition copy of Charles Darwin’s “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” from his personal collection. Published in 1873, the book elicited a “wow” from Melissa Conway, head of Special Collections at the Rivera Library.

“The first American edition of Darwin’s classic 'Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals' is a wonderful surprise and a very generous gift,” Conway said. “We are building a History of Science Collection as a complement to our outstanding Eaton Science Fiction Collection.”

“It has been a wonderful three weeks… I am so delighted by the staff I get to work with every day in all the departments of the library,” Mandeville-Gamble said during his remarks. “I have been delighted with my interactions with the faculty and the administration, and I could not be happier to be here.”

“We had the good fortune to have a number of really highly qualified candidates for the position, but in the end, it was Steven Mandeville-Gamble who clearly distinguished himself from all of the others,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Dallas Rabenstein during his introduction. Rabenstein added that he was impressed with Mandeville-Gamble’s vision, enthusiasm, depth of knowledge and commitment to creating a 21st-century library. “It became very clear that Steven was the one who could provide leadership for the library moving into the future.”

“I have a fairly big vision of where the library is going, but that vision can’t happen without people,” Mandeville-Gamble said. “I think the people are here and I think we will make a great team. I am very much looking forward to it.”

“Let’s start an interesting partnership, and let’s go places,” he added.

Guests fill the atrium of the Raymond L. Orbach Science library prior to the start of the Welcome Reception for new University Librarian Steven Mandeville-Gamble on March 22. PHOTO BY ROSS FRENCH

Mandeville-Gamble came to UCR from George Washington University, where he was associate librarian. While there he helped to raise $23 million dollars in contributions and endowments. His parents, Gary and Linda Mandeville-Gamble, travelled from their home in Ashland, Ore. to join the festivities.

Mandeville-Gamble was also presented with welcome gifts by Wanda Scruggs, the library’s development officer, and Patricia Smith-Hunt, head of preservation services and chair of the Librarian Association of UC Riverside and Julia Ree, president of the Library Staff Association.

 

More News March 26, 2025

We are excited to share that the UCR Library has fully implemented OpenAthens, a new and improved way to access library resources from off-campus! 

OpenAthens is available in addition to the existing GlobalProtect VPN, giving you more flexibility in how you connect.

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 your UCR NetID and password—no extra steps needed.

What Has Changed?

• 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

OpenAthens is the preferred method for off-campus access to library resources. However, 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?

There are several ways to use OpenAthens:

1. Start with UC Library Search (the library catalog):
   • Go to UC Library Search and select “Connect from off-campus” when prompted, or use the Sign In link at the top right. This will sign you into both your library account and OpenAthens.
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 Library” from the OpenAthens screen, if prompted.
3. Direct Links
   • Access a resource directly, like JSTOR, using an “Athenized” link: JSTOR via OpenAthens. Want to create your own links to licensed resources for use in your syllabus or Canvas? You can Athenize your links with the OpenAthens Link Generator.

More Information

Please note that a small number of resources are not accessible using OpenAthens. Please continue to use the GlobalProtect VPN for the following:

• China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI)
• Rafu Shimpo digital archive via EastView

For more information, please see our Connect from Off-Campus page and our OpenAthens FAQ.

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 June 11, 2020

After almost three months’ closure, starting Monday, June 15, 2020, you can now check out books from the Rivera and Orbach Libraries’ circulating collections via drive-up Contact-Free Curbside Delivery.

 

This service is available for UCR faculty, students, and staff, as well as those from other UC campuses who are located closer to Riverside. You may also walk (bike, skateboard, etc.) up to use this service, as long as you wear a mask and observe social distancing.

Returns

To return items, you may use the drive-up book return in Lot 1 or the book drops outside the Rivera or Orbach Libraries at any time.

The physical libraries are still closed to the public, other than this drive-up service.  See Library Resources and Services for Remote Users.

Exceptions

Books that are available digitally through the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service are not available for Curbside Pickup. In order for UCR (and the other UC campuses) to keep this HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access, we cannot loan any of those books if they are in our library. However, approximately half our UCR collection is available for Curbside Delivery.

Other materials not available for Curbside Pickup include physical Course Reserves, physical Interlibrary Loan (ILL) items, and materials from Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA). However, patrons may request digitized reproductions of SCUA items here. 

Health and Safety

The library prioritizes the health and safety of our staff and library patrons.

• We require all library staff and patrons to wear masks while in the building, or during Curbside Delivery.
• We require all library staff and patrons to practice physical distancing of at least 6 feet.
• Library staff will wear gloves when handling, processing, and delivering books to library patrons.
• Returned items will be quarantined for 72 hours before being returned to the shelves.
• Library staff regularly practice recommended hygiene practices (hand washing for 20 seconds, use of sanitizer, wiping down commonly used surfaces, etc.).

Update Aug. 27, 2021: Curbside delivery of books will end on Friday, Sept. 3.

More News September 25, 2020

The UCR Library buildings remain closed during Fall Quarter 2020 to protect the health of the essential employees who are working on the premises to meet the teaching and research needs of our undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and researchers.

Although this means that students won’t be able to enter the Rivera or Orbach Libraries during fall quarter, rest assured: the UCR Library has not forgotten about R’Students!

As soon as campus closed in mid-March, the library quickly pivoted to online access to our services and library collections, as much as we possibly could.

Following the campus guidelines from the Chancellor and Provost, we are focusing our fall quarter plans on remote services that put students first, including:

Get stuff

• Curbside delivery of physical materials
• Expanded/free digital access to existing collections
• Additional online Course Reserves (E-Reserves)

Get help

• Ask a Student (starting Sept. 28) is a new chat service that connects students with peers to provide the resources they need to be successful in a remote learning environment, in collaboration with Undergraduate Education
• Ask a Librarian (online chat 24/7, text or email)
• Librarians assigned to Highlander Connections communities for first-year and transfer students, in collaboration with Student Life
• One-on-one Consultations with UCR Librarians

Learning communities

• Biweekly Maker Meetups with the Creat’R Lab
• Biweekly Digital Scholarship meetups
• Special Collections & University Archives workshops & events
• Workshops on a variety of other topics

In 2019, the library partnered with representatives from ASUCR’s Student Voice Committee to identify more ways in which the library could support our students. Through that survey, we identified the top five challenges facing UCR students at that time. However, we recognize that new challenges have certainly arisen in this new remote learning environment.

We want you to know that we are still listening. If you have ideas on how the Library can help you during remote instruction, please fill out this form so that library leadership can consider your suggestions. You can also suggest a book you need for your research, if we don’t already have it in our collections.

We know that many students miss the community and opportunities for collaboration that came from seeing one another face-to-face at the library. Library staff miss your in-person presence every day. We are offering online meetups and workshops on an assortment of topics to facilitate human connections and a chance to learn together.

UC Riverside aims to help students succeed academically and strive toward their dreams beyond graduation. The UCR Library is here to serve you, so please, let us know how we can best support you during these challenging times.