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More News April 23, 2021

The UCR Library has recently acquired access to the digital archive of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS).

This archive completes the library’s collection of digital archives from Wiley, which includes the New York Academy of Sciences, the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, the Royal College of Physicians, and the Royal Geographical Society.

This archive documents 150 years of scientific discovery, from the BAAS’ founding in 1831 through the 1970s. The materials within track Britain’s emergence as a center for science and provide an insider’s perspective that researchers can’t get anywhere else: more than ninety percent of the content within this unique archive has never been cataloged or available digitally until now.

The BAAS embodied the organized, and successful, efforts of the British scientific community to transform science from a self-funded endeavor of the wealthy into a government-funded professional activity at the center of social and economic development. In 2009, BAAS became the British Science Association (BSA). The new association has expanded on the original mission of putting science at the center of society, culture and education, and is focused on increasing the number, range and diversity of people actively engaged with scientific studies, activities and developments.

This is the only archive connecting the works, thoughts, and interactions of the most influential scientists of the time, from Darwin to Ramsay, and documenting the history of British science from the 1830s through the 1970s across disciplines and universities.

Use this link to access the British Association for the Advancement of Science. If connecting from off-campus, be sure to sign into the Global Connect VPN first.

More News May 02, 2024

This month, we’re excited to highlight two digital collections—whether you're seeking personal growth, cultural enrichment, or both, these digital collections are for you! 

Mental Health, Wellness, and Self-Improvement Collection

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Find books in this collection to help you with your wellness, goals, and aspirations. Access the collection here.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Collection

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with us! From compelling biographies to insightful fiction, explore narratives that enrich your understanding of the AAPI experience. 

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Check out these collections and more at ucr.overdrive.com or download the Libby app and add the UCR Library as a “library”. Students, faculty, and staff can use their UCR credentials to access these books for free from their computer, phone, laptop, or tablet!

More News February 12, 2018

Currently an institutional archivist for The J. Paul Getty Trust, the world's largest cultural and philanthropic organization dedicated to the visual arts, class of ’08 alumna Sara Seltzer began her career as a UCR Library student employee in Special Collections and University Archives.

“I’ll never forget when I got that job,” Seltzer said. “I came home that day and told my parents about it and my dad was like, ‘This is the start of your career!’ And I said, ‘I guess it is!’”

From a young age, Seltzer’s family instilled a love of history and literature into her life. “My mom in particular is a huge history buff and culture fiend,” she said. “Growing up we always went to museums, we always did lots of cultural things. I had influential people who exposed me to the kinds of environments where archives live.”

Her grandmother was a Cuban refugee who later worked in the corporate library for Southern California Edison, which also inspired Seltzer’s career goals. “That was her favorite job,” she explained.

Her academic studies at UC Riverside focused on European history and art history, while at the library Seltzer felt most passionate about working with archives tied to British history. “I’m a huge Anglophile, so that was exciting,” she said of working with the Ann Harris correspondence  in 2009, among other projects for Special Collections and University Archives.

As a student employee, she appreciated the autonomy that her supervisors gave her, as it helped to build confidence in her own judgment and critical thinking skills. “Since I knew this was the path that I wanted, I was very thankful for that job and I took it very seriously,” she explained. “It was a bit unusual for student workers to be given that responsibility, but when it’s the right student worker, they get a lot out of it.”

Seltzer believes that library student employees can reap more long-term benefits than students at most typical entry-level jobs. “The library is so much more than just people working with books,” she explained. “There’s a huge demand for people with programming skills in this field, people who understand digital technologies, user experience designers. This is an opportunity to gain professional experience and to find a career path. It’s a viable field and it’s growing all the time.”

After graduation, Seltzer remained at the library until 2009 for an internship supervised by Manuel Urrizola, Head of Metadata & Technical Services. “He was very inspiring. He took me under his wing,” she commented. “He taught me all the basics of cataloging before I even started library school.” After graduating from UCLA with a MLIS in Archival Studies, Seltzer eventually moved to her current position where she is responsible for managing the current and historic business records of the J. Paul Getty Museum.

“I’m still working and doing what I always wanted to do,” Seltzer reflected. “I’m really happy with this path that I’ve been put on. It all pretty much began here, so I’m really grateful to UCR Library for giving me my start.”

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 second 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 February 10, 2020

One of only nine living Tuskegee Airmen, retired United States Air Force Colonel Charles McGee has kicked off 2020 with fanfare befitting a centenarian.

On Feb. 2, he presented the coin for the on-field coin toss for Superbowl LIV at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL, along with three other 100-year-old World War II veterans. The NFL ceremony acknowledged the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and celebrated 100 years of professional football.

During the 2020 State of the Union address on Feb. 4, the U.S. President recognized McGee, announcing his recent honorary promotion to Brigadier General. McGee saluted as the audience gave two standing ovations while 13-year-old Iain Lanphier stood beside his great-grandfather, smiling proudly up at his hero and inspiration. Lanphier hopes to join the U.S. Space Force, the newest branch of the Armed Forces, inspired by McGee’s achievements.

His noteworthy life and military career are represented in the Charles E. McGee papers (MS 272), which are available at the UCR Library in Special Collections and University Archives on the fourth floor of the Tomás Rivera Library. McGee donated his collection of military documents, administrative records, photographs and artifacts to the UCR Library in 2015. A small portion of the collection has been digitized and made available online through Calisphere. “We are currently in the process of completing the digitization,” said Tiffany Moxham, Assistant University Librarian for Content and Discovery. “It should be up before summer.”

A Cleveland, Ohio native, McGee enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942 and became part of the Tuskegee Airmen, earning his pilot’s wings and graduating from Class 43-F in 1943. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first group of African-American military aviators (fighter and bomber pilots), who served in World War II after training at Tuskegee Army Airfield and Moton Field in Alabama. Before the Tuskegee Airmen, no African-American had been a U.S. military pilot. McGee was stationed in Italy with the 302nd Fighter Squadron of the 332d Fighter Group.

In his 30 years of military service, he flew 409 aerial fighter combat missions, including service in WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War -- one of the highest counts recorded by any Air Force fighter pilot. McGee retired from active duty in 1973 with many service awards.

Additionally, in 2007 President Bush and the U.S. Congress awarded the nation’s highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, to McGee and all other Tuskegee Airmen, both living and deceased. In 2011, McGee was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. George Lucas consulted McGee for his 2012 feature film Red Tails, named after the distinctive markings of the Tuskegee Airmen’s aircraft. McGee also earned the Eagle Scout award from the Boy Scouts of America in 1940.

More News June 22, 2016

Two changes took effect in the UCR Library on Wednesday, June 22nd.

First, the last coin towers were removed. This means that from now on, all the UCR Library printers and copiers will only accept payments via R’Cards / Bear Bucks.

Secondly, per campus policy, library desk staff will no longer be able to make change, whether for vending machines or for any other purposes.

We have already posted notices on all the Library’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), and on printed signs within the Library, as well.

Please help us to spread the word to students, faculty, and staff who have not yet seen the notices. We thank you for understanding.

More News January 03, 2017

The holiday season tends to inspire a spirit of giving and goodwill. Access Services Desk Supervisor Leslie Settle has discovered a way to extend that magnanimous feeling throughout the whole year.

It began five years ago, when Leslie first heard about the Guardian Scholars Program during a Staff Assembly. “I recognized one of the students in their advertisement photo as someone who comes to the front desk all the time,” Leslie explained.

Connecting a familiar face to the mission of Guardian Scholars is what inspired Leslie to make a monthly donation to the program via payroll deduction. “When I was a student here, I never knew that UCR did this,” Leslie said. An alumna of UC Riverside (class of 2006, B.A. in Political Science and Ethnic Studies, and 2009, M.A. in Public Administration), Leslie understands well the demands of student life.

Learning about what the Guardian Scholars Program does was eye-opening in many ways for Leslie. “I didn’t know that kids in the foster system get completely cut off when they turn 18, so it’s like becoming homeless all over again,” she explained. “I thought to myself, ‘That isn’t right and I must help.’ A lot of these scholars are young, single parents, and they’re trying to go to school and take care of their family at the same time. I remember as a student having no home to go home to, since my mother was homeless. And now that I’ve been blessed, I want to help by blessing others.”

“The Guardian Scholars Program provides housing for them, it gives them school supplies, and money for things like going to the movies with their kids,” Leslie continued. “Some of the Guardian Scholars will write a personal thank-you note and send it to your house. Some will even send you pictures of their kids. It’s very sweet.”

“Guardian Scholars is among a few of the popular, ‘feel good’ programs that UCR staff and faculty can donate to,” explained Lily Barger, Director of Annual Giving. Lily stated that others include R’Pantry, Scholarship Assistance, the Living the Promise fund, and R’Garden.

“The R’Garden is a great link between the community and the university,” said Lily. “People who live in Riverside can get a plot in the garden. Food grown there goes to the families, to the UCR Food Pantry, and to a few local food pantries, as well.”

 “It blesses me to give because I love helping people. I know without help, I would not be where I am today,” Leslie explained. “I felt like I could do more, so I told some coworkers about Guardian Scholars. A few others signed up to give, too, because of what I had shared, which was great to see. And giving to UCR is so easy – one form to fill out, and you never have to think about it again.” In addition to giving to the Guardian Scholars Program, Leslie also donates each month to Society 54, which supports the UC Riverside Staff Assembly.

If you feel inspired by Leslie’s story, there are many programs that could use your support. You can learn more about the different ways to give to UCR, or speak with any member at UCR’s Office of Development to learn about how to participate in the Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign.

 “The library would be thrilled to be a leader on campus, not only in our services, but also in our sense of community, spirit, and campus-wide support,” said Samantha Lang, Director of Development for Campus-wide Initiatives, “The library would love to achieve 100% participation in the Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign, which is part of UCR’s Living the Promise Comprehensive Campaign. And ‘participation’ can be a simple, one-time $25 donation to anywhere on campus, not just the library.”

An added bonus is that each donation counts as a charitable deduction come tax season. “This is a great alternative to giving just at the end of the year,” Leslie explained. “If everybody who works at UCR gave a little each month, we could raise millions of dollars each year.”

• Read more about Hans Albert Einstein Papers

More News August 30, 2022

Cell Press publishes 50 scientific journals in the life, physical, earth, and health sciences. The Lancet is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious medical journals.

Beginning September 1, 2022, UC corresponding authors publishing in Elsevier’s prestigious Cell Press and The Lancet journals will be able to publish their articles as open access with financial support from the UC libraries.

When UC reached its landmark open access agreement with Elsevier in 2021, the full suite of journals published by Cell Press and The Lancet were not included. UC and Elsevier agreed that these high-cost journals would be phased in at a later date, once certain financial terms of the agreement were met. The inclusion of Cell Press and The Lancet titles adds to the 2,300 Elsevier journals that have been eligible for open access publishing support since the start of the agreement in 2021.

The agreement now enables corresponding UC authors to publish open access in Cell Press and The Lancet journals, regardless of whether they have research funds available to pay for open access publishing. All authors who choose to publish open access will receive a 10 percent discount on the open access fee (also known as an article processing charge, or APC) and the UC libraries will automatically pay the first $1,000 of the APC. For authors who do not have funds available to pay the remainder, the libraries will cover the full cost of the APC on their behalf, ensuring that lack of research funds does not present a barrier for UC authors who wish to publish open access.

"We are able to make this financial support for open access publishing in subscription-based Cell Press and The Lancet journals available now because many UC authors publishing with Elsevier in the past year have contributed research funds to pay a portion of the open access article publication fees,” said Ellen Finnie, Director of Shared Collections in UC’s California Digital Library. “This important step is a reflection of how UC's shared funding model can work -- and enables us to add library support for authors publishing in these titles now, as well."

For more details on this deal, please see the overview and FAQ of the Elsevier open access agreement.

For more information on the UC portfolio of open access agreements and discounts, read this overview of the UC Publisher OA Agreements and Discounts.

Information on additional local agreements can be found on our Open Access @ UCR webpage.

More News May 05, 2017

Diversity and inclusion have been discussed in the academic and library settings for some time.

On Monday, May 15, 2017, the Diversity Committee and the Programs Committee of the Librarians Association of the University of California, Riverside (LAUC-R) will present a panel of speakers who will provide a snapshot of where we are today, in the profession and at the local campus level. What can UCR librarians contribute to diversity and inclusion?  Let’s have an open dialogue about areas we can impact and actions we could take to enhance our roles in the library and contribute to the academic environment.

What:                    “Diversity, Inclusion, and the UCR Library”
                                Panel Presentation and Discussion/Q&A

When:                  Monday, May 15, 2017, 1:00-3:00 pm

Where:                 Rm. 240, Orbach Science Library

Who:                     UCR librarians, library staff, and open to audience members interested in diversity, inclusion, and academic libraries

Staff Panelists: 

• Melissa Cardenas-Dow, Social Sciences Librarian at Sacramento State University (formerly UCR) and active in professional library organizations on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Mariam Beevi Lam, Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion at UCR

Student Services Panelists:

• Arlene Cano Matute, Program Coordinator from Chicano Student Programs and UCR alumna
• Nancy Jean Tubbs, Director of the LGBT Resource Center.

Light refreshments will be served.

More News July 24, 2024

The UCR Library is excited to announce our new access to Roper iPoll, a comprehensive database containing public opinion polling data and survey research.

This invaluable resource includes national, state, and foreign surveys on a wide variety of social, political, and cultural topics. Users can explore questions, trends, demographics, and datasets, providing a wealth of information for research and analysis.

Roper iPoll is built on the extensive archive of the Roper Center for Public Opinion and Research. With Roper iPoll, search over 880,000 questions and 25,000 datasets!

We invite the UCR community to explore Roper iPoll and take advantage of this powerful research tool. Make sure to visit the website while logged into the campus VPN or using the campus Wi-Fi.