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Dear Friends of the UCLA Library,
As those of us who love UCLA Library know, research libraries have a profound responsibility to provide access to resources and services both in our physical library locations and via our online portal — library.ucla.edu. This remote research library is now our fastest growing. In fact, UCLA Library manages and makes available nearly 436 million megabytes of digital collections, which is more than any other library in the UC system.
This past year, librarians and staff added and made accessible digital materials at a fast clip:
- E-serials and databases jumped 58 percent, bringing the total number to 428,186;
- The UCLA community gained access to 43,407 newly purchased e-books;
- Rare and unique digital items developed and added to Library Digital Collections increased 13 percent, bringing the total number of items to 435,784;
- Nearly 19,000 new global collections materials were made publicly accessible through the Modern Endangered Archives Program.
While links to these new materials were being loaded into the online catalog, staff have been diligently working to strategically upgrade and redesign the Library website with the aim of making it more welcoming and helpful for users. The new site is expected to launch in February.
Of course, remote resources and access to digital materials are not a substitute for physical library locations; they are additive, especially on a campus like UCLA’s, which prioritizes in-person teaching and learning. A remote library cannot replace the experience of engaging directly with primary source materials with library experts or support studying and group work, for example, nor can it be a location for the important work we do to protect and preserve distinctive collections for future generations.
Both types of library locations – physical and remote – are vital to moving knowledge forward. In the coming year, UCLA Library will continue to build collections, deliver services and technological resources, enhance facilities, and to present programs that foster research, teaching, and learning on campus and online.
With warm regards,
Virginia Steel
Norman and Armena Powell University Librarian