UC Santa Barbara Library is creating a new Arts Library by bringing together the Music and Art & Architecture Collections into a modernized space on the 1st floor Mountain Side. As part of the project, the Music Library collection and services moved from the Music Building to the main Library.
News and Updates
September 16, 2024: Project update
The new Arts Library is opening in late fall quarter.
Art & Architecture and Music print collections are inaccessible for public browsing until the opening of the Arts Library but can be requested via UC Library Search.
Music CDs (XCD) and LPs (XL2) now circulate outside of the Library with a 7-day loan and can also be requested via UC Library Search. Public listening stations are currently available on the 2nd floor, Ocean Side, near the Media and Curriculum Resources collections.
The Library is still accepting Course Reserves requests and material for fall quarter. The Course Reserves website allows instructors to place their own materials on reserve or request materials be placed on reserve, including physical books, e-books, digitized files (chapters, articles, etc.), and media materials. The Library no longer digitizes LPs and CDs from our collection for Course Reserves. Instructors can place LPs and CDs on physical Course Reserves or share streaming audio links with students.
The Arts Library will include fixed and flexible study tables with more than 100 seats, exhibition space, lockers, and high-density compact shelving for the Art & Architecture and Music print collections.
The Arts Library will also feature several spaces with state-of-the-art technology:
- A media lab with four workstations for video and audio post-production (reservable by UCSB faculty, students and staff)
- A production room with equipment for listening and for recording podcasts (reservable by UCSB faculty, students and staff)
- Two listening rooms with CD and LP players, headphones and speakers (reservable by UCSB faculty, students and staff)
- A seminar room with an upright piano, surround sound speakers, digital display and CD and LP players (reservable by UCSB instructors)
- A public media viewing/listening station with DVD, Blu-ray, VHS, CD, LP and cassette players, headphones and a monitor
- Scanning capabilities
June 10, 2024: Permanent closure of Music Library on August 5
The Music Library will permanently close to the public starting Monday, August 5. Music collection materials will be inaccessible to patrons for the approximately eight weeks it takes to move all collections into the Arts Library and construction is completed.
Library users are strongly encouraged to borrow materials they anticipate needing in Summer quarter and, to be safe, in early Fall quarter prior to the closure. While the Music collection is in transit, patrons may use Interlibrary Loan to obtain copies of print materials that are temporarily inaccessible.
With the start of Summer Sessions on June 24, all Music Course Reserves will move to the main Library Services Desk and patrons will no longer be able to select the Music Library as a pick-up location for Interlibrary Loan materials in UC Library Search. Patrons with Interlibrary Loan requests that are still in transit at that time should check their email notifications or library account to confirm their items’ pick-up location.
May 6, 2024: Upcoming relocation of Music Library collection and services
The Music Library will be closed to the public as early as July 22. Music collection materials will be inaccessible to patrons for the approximately eight weeks it takes to move all collections into the Arts Library and construction is completed.
Library users are strongly encouraged to borrow print materials they anticipate needing in Summer quarter and, to be safe, in early Fall quarter prior to the closure. Once the Music collection is in transit, patrons may use Interlibrary Loan to obtain copies of print materials that are temporarily inaccessible.
The Library is exploring keeping the Music Library services desk and the Seminar Room open as long as possible over the summer to accommodate access to listening equipment for the media collections and to assist patrons with questions.
All Music Course Reserves will move to the main Library Services Desk starting with the summer sessions. Digitization of Library media collections for Course Reserves will be discontinued at the beginning of Fall quarter. We have many subscriptions to streaming music content and are in the process of purchasing new streaming resources. Links to this content can be placed on electronic Course Reserves. Additionally, physical media can be placed on Course Reserves for all students in a course.
Library users will be notified of the exact dates of the Music collection move, permanent closure of the Music Library, and other milestones as soon as possible.
March 13, 2024: Closure date confirmed
The Art & Architecture space – inclusive of collections and study space – will be closed to the public for construction starting Monday, April 1. Read the news release
Please follow the instructions below for requesting Art & Architecture print materials that will be inaccessible for browsing during construction.
February 28, 2024: Upcoming closure of Art & Architecture space
The Art & Architecture space – inclusive of collections and study space – will be closed to the public for construction as early as Sunday, March 31. Library users will be notified of the exact closure date as soon as possible.
Art & Architecture General Collection print materials with call numbers ND-NX, Art & Architecture Oversize materials, and Art & Architecture Art Exhibition Catalogs will be inaccessible for browsing during construction and must be requested.
To request an item with these call numbers after the closure of the Art & Architecture space:
- Open the item’s record in UC Library Search
- Click on “Sign in” in the yellow box and sign into your Library account
- Click on the “Request” button under “Access In Library” to open the request form
- Press “Send Request” to submit the form
Requested materials will be paged Monday-Friday and must be picked up at the Services Desk.
December 12, 2023: Project update
The Library anticipates closing the Art & Architecture space for construction in March or April 2024. Library users will be notified in advance of the exact closure date and other major milestones to minimize the project’s impact on their research, teaching and learning.
The relocation of Art & Architecture General Collection print materials with call numbers TR has been completed. The materials are now located on the 2nd floor Mountain Side, to the west of Graduate Study Room 2504.
October 20, 2023: World Comics Collection and Social Justice Zine Collection relocated
The World Comics Collection and the Social Justice Zine Collection have been relocated from the Art & Architecture space on the 1st floor to the 2nd floor Mountain Side, to the north of Graduate Study Room 2504.
August 21, 2023: Upcoming Art & Architecture collection relocations 
Art & Architecture General Collection print materials with call numbers N-NC will be relocated from the Art & Architecture space on the 1st floor to a temporary location on the 2nd floor Mountain Side from September 18 to October 3, 2023. During the move, some items may be temporarily unavailable while in transit.
Art & Architecture General Collection print materials with call numbers TR will be moved from the Art & Architecture space on the 1st floor to the 2nd floor Mountain Side in Fall Quarter.
If you have difficulties locating an item with these call numbers, please visit the Services Desk on the 1st floor or chat with a librarian online.
April 26, 2023: UCSB Library announces Arts Library Project
UC Santa Barbara Library is planning a new Arts Library by bringing together the Music and Art & Architecture Collections into a modernized space in the main Library building. As part of the project, the Music Library collection and services will be moved from the Music Building to the main Library. The open stacks collection will be incorporated into the space on the 1st floor Mountain Side where the Art & Architecture Collection is currently housed. To accommodate the Music Library collections and enable the future growth of print collections, high-density compact shelving will replace the current fixed shelving.
The space will be modified and updated to create an increased number of user spaces, including fixed and flexible study tables, three listening rooms and a media studio with state-of-the-art technology, a group study room, and a seminar room with a piano. The Arts Library will also contain exhibition space and lockers.
The new Arts Library will allow users of the Music Collection to benefit from the interdisciplinary possibilities that come with easier access to other Library collections and services. It will also allow the Library to take advantage of operational efficiencies that come with the consolidation of all collections and services under one roof.
More Information
For more information, contact Alan Grosenheider, Deputy University Librarian.
