UCSB Library - Santa Barbara, California

Abby P.

Most beautiful library I’ve ever been to! The top floor on the ocean view side is my personal favorite, when I’m feeling cooped up studying in my room and don’t want to deal with the elements while studying outside this place is perfect. Still get amazing views and sun without any of the hassle!

Tyler C.

I’ve watched as the academic environment has degraded over the past 5+ years. Very disappointing. Noise cancelling headphones are mandatory due to the lack of respect shown towards other students, and the lack of accountability on the part of staff.

In most areas, students laugh, shout, watch videos, and hold leisurely conversations, all at full volume, as if they were outdoors or at a party. When library staff are asked to help, they refuse, or suggest moving away from the loud students, or to a “quiet floor” (floors 5-8).

Are libraries not intended to be relatively quiet places for academic study and learning? Discussing course material at a low volume is one thing. Laughing and shouting about friendship drama, influencer reactions, recent movies, and sports outcomes, with feet on the desks and tables, and phones in hand, is another.

One can only conclude this is reflective of the overall seriousness of the institution. It’s not difficult to enforce basic rules which preserve the study environment for all students. The refusal of those running the library to do this speaks volumes about the leadership and its priorities.

For anyone considering donating to the school, come spend a day in the library. Imagine yourself trying to learn and understand difficult concepts in the setting you experience. Consider how that experience translates into classroom outcomes. Is this a productive or efficient use of your money?

For anyone considering sending their children to this school, I encourage you to do the same. Surely the students coming to the library tell themselves they’re serious about their studies. But their behavior tells a different story. This is not a place which celebrates the academic spirit. These students are not being taught the difference between work and play. Is this what you want for your kids?

For anyone who lives in California: you directly pay to subsidize this as a public university.

For anyone who lives in the US: you indirectly pay for this through inflationary debt and loan forgiveness.

The character developed here is not what we should expect, and is not what we need of our next generation of leaders, or responsible and productive citizens.

Jin H.

The desk and chair are uncomfortable and dirty, especially chairs with fabric. I believe student gonna have neck, back and skin issues. the air in the library is bad. Feel like it stagnated in the library for a very long time. The place can be much cleaner if sanitation tissues provided.

social3ngin33rin

Great library.
Great place to study.
The library can be extremely packed during midterms and finals.
One of the few university libraries in CA open nearly 24/7 all year, and one of the best perks of being a student at UCSB.
The staff are quite resourceful.

There's a tall Caucasian guy who will walk around messing with students during the afterhours. He once threw a random backpack near me and ran away. Another time (I'm not sure if it's the same dude but both were abnormally tall so it's statistically likely), he turned off the bathroom lights and sprinted away; his behavior is much like how a grade school student would behave if they were in a university library after-hours. I should've reported him both times but I'm exhausted when it's late into the AM hours.

Beware overnight students, but he should've graduated by now.

Oh yeah, I remember one of the cleaning ladies (a Karen) called campus security on me because I was on the floor, 20ft from their cleaning room. I can't understand all of your Spanish but I know enough to hear you talking about me being there and your coworker saying to leave me alone because I was doing nothing. That's why I was against raises your union wanted.

Jared F.

The library is my home away from home. It's by far my favorite study environment on campus, and it really really helps for when you want to focus. If you can't seem to get your act together, try using the library computers since it will prove to be significantly less of a distraction than your own devices. Also, it's a great place to just chill out between classes, since it's in the middle of campus.

Sean T.

During the final week, the library has been sending people to patrol and hunt students for not wearing a mask like a dog. They have been putting out extremely serious announcements every 30 mins, making the environment hostile and unwelcoming.
1 star for UCSB's heavy bureaucracy. The extra star is for the awesome students.

Ziv W.

Pretty good studying spots but overall spots could be cleaner, quieter, with newer equipments etc. Really really hard to find the right books here.

Jameson D.

Pretty good library overall but would be better if they ran continuous screenings of the emoji movie 24/7, other than that pretty good.