Information for undergraduates

Overview 

The UC Berkeley Library is committed to assisting undergraduate students in reaching their academic and research goals. The Library team is here to support you every step of the way. Get started with the following resources and services. 

The Library also has unique services for graduate students and GSIs. 

Access

  • Your Cal 1 Card serves as your library card for borrowing materials and for access to the Main (Gardner) Stacks, Doe Library (after 8 p.m.), and the Media Resources Center.
  • You can also use your Cal 1 Card to pay for printing in the libraries. Scanning to email, cloud storage, and to a USB drive is free.
  • Borrowing — Basic information regarding your library card, checking out, and renewing materials.
  • Loan periods vary by library and material type, though most books are checked out to undergraduate students for three months, and one week for serials.
  • Renewing — Options and rules for renewals
  • UC Library Search — All 10 UC libraries, UC’s two off-campus storage complexes, and collections worldwide
  • Course reserves — Find materials on reserve in a campus library for specific classes. Online reserves are usually available via the bCourses site for your class.
  • Off-campus access to electronic resources — Access online resources from home using either the library proxy or VPN with your CalNet ID.
  • Databases — Search for article databases, e-book collections, digitized primary resources collections, statistical sources, and more.
  • Article databases — Search for article databases by keyword (for example, "JSTOR," "newspapers," or "history").
  • Disability resources — Find equal-access Library services and research assistance for persons with physical and print disabilities.
  • Unregistered or on filing fee status — UC Berkeley undergraduates who are completing unfinished course work, or graduate students who are on filing fee status, may have their library privileges extended.

Research support

  • Research help — Contact a librarian in person, by phone, email, or chat for assistance with your research.
  • Research appointments — Undergraduates can make a 30-minute appointment with a librarian for help with library research in the humanities and social sciences.
  • Study spaces -— Find study areas, study carrels, and other amenities in the libraries.
  • Reserve group study rooms in the Main (Gardner) Stacks, and select subject specialty libraries.
  • Equipment lending — Find a laptop, other electronic devices, and accessories to borrow in the libraries. Short term and extended loan periods are available.
  • Library guides and tutorials — Learn about library tools, research skills, citations, and more.
    • Evaluating resources — Learn how to evaluate sources for your next research project.
    • How to read call numbers — Learn how to find titles on the shelves of the UC Berkeley libraries using call numbers.
    • How to read citations — Learn to distinguish one kind of citation from another (a book from a journal article, for example)
  • Workshops
  • Subject guides for help finding discipline specific resources
  • Charlene Conrad Liebau Library Prize for Undergraduate Research — The Library awards up to six annual prizes for the best lower-division ($750) and upper-division ($1,000) papers from courses taught in departments across the campus.
  • Student Learning Center — The SLC in the César Chávez Student Center is the primary academic support unit for UC Berkeley. The SLC offers both drop-in and appointment-based writing help for undergraduates.

Requesting materials from other libraries

  • UC Library Search — Search for materials in all UC campus libraries and worldwide. Use the link in the Get It section to borrow materials unavailable in the UC Berkeley libraries.
  • NRLF — Some UC Berkeley materials are shelved at the Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF) in Richmond. Use the link in the Get It section to send materials shelved in NRLF to an on-campus library for check-out or library use.
  • Interlibrary Loan — The program assists users to obtain materials that are not available at UC Berkeley.

Computers, printing, and scanning

  • Printing and scanning — Information about using BookScan stations for printing and scanning. Scanning to a USB is free!
  • Computers in the libraries — Information on computing, Wi-fi, and desktop application availability in the Library.

Student employment

  • Student jobs at the Library — Learn about the variety of student jobs and view job postings from Library Human Resources. The most current job postings are posted outside Doe Library, Room 110.

Library policies

  • Library code of conduct — Read about standards for Library use intended to create a safe and pleasant research environment for all patrons.
  • Library privacy policy — The Library is responsible for safeguarding the confidentiality of a borrower’s transactions, as mandated by the California Information Practices Act of 1977.
  • Database conditions of use — It is the responsibility of individual users to ensure their use of Library electronic resources does not breach the terms and conditions specified in the license agreements.

More information