Tools: UC Library Search Basics

With UC Library Search you can find and borrow materials from UC Libraries quickly and easily. The libraries on all 10 University of California campuses are connected through UC Library Search, a unified discovery and borrowing system. 

With UC Library Search, you are able to:

• Search UCSB’s local library collection and all 10 UC libraries’ collections in the same system;

• Locate millions of print and online books, journal articles, and other content;

• Borrow and renew materials from any library in the UC system using only your UCSB NetID and password. 

The search box on the UCSB Library website directs you to the Simple Search for UC Library Search by typing a title or one or more words into this search box will return results that contain all or part of your specified terms. Once you have been directed to your results from the UCSB Library website, you will find this Simple Search box remains at the top of your screen. 

When you type into the Simple Search box at the top of your screen, you will be given a drop-down menu with a variety of scoping options.

Scoping Options:  

Articles, Books, and More: Everything provided by all UC Campuses plus other libraries

UCSB Library Catalog: Resources only from UC Santa Barbara

UCSB Course Reserves: Resources reserved for courses offered at UC Santa Barbara

UCSB Special Research Collections: Resources only from UC Santa Barbara Special Collections

UC Library Search also offers an Advanced Search option. Use this search to build complex search phrases and limit results to specified parameters. You can find the link for UC Library Advanced Search under the search box on the UCSB Library website.

Field Selector: Use the field selector to specify where a search term or phrase should be applied.

The default is for the term or phrase to be searched in "Any field," but you can search by Title, Author/Creator, Subject, series, ISSN, ISBN, or Call Number.

Boolean Operators: AND, OR, NOT. Operators inserted between your search term or phrase to expand or narrow your results

AND: Requires both terms are present in the result list. Results will decrease as both terms must be present.

OR: Either term can be present in the result list. Results will increase as one or both terms can be present.

NOT: Removes results with a given term. Results will decrease as results with that term will be omitted.

Search Type: Between the Field Selector and your term or phrase allows you to specify how your search is directed.

contains: Results will include all terms in any order and may not be next to or near each other in the search results.

is (exact): Results will include all terms in the exact order provided.

starts with: Results will include items that begin with provided terms.  

Additional Filters: Use the filters on the right of your search to narrow your search.

Material Type: All items, Journals, Books, Articles, Images, Sound recordings, Video/Film, Dissertations

Language: Choose from 20 different languages

Start/End Date: Choose a range of dates by inserting day, month, year

Use the facets on the left side of the results screen to narrow your search.

If you have identified an item that is checked out, or not available at UCSB, you will first need to sign in.

Next, select the link for Interlibrary Loan.

Enter your library card/account number, which is the number listed on the bottom of your UCSB Access card below the barcode.

After you submit the form and the item has been sent from elsewhere, it will be available for you at the Services Desk. The library will notify you when it is available for pick up.