Library

Visit program website.

Summary Description

About the Library

The UCSF Library is one of the preeminent health sciences libraries in the world, containing an expansive collection of the world’s health sciences knowledge base. At its core, the Library facilitates connections to information and people by delivering a diverse range of human-centered services to the UCSF community and the public. Through its digital and physical spaces, the Library cultivates experiences that nurture progressive learning, meaningful engagement, and open creativity. As a vital campus resource, we are dedicated to supporting the UCSF mission of advancing health worldwide.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive Library as a means of promoting health equity and counteracting historic and current systems of oppression. This commitment also applies to materials related to archives and special collections.

Our Mission

The UCSF Library connects people to stimulate inclusive learning, advance scientific inquiry, and enable open access to historical and current health sciences information resources.

Our Services

  • Searching and Managing the Literature: Get expert guidance on discovering resources and services that help you find and manage the information you need. We offer consultations and workshops to support your educational, research, and clinical care needs.
  • Data Science and Open Scholarship: Faculty, staff, and trainees in the UCSF community can receive support and guidance on generative AI, computational and data skills, maximizing the reach and impact of their work, and understanding their rights to use and share their work on scholarly communication platforms. We offer consultations and workshops. 
  • The Makers Lab at UCSF: Explore and learn through interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on discovery, from 3D printing to textile crafting and more.
  • Archives and Special Collections: Get access to rare and unique materials to support research and teaching in the history of the health sciences, UCSF history, and health humanities. We offer in-person and remote reference, reproductions, and research services. 
  • Multimedia Hardware and Software: Faculty, staff, and students in the UCSF community can get guidance and access to equipment, software, and spaces for DIY multimedia content production.
  • Industry Documents Library: Use this rich and growing collection to aid in investigations about cross-industry corporate practices that are detrimental to public health. The Industry Documents Library comprises millions of documents generated by the tobacco, pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and fossil fuel industries.
  • Library Innovative Technology: Students, faculty, and staff can engage with technology and explore new teaching and learning opportunities throughout the library's tech-enhanced spaces.
  • Library Events and Classes: Sign up for free workshops and special events on a range of topics led by UCSF Library staff and invited presenters.
  • Digital and Print Collections: Get access to a wide range of health sciences books, journals, databases, and multimedia to support all research and learning efforts at UCSF. Our partnership with the California Digital Library expands our access to include cross-disciplinary resources.
  • Study and Collaborative Spaces: Use our individual and group study rooms, enclosed faculty carrels, and other spaces for study and collaboration. Select library spaces located on the Parnassus Heights and Mission Bay campuses are available 24/7 with your UCSF ID badge.
  • Social and Event Spaces: Relax in our living room area, complete with a café. Enjoy events in our multipurpose spaces, such as the Lange Room, which offers breathtaking views of the bay and surrounding areas. Visit our library locations at Parnassus Heights, Mission Bay, or the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital campus.