International Education Week

About the Library

In the spring of 2008, the Library & Learning Commons opened to the public. Spanning over 194,000 square-foot and boasting four floors of dedicated study space, the library took two years to build and furnish. 

One of the most popular features of the library is our Automated Retrieval System (ARS). Commonly referred to as 'robots,' three cranes move up, down, and across the rows of metal bins to retrieve items. Once an item is requested, the crane retrieves a bin of books and brings that to the library worker, who then pulls the book from within the bin. It typically takes 10 minutes for items to be delivered to the holdshelf.

In 2017, the Santa Clara University Library was recognized as the top university library in the country with the Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The library encourages intensive study and research through electronic resources developed at SCU or accessed via the Internet, licensed online resources, and books and periodicals shelved on traditional open stacks and stored in an on-site automated retrieval system.

Archives & Special Collections

Archives & Special Collections (A&SC) is your portal to the University's archives, rare books, manuscripts, historic photos, artifacts, and much more. Located on the third floor of the library (The Reading Room), individuals can view materials such as faculty papers, SCU records, materials related to Mission Santa Clara, and rare books. One item among many that A&SC is very proud to hold is the popular children's book, Alice in Wonderland, illustrated by Salvador Dali. To view this item, you can make an appointment with A&SC by email at specialcollections@scu.edu. If you are conducting research or need help, you can also utilize their new service Chat with an Archivist!

A&SC is very active online as well. You can view their digital materials by going to SCU Digital Collections. From there, you can view and download thousands of scanned images and documents. If you enjoy blogs, take a peek at Arthur's Attic. A&SC publishes to their blog on a monthly basis, highlighting their collection and connecting that to current events. 

Library Services and Resources

During the Fall quarter, the library has some limited access to its physical space; however, online access is vibrant and evolving. In order to access online library resources, you'll need to log in to your library account using your SCU login and password. This includes access to journals, databases, ebooks, and streaming videos. These are some highlighted services that the library provides:

• Reservable study space that is limited to current SCU affiliates
• Pick up service and residential delivery service of physical library materials
• Link+ and Interlibrary Loan 
• Ask A Librarian - or set up an appointment to meet with one of the subject librarians

As a student of SCU, you have access to thousands of resources across a multitude of platforms. If you don't know your subject librarian already, take the opportunity to do so by contacting them. They come quite handy when it's time for those research projects and papers. These are some popular resources for selected disciplines:

• Business - Business Source Complete, Factiva, IBISWorld, and PrivCo
• Engineering - ASME Digital Library, BiomedicaSCIENCEnetBase, Engineering Village, and IEEE Explore
• English - Gale Literature Resource Center, Humanities Full Text, and Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts 
• History - Historical Abstract with Full Text, Loeb Classical Library, and Statistical Abstracts of the United States, 
• Public Health - Global Health, PubMed, and Web of Science

To find more databases for different disciplines, please go to our A-Z Database page and filter on "Subject". Aside from the different subject databases, students have access to other fun resources.

• Learn a new language through Mango Languages. 
• Develop new skills such as computer languages, web design, and business management through Linkedin Learning
• Access SCU senior design projects and masters and Ph.D. theses through Scholar Commons

The library and its staff are here for you during the next few years of your time at Santa Clara University. If you need help with navigating the library or want to learn more about how we can support you, please reach out to us. We're here for you. Go Broncos!