Delmar T. Oviatt Library
- Dean: Mark Stover
mark.stover@csun.edu - Phone: (818) 677-2271
- Fax: (818) 677-2676
- http://library.csun.edu
The Oviatt Library (OV) is located in the center of campus. Librarians and other library personnel are dedicated to helping students achieve their educational goals. The Library has extensive collections and services, both in-house and online. Reading, study, and collaborative areas, as well as computers, are located throughout the building. The Learning Commons, a large open area on the first floor of the building, is dedicated to collaborative learning and group study in a relaxed and friendly environment. The Library also houses the Freudian Sip, a café located in the lobby. The Creative Media Studio, a space dedicated to the creation of multimedia, is also located on the main floor. The third floor of the Library features the Learning Resource Center (LRC), which offers a variety of learning programs, including reading and writing skill workshops, one-on-one and group tutoring, the LRC Testing Lab, and supplemental instruction classes.
Specialized services for faculty, undergraduate and graduate students are available.
Library hours vary by time of the academic year and at different service points. They are posted at the Library’s entrance and can be found on the Library Hours webpage.
Oviatt Library Resources
The Oviatt Library has a collection containing 2.1 million volumes, of which more than 1.5 million are books, and over 250,000 are bound periodical volumes. The Library subscribes to 53,000 online journals, over 2,300 print journals, over 200 online databases and more than 570,000 e-books. The microform collection contains 3.17 million pieces. There are more than 13,000 sound recordings, 45,000 film and video recordings, and nearly 60,000 pictures and other graphic materials. The archives and manuscript collection exceeds 11,000 linear feet of materials, with nearly 45,000 items housed in Special Collections. Less frequently used books and most bound periodicals, including most microforms, are stored in the Library’s Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS). Stored items may be requested from OneSearch or at the Guest Services desk and retrieved from the ASRS in approximately 10 minutes.
Assistive Technology Workstations
The Library has four dedicated assistive technology study rooms featuring a wide range of sophisticated hardware and software designed to increase access to Library resources for students with disabilities. The rooms are located on the First Floor of the West Wing. CSUN students who want to use one of these rooms may obtain a key at the Guest Services desk. Students will be asked to present their card from the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) office indicating that they have received appropriate training on the equipment and software. Please check with the DRES Office, Bayramian Hall 110, for more information about using these rooms. Upon request, assistance such as photocopying and book retrieval is available at the Guest Services desk.
Computers
The Oviatt Library provides access to computers throughout the building in support of research and learning at California State University, Northridge. Most workstations are restricted to current CSUN students, faculty and staff. A large number of desktop computers are available for students to access productivity software and search a wide variety of electronic resources and databases. Most workstations are in the Learning Commons, located on the main floor. Labs A, B and C, while often reserved for library instruction, can be used when no class is in session. Schedules are posted on the doors. There are also computers on each floor in the stacks, as well as in Music and Media on the second floor, and Reserves, Periodicals, and Microform on the fourth floor. The Learning Commons Technology Office offers computer assistance and productivity software help, and also loans out laptops and tablets. Students can obtain help with their computer accounts and other related questions from the Campus IT desk, also located in the Learning Commons. Wireless access to the campus network and the Internet is available throughout the library building.
Copying, Printing and Scanning Services
Self-service photocopy machines are located on each floor of the Library. Photocopying requires a copy/print debit card, which may be purchased from vending machines in the following locations:
- Learning Commons Technology Office (Main Floor)
- Music and Media (Second Floor, East Wing)
- Third Floor Core (adjacent to the Visitor Stations)
The Library offers printing for CSUN students, faculty and staff through Lab Printing @ CSUN. Lab Printing @ CSUN utilizes a print management system called GoPrint. This system supports campus-wide efforts to go green and helps track print usage to aid in allocating costs for printer services on campus. Lab Printing @ CSUN requires no debit card and is available in the following areas of the Library:
- Learning Commons (Main Floor Core and West Wing)
- Library Labs A, B and C (Main Floor Core and West Wing)
- Reserves, Periodicals and Microform (Fourth Floor, East Wing)
CSUN students are given $10 (approximately 100 pages) of printing each semester, which is posted to their individual GoPrint accounts. Once these funds have been used, students have the option to add money to their GoPrint accounts.
The Library also provides self-service scanning for CSUN students, faculty and staff. A flatbed scanner is located in the Learning Commons next to the Main Floor Core printers. Multi-functional scanners with page feed and overhead scanning capabilities, in addition to flatbed, are located in Music and Media (Second Floor, East Wing) and at Reserves, Periodicals and Microform (Fourth Floor, East Wing). A photo and film scanner can also be checked out to CSUN students for use in the Creative Media Studio (Learning Commons, West Wing).
Creative Media Studio (CMS)
The Creative Media Studio is a dynamic learning environment with an audio recording studio and sophisticated computer hardware and software, which enables students to create multimedia for their course or personal projects. The Creative Media Studio also offers workshops for students to become familiar with the studio’s creative space, as well as its hardware and software. With eight individual 27-inch iMac computers available via reservation, students can visit the Creative Media Studio to learn how to utilize software programs in creating videos, digital audio recordings, and other multimedia projects. Reservations are required to use the computers and/or book the recording studio. The Creative Media Studio Service Desk also has several items available for students to checkout for one week including DSLR cameras, microphones, tripods, and many others. The service desk also has items available for students to checkout and use within the department including a scanner, headphones, drawing tablets, MIDI keyboards, and more.
As of July 2016, the Creative Media Studio began providing free 3D printing services for CSUN students. Students from all majors can visit the Creative Media Studio to learn how to submit a 3D printing request or attend a 3D printing workshop held during the fall and spring semesters.
Government Documents
The Library is a selective depository for government documents published by the U.S. government and the state of California. (Note: Most documents are issued only in electronic format and are available via OneSearch.) Free public access to government documents is ensured by state and federal law. Documents either housed in the Library or freely available in electronic format are listed in OneSearch, and specific finding guides are available online at Government Publications.
Guest Services
Guest Services is responsible for circulating and maintaining books and other materials shelved in the main collection located on floors two, three and four, and in the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS). Guest Services staff assist CSUN students, faculty and staff from their service desk located in the lobby on the main floor. Books and other materials available for borrowing must be checked out with a CSUN photo ID card, which is obtained at University Cash Services, Bayramian Hall Lobby. Guest Services can also issue photo ID cards. Most items ordered from the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) are picked up at Guest Services or delivered to specific service desks. Staff at Guest Services can also assist users with basic questions about Library resources and services, campus locations and resources, and are responsible for ensuring access to individual and group study rooms reserved for CSUN students via the online reservation system, Graduate Student study rooms and faculty carrels, and Assistive Technology Rooms. Guest Services can help enforce Library rules related to noise and other issues, and is open all hours that the library is open.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
This service permits faculty, students and staff to obtain materials from other libraries that are needed for research, but are not available in the Oviatt Library. ILL resources are found within the CSUN Interlibrary Loan “network,” which includes the other 22 CSU campuses, a large number of reciprocal libraries and various document suppliers. Items can be ordered by using the online service. The ILL office is located in Oviatt room 109 on the first floor. For complete information about the Library’s Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services, see Interlibrary Loan.
Music and Media
Music and Media supports the music, cinema, and theater curricula at CSUN, and provides instructional media complementing many other campus disciplines. The department holds the Library’s collection of music books and scores, plus instructional videos and DVDs, CDs, LPs and audio books. Most of the collection is available for checkout and patrons can view or listen to all material in the area’s media carrels or review room. In addition, faculty can reserve and transmit media to their classrooms over the University Video Network. The Library also subscribes to many streaming video databases. Music and Media (Second Floor, East Wing) provides a welcoming environment for course study and research, or for simply relaxing and personal enjoyment.
OneSearch and Library Databases
OneSearch lets users search by keywords (author, title, subject terms, etc.) for books, periodicals, individual articles, media, archival collections, and almost everything else the Library holds by using one search box, and online content can be accessed directly from search results. OneSearch also acts as the Library’s catalog, indicating what physical and electronic materials are owned by the Library and where physical materials are shelved. It also allows requesting of materials held at the other CSU libraries and beyond.
In addition to OneSearch, Library Databases also allow CSUN students, faculty and staff to search in general and specialized databases for individual articles from magazines, journals and newspapers; book chapters, dissertations, streaming media, data sets, reference resources and other knowledge sources.
OneSearch can be accessed from any on- or off-campus computer or mobile device connected to the Internet. CSUN students, faculty and staff can search Library Databases and access electronic resources located in OneSearch or library databases from on- and off-campus.
Reading and Study Areas
In addition to the general reading and study areas available on all floors, the Library also offers private study areas. Group and individual study rooms are located on all floors. Rules for their use and group size are posted in the rooms and are on the Library’s website. Most study rooms have to be reserved by using the Library’s online reservation system. Faculty and graduate student study rooms (Lower Floor, West Wing) and are accessible from the main floor. Inquire at the Guest Services Desk about availability. In addition, the Gohstand Reading Room (Second Floor, West Wing) provides quiet space specifically designated for leisure reading.
Reference and Research Services
The Library maintains a large electronic and print collection of reference materials which provides factual information or directs patrons to further sources for that information. Such materials include, but are not limited to, encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, atlases, handbooks, directories, style manuals and bibliographies.
Resources are available in print or electronic formats—sometimes both. Electronic reference materials can be accessed through OneSearch.
As a general policy, print library reference materials are not allowed to circulate outside of the Library.
Reference librarians from the Research, Instruction and Outreach Services department staff the Research Consultation Desk in the Learning Commons during most of the hours the Library is open. They can help students use OneSearch and the Library Databases to find books, articles, videos and journals; assist in finding peer reviewed/scholarly articles using subject specific databases; answer complex research questions; show students how to use appropriate search strategies and techniques; and provide basic citation help.
Appointments may be made with subject specialist librarians for lengthier consultations on a topic or reference source. You can find your subject specialist and their phone number at Subject Specialists.
In addition, we provide reference assistance by telephone, text message and through our online reference services. To learn more about these options, go to Ask a Librarian.
Reserves, Periodicals, and Microform (RPM)
Reserve materials are located primarily in RPM (Fourth Floor, East Wing). Music course reserves and multimedia reserves are located in Music and Media (Second Floor, East Wing) and children’s literature reserves and education course reserves are located in the Teacher Curriculum Center (TCC), (Lower Level, Room 26). Reserve materials are listed by course number and instructor’s last name, and they can be searched by visiting Course Reserves. Electronic course material may be accessed through an instructor’s LMS page (Canvas or Moodle.) Linked articles in the CSUN electronic databases may be found in the reading list for each course in the course reserves search page.
Current periodicals (magazines and journals) and newspapers received in print are also found in RPM, and shelved in call number order. Back issues of newspapers are retained for several months, until they are discarded or until the microform subscription copies arrive. Retention length differs with each title. Note: the majority of the Library’s periodicals and newspapers are available online. Titles of all magazines, journals, e-journals, serials and newspapers owned by the Library can be found through OneSearch. To search for individual articles, use OneSearch or search specific Databases by Subject.
Older issues of periodicals (magazines and journals) received in print are bound into volumes and can be retrieved from the ASRS storage system, usually within 10 minutes. Use OneSearch to request stored volumes, which will be delivered to the RPM service desk. Almost all microform titles are stored in the ASRS. Ask for assistance at the RPM service desk.
Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives houses rare and unique collections and provides opportunities for scholarly research and publication. Material is available for onsite research in the Special Collections and Archives reading room on the library’s second floor. While in the Special Collections Reading Room, researchers can make their own duplications with a scanner on which they can save scans to their own USB drives or emailing scans to themselves. Those who are unable to visit the department can order photocopies, scans or other duplications. To find archival and manuscript collections that are a part of Special Collections, please visit the Finding Aid Database, or search OneSearch or the Library’s Digital Collections. For more information about how to access these collections, please read more about Using the Collections. The stacks in Special Collections are closed. All Special Collections and Archives material, including material stored in the ASRS, must be requested through the Special Collections and Archives Reading Room. Special Collections materials cannot be used outside the Special Collections and Archives Reading Room. Scheduled hours are Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m., and Wednesday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Call (818) 677- 2832 for more information.
Teacher Curriculum Center (TCC)
The Teacher Curriculum Center (TCC) features a collection of preschool through grade 12 curriculum-oriented materials. It is located on the lower level of the Oviatt Library building, accessible from the main floor. Included in the TCC collection are selected California state-adopted textbooks, educational games, curriculum guides, recordings, videotapes, and DVDs (Dr. Karin J. Duran Teacher Curriculum Center Collection). In addition, the juvenile and young adult collection is housed in the TCC (Sharon Fogarty Young Readers’ Collection). All are listed in OneSearch. These items must be checked out and returned directly to the TCC.