September 9, 2026
This message is distributed to All Instructors, Non-Senate Academics, and Graduate Student Researchers. (Click here to view description of distribution groups.)
The following is being sent on behalf of Kristen LaBonte, Interim Director, Research & Teaching and Rebecca Metzger, Associate University Librarian, Learning & Engagement, UCSB Library
Dear Colleagues,
Starting at the beginning of Fall 2026, UCSB Library is transitioning to a more streamlined, consistent, and responsive service model for research and teaching. The Library’s Research & Engagement and Teaching & Learning departments will merge into a single Research & Teaching Department and our academic department-specific Subject Librarian Program will be replaced by a collaborative, interdisciplinary Research & Teaching Librarian Team model. This model is now increasingly common in the UC and other research libraries.
Research & Teaching Librarians possess expertise in information literacy and access; research methods and practices; instructional design; and online learning. They are poised to partner with instructors in course planning and teaching, and provide research assistance to students, faculty, and researchers in all academic departments.
What This Means for Faculty, Students and Researchers
Centralized Access & Support
You now have convenient access to Library research and teaching services on our new Research & Teaching portal.
General research and teaching inquiries will now be routed through a central service point to ensure prompt connection to the right resource, service, or team member. Faculty, students and researchers will no longer need to search for individual librarians.
Through the Research & Teaching portal (www.library.ucsb.edu/research-teaching), faculty, students, and researchers can:
- Submit a research question
- Schedule a research consultation with a librarian
- Access research FAQs, tutorials, and guides
- Explore and register for workshops
- Request a Library instruction session or research tutorial/guide
- Connect with a Peer-Assisted Library Services (PALS) undergraduate student mentor for research assistance
Research & Teaching Support
Research & Teaching Librarians will provide face-to-face instruction for courses with complex research assignments that require direct, customized expertise. Their expertise is complemented by librarian specialists in other Library departments with additional expertise in certain languages or collections.
Undergraduate students can also receive drop-in support for foundational research, topic development, and source navigation from trained peer mentors through the PALS program. Advanced research inquiries will be routed to librarians.
Over the next month, we will be updating the Library website to reflect these service updates. If you have immediate questions or need support for an upcoming course, please reach out at: www.library.ucsb.edu/research-teaching.
Warmly,
Kristen LaBonte, Interim Director, Research & Teaching, UCSB Library
Rebecca Metzger, Associate University Librarian, Learning & Engagement, UCSB Library