LibGuides Global Boxes: Services, support, locations

The Bancroft Library is one of the treasures of the campus, and one of the world's great libraries for the history of the American West and Mexico.

Some Bancroft materials are available online via Calisphere, which also includes primary sources from many other California libraries and museums. Bancroft also maintains additional digital resources.

Before you go:

Be prepared! Read secondary sources and know something about your topic.

Register as a researcher. Registration is free and takes just a few minutes using the Aeon online registration form to register in advance. For more information, see the Aeon guide.

In UC Library Search you can narrow your search to UC Berkeley special collections and archives. As you type your search, options to search different parts of the Library system appear. Narrowing your search this way is also possible in Advanced Search.

Materials must be requested using Aeon. You must have an Aeon account to request materials. It is recommended that you request your materials in advance of your visit and to submit your requests at least one week prior to your visit to Bancroft.  For more information please visit the Aeon guide.

If the UC Library Search record mentions a finding aid (an index) to a manuscript collection, you should use it to help you find what you need in the collection.  If the finding aid is online, there will be a link from the catalog record.  Many of the finding aids that are not online are shelved near the Registration Desk at the Bancroft Library. You can also search for Bancroft finding aids in the Online Archive of California.

Before you go, plan your visit (and bring a quarter for a locker).

During your visit:

1. Store your belongings in the lockers provided, located on the right-hand side of the east entrance. Pass the security guard station and proceed up one level by stairs or elevator to the Reading Room and Seminar Rooms (3rd floor).
2. Check in at the Registration Desk, located on the left-hand side of the entrance to the Reference Center. You will need a photo ID.
3. Go to the Circulation Desk, where you will be assigned a seat and can request the materials you pre-ordered.  
4. For research-related questions, ask for assistance at the Reference Desk.

How to Get to the Bancroft Library

Check the current hours for the Bancroft Library.  For more information, see the Aeon guide.

The Bancroft Library is on the second floor of Doe, on the east side (the side closest to the Campanile). See a floor plan of Doe Library 2nd floor (pdf).

See researchdata.berkeley.edu for more information.

REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure web application used to support data collection and capture across a variety of disciplines. REDCap at Berkeley is a campus-subsidized service available to all UC Berkeley researchers at no cost. This service is approved for highly sensitive data (classified as P4 using the Data Classification Standard). It is managed by Research IT and Research Data Management, and hosted by Research, Teaching, and Learning (RTL). 

For more information, email redcap-support@lists.berkeley.edu

What can I do with REDCap?

REDCap supports functionality to:

• Test and build a series of data collection surveys
• Distribute surveys as links or via email for cross-sectional or longitudinal data collection
• Enter data directly or import data from external sources
• Export data for analysis purposes to use in other systems (e.g., Excel, R, Stata)
• Specify parameters to 'de-identify' data upon collection and/or prior to export

As users of REDCap, researchers can: 

• Set up multiple projects with multiple users, across institutions
• Establish specific roles and responsibilities for project team members
• Conduct online and offline data collection

Projects Types

There are several types of REDCap projects to choose from as you begin thinking about building your own project. Each type of project has its advantages and disadvantages, and may fit the specific needs better of one type of project over another. 

• Traditional Project: Used for basic data collection
• Single Survey Project: Has only one data collection instrument, which is used as a survey
• Longitudinal Project: Allows any data collection instrument(s) to be completed multiple times for each record
• Longitudinal Project + Scheduling:
  • The Longitudinal module allows any data collection instrument(s) to be completed multiple times for each record.
  • The Scheduling module adds record-specific schedules onto a study calendar, using the longitudinal event grid. Schedules can be generated and modified.
• Operations: Explores a traditional project type being used to capture and track operational bookkeeping information

Citing REDCap at UC Berkeley

For researchers that use UCB's REDCap platform to collect, gather, and/or manage data for their research, please use the following language to acknowledge use of this platform in publications, presentations, and/or grant applications: 

This project made use of the UC Berkeley REDCap platform, which is developed and operated by Research, Teaching, and Learning (RTL), specifically Research IT and Dev Ops. More information about REDCap at UC Berkeley can be found here: https://docs-research-it.berkeley.edu/services/research-data/data-collection/redcap/overview/redcap-at-berkeley/

Get Help

If you have any questions related to REDCap, please reach out to the support team by emailing the support email, redcap-support@lists.berkeley.edu

REDCap FAQs

For more additional help, please review REDCap FAQs for more information. 

Basic Needs

Student Technology Equity Program

Off-Campus Internet Access

Student access to Zoom Pro Accounts 

Student Tech Help desk

COVID-19 Portal for UC Berkeley Library Users:  returning materials, remote library services, online resources for research

Coronavirus Student Affairs Updates:  Basic needs, housing, food, health, financial aid, and more.

Coronavirus updates:  Berkeley News

For more information, see:

• UCB Basics Needs website
• Dean of Students Well-Being website
• Graduate/Professional Students
• Undergraduate Students

Mental Health

• Start here IF YOU ARE SUICIDAL, or Know Someone Who is Suicidal (Or, call 9-1-1, or UCPD Emergency at (510) 642-3333 from a cell phone if you are on or near campus)
• Urgent After Hours Assistance
• Counseling services at UCB

Urgent Medical Needs

• Urgent Care at the Tang Center (On Campus)
• Urgent After Hours Assistance (UHS); or call (510) 642-2000
• Local Emergency and Urgent Care Centers (Off Campus)

Sexual Violence/Sexual Harassment

• Prevention, Response & Support: Get help, file a report, support a survivor, and more
• PATH to Care Center: Affirming, empowering, and confidential support for survivors (24/7 Care Line: 510-643-2005)
• UHS: Sexual Assault and Rape: What to do if you are sexually assaulted, helping a friend, etc.

LGBTQ+/Gender Issues

• GenEq: I Need Assistance: UCB's Gender Equity Resource Center will help with coming out, gender transition, and more

Emergency Food

• UC Berkeley Food Pantry: Emergency food and more
• Other local food/food insecurity resources

Emergency Cash

• Short-Term Emergency Loan: For UCB students
• Emergency and Other Grants: For undocumented Dreamers
• More information on all manner of finances, money, aid/scholarships, budgeting, etc. may be found on the Bears for Financial Success website

Emergency Housing

• Short-Term Transitional Housing: For newly admitted undergraduate student, graduate student, post-doctoral fellow, or visiting scholar
• Other local housing/homelessness resources
• The PATH to Care Center arranges immediate relocation post-sexual assault, as well as help with long-term safe housing

Undocumented Support

• Legal Support at Cal: Appointments for students
• Legal FAQ: Information on traveling, driver's license, background checks, and more

Accommodations

• Campus Access Services: Report a barrier; Request communications accommodations; Request mobility access

Back-Up Childcare

• Back-Up Childcare: Highly-subsidized in-home and center-based back-up child care for UC Berkeley student parents.

Disputes with the University

• Student Advocate’s Office: Free and confidential student service that can provide you with assistance in matters of student conduct, grade appeals, financial aid, and more.

The Media Resources Center (MRC) is the UC Berkeley Library's primary collection of materials in audio and visual formats. These formats include videocassettes, DVDs, compact audio discs, audiocassettes, and online (streamed) audio and video.

See the MRC's website for a very detailed listing of films in their collection, by topic; this is a great resource for American/cultural studies, gender studies, ethnic studies, dance and performance studies, and many other subjects. Click on Collections to start browsing.

The Media Resources Center is located on the 1st floor (basement) of Moffitt Library but has shorter hours of operation than Moffitt. You can view MRC materials in the MRC viewing rooms, but the materials cannot be checked out.

As a Berkeley student you are eligible to use books and articles from other libraries around the United States. 

Check UC Library Search to make sure UC Berkeley does not own the material you want.

Provide a full and accurate bibliographic citation, including author, title, place and date of publication, and series.  You can get citations from professors, from other articles, from Google scholar.  Verify your citations before submitting them for ILL.