Bold Then. Bold Now.
Celebrating 50 Years of Geisel Library
1970-2020

Fall 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of UC San Diego’s Central University Library building (also referred to as Central Library), now known as Geisel Library–the university’s flagship piece of architecture.

Geisel Library is located at the heart of campus and serves as a home for all UC San Diego students and a place for alumni and community members to seek opportunities for lifelong learning. The Library supports interdisciplinary efforts, collaborates with all departments across the university, and provides crucial spaces, services, and resources for modern day learning and research.

As we celebrate this significant milestone, together we look back to honor the Library’s rich legacy and celebrate our impact supporting research, scholarship, and discovery. We look forward to continuing the excellence of the UC San Diego Library for the next 50 years and beyond.

Great Research Starts Here

The UC San Diego Library, ranked among the nation's top 25 public academic libraries, plays a critical role in advancing and supporting the university's research, teaching, patient care, and public service missions. The world-renowned research for which UC San Diego is known starts at the Library, which provides the foundation of knowledge needed to advance cutting-edge discoveries in a wide range of disciplines, from healthcare and science to public policy and the arts.

Who We Are

As the intellectual heart of campus, the UC San Diego Library provides access to more than 7 million digital and print volumes, journals, and multimedia materials to meet the evolving information needs of students, faculty, staff, and members of the public.

By the Numbers

*Data from the Biomedical Library Building and Geisel Library