Learning Commons, Technology Center and Library

Great technology, study rooms, meeting rooms, lounge areas, archives, café, long hours. This is a very convenient place to get things done.

SCU is the only place I know where there are designated ‘quiet zones’ within its library. Where I come from, the ENTIRE library is a ‘quiet zone’ because that was where people go to get shit done. At this library, you have all sorts of foot traffic coming in and out: tour guides, annoying undergrads, nosy parents, maintenance people, entitled middle-​aged men in a suit walking around, women tottering around loudly on their high heels because they don’t know how to walk in them, speaking FREELY at NORMAL volumes. Wtf.
Signs are posted asking people to eschew the first two floors and to go to the third floor if they want a quiet study zone, which makes absolutely no sense to me. The first two floors are equipped with study tables and chairs and would be perfectly good places to study if people shut up and didn’t use them as sorority meeting places.
Also, the third floor isn’t even a ‘quiet zone.’ There is a help desk where you can hear everything, and patrons unabashedly hold Skype sessions, invariably during business hours and invariably in a foreign language, on this floor. People pick up phone calls and answer them like they would outside. I. don’t. get. it.
The study rooms are a joke. I was studying at a table outside of one once and I could hear everything inside even with headphones on. If the study rooms are soundproof, they did an awful job. If the study rooms aren’t soundproof, wtf are they doing in a library?
The book collection here is small and super outdated, and it’s really sad that some people think this is an actual library. When I had to do research for my law term papers, all the books that I was told were «relevant» to my topics were either published in 1950, falling apart from dust and old age, or both.
Powell Library at my alma mater, UCLA, was 100 times bigger, handled 100 times the traffic, and you could still hear a pin drop in one of its rooms because students respected the study atmosphere, their colleagues, had actual shit to get done, and valued that over gossiping about their day.
Why do I insist on coming here then, you might ask? It’s close to my house, and if they fixed the air maintenance system at the Law Library so that it didn’t set off my allergies or dry out my contacts so that they’re practically glued to my eyeballs, I would be there instead.

This is a great place to study, have a day away, get lost in the basement. Check out the rotating exhibits that they have on the 3^rd floor. Currently «The Silence of Women» is there through January 2014.
Amazingly powerful, Amazingly sad.

Excellent place that stays open late during the school year. I’m not a student but there are not many places that are open late where it’s quiet. Only wish there was wifi access for non-​students.

As a current SCU student, I have got to say, I love this library with all my heart! IT. IS. SO. BEAUTIFUL.
I have spent my past year here studying at least 3x per week. This library has it all! Mac OR PC computers, comfy chairs, PERFECT study rooms, numerous charge outlets, and BOOKS! So many books! I didn’t start appreciating the library system itself until I realized what a great system it is!!! There’s no limit to the amount of books you can check out! And that’s honestly so helpful when you are doing a research paper and you have to check out every book possible on your research topic!!! When they don’t have a book, they use the Interlibrary loan, where you can ask for a hardcopy or electronic copy of the book online! They then email you when it comes in the mail! How great is that?!
I am literally always raving about how amazing this library is to all the students at SCU! It’s so peaceful to just read in here too! They have a café in the front that meets all your caffeine needs, especially when you’re sleep deprived. It closes at 2 AM usually, unless it’s Saturday or FINALS week. Finals week is hell here, as it is in every school, so I NEVER go to the library unless it’s to return books. When you become a regular here, finals week will scare you because all these randoms start taking your seat! :(
But all in all, this is a great place to study. You can sit indoors, but still experience that outdoor breeze on the third floor. You can check out study rooms, which are absolutely great for group projects. You can easily find the books you need. Help is also great at the circulation desk. Ahhhhhh, what more can you offer! This lib is the best.

I’ve never been a fan going library, but when I do it’s nice that Santa Clara University has a library that is new and relatively large. I love the openness of each floor and the modern feel of this place. Unlike other older libraries where I feel in a dungeon, I like that this library is bright with furniture that isn’t super old and dirty feeling. I like the number of computers they have available as well as the rooms you can reserve to work in groups. The outdoor lounge area is nice on warmer days to study.
The problems I have with this library is that the couches and lounge chairs are NOT comfortable. They are squeaky and hard. Also, during finals week it is just TOO crowded. SCU needs to find a way to either make more seating areas or build another library to accommodate the number of students that study here during finals. I mean during finals week I’ve seen students bring sleeping bags and such, that’s a little too much if you ask me.

I love Santa Clara University. I’m a proud alumni, and I have some great friends who I met through this school.
The new library is high tech, peaceful, and has plenty of space. I come here and study as often as I can!
Highly recommended. No weird smelly peeps looking at porn at this library!

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? Nothing much, seeing as how this library is one of the best I’ve actually studied in. Granted, I have a soft spot being an undergrad here. Honestly though. it’s excellent. They have nice, well-​stocked/​cleaned bathrooms, study rooms that you can rent out with your friends equipped with walls that are basically made of white-board&a couple of pens in each room&a TV. They have several stories, and if you go to the 3^rd floor I believe, there’s this giant room with giant windows that allows for a lot of natural lighting to flood in. You can have your group plan out your presentation/​skit/​etc without having to stay super quiet. Allows for a beautiful view and really brings out the beautifully maintained campus scenery as well (palm trees!). There are plenty of spaces you can find that will let you study in peace and quiet, too. AND if you start to get hungry/​thirsty, the Sunstream Café on the ground floor has lots of beverages/​a few deli sandwiches/​pastries that will fulfill that.
Near the library entrance are a couple of tables for you to do your thing as well.
Overall, I would say this is definitely appropriate if you want to study or hang out with your friends (study rooms — and as others have pointed out, they’re pretty much free when it’s not finals week! this week ahah). Love love love.

Hands down the best library I’ve ever been to… modern… and if it were an outfit… i’d call it, studious-​chic.
I mean, the Public Library in New York, exhibited a different vibe, and it’s uncomparable. New York’s gave me a rush of excitment and lots of history. But SCU’s. it’s seemed very happy and plush and well-​lit. Oh psssh. Let’s not even talk about Harvard’s. — we couldn’t even get it. effin smart snobs.
I’ve been done with school several years ago. (okay. 2004. im old)…not from SCU. however, from one of the prestigious ones in the Phlippines –which I’m so proud to be part of (DLSU)…But i stumbled in the SCU librabry coz i was somewhat appointed to be an editor/​proof-​reader of a very interesting paper my boyfriend was doing. I thought why not. easy. grammatical checks. spelling. redoing phrasing. and also. «learning» what I’ve learned from damn philosphers whom i’ve had argued with so many times in my head when i took my last Philosophy class.
But i was just ovewhelmed. Back in time in my university, My library was completeley in a different building from the students’ computer labs. Then, we didn’t have the flat screet monitors… But SCU’s… man… Big screen Imacs galore. (i saw some Dell ones on the first floor too).
And there were comfy little couches. We had fucking stiff ass chairs and wooden tables…
Now i so want to be a college student again. =(
(errr.maybe not)

This is a BIG library.
I was an unergrad at SCU until 2008 and for 2.5 of the four years I was there the library was under construction. When it was finally open I was VERY impressed. This place is HUGE! It also has amazing hours (closing at 2 AM Sunday-​Thursday, 10 PM Friday– Saturday, and staying open 24 hours the week before undergrad finals).
It has four floors each with great study spaces. It even has multiple study rooms that can be reserved either on site or remotely online. Each room either has multiple white boards or an entire wall made of white board. Perfect for study sessions. You can even hook up multiple laptops to a projector or giant monitor to work on projects or… watch movies (the latter is only recommended for out of the way study rooms that no one will walk by…).
The library has multiple computer labs with all the software you could ever need, it has screening rooms for student films and projects, and it even has a café with pretty good snacks for when you need a break from all of that work. The staff is very friendly and quite knowledgeable. They will do whatever it takes to help you out.
The only draw back for me may be a plus for someone else. It’s the ARS or automated retrieval system. This is basically a giant box that is attached to the rear of the library and its where most of the books are kept. What I like about libraries is the ability to actually look around through multiple aisles. When you are looking for one book in particular you will often find other, more useful books surrounding it. But with the ARS you just search for a book online, a computer arm finds it and you pick it up about 20 minutes later. Though this is pretty high tech (and watching it all work through the windows is the side of the ARS is cooler than you’d imagine) it still takes away the fun of coming to a library. There are still books on shelves spread throughout the library, but most of them are hidden away in this big box.
No matter how much I dislike the ARS, I still have to say this library rocks! if you are in the area stop by. It’s open to the public until 10 PM everyday (After 10 you need a student ID).

The first time I walked in, I was in love. This library is beyond spectacular. Especially coming from my SFSU library/​annex days… this one is a masterpiece.
I love that I can reserve a room a week in advance and study for up to 4 hours in silence in my own private room that is made of white board walls so I can write wherever I please.
The staff here are nice too, they’re not nazis like SJSU or SFSU staff that kick out non-​students after 9pm. If the SCU staff see you studying, they don’t bother.
This place has 4 levels I believe and all are nicely spacious and everything is state of the art. i love love love it here!

Oh Learning Commons, how you’ve been an excellent host to me for the past 2+ months. For a pre-​med wedged between early morning pre-​req classes and late night MCAT prep courses, you’ve provided an unexpected retreat.
Friends, the study rooms here are the most amazing rooms I have ever worked/​slept/​partied in. I’ve uploaded pictures, but you really won’t get a good sense of how amazing this library is until you come here. Good furnishings, good lighting, and, as I’ve already mentioned, amazing study rooms.
They’re so amazing, in fact, that I am totally planning on putting up a nice whiteboard wall in my room (whenever that may be). The walls are what make it for me. The flat screen TVs and speakers in each room is just the perfect frosting on my cake.
Highly, highly recommend!

There really are no words to describe this library. Every time I walk past this building I’m in awe of its beauty. Every time. I could spend hours sitting in the Learning Commons’ comfy couches, looking out the floor-​to-​ceiling windows.

This, here, has got to be, the best library ever. You thought MLK’s Lib was fantastic with it’s 9 story modern masterpiece, this beats it with the perfect harmony of modern edge and a ‘home’ like feel (except this home would be. a mansion. Always check hours before going, they seem sporadic — from 2am closing sometimes, to holidays — all day closed.
Private rooms are amazing. Remember, if the lights are green outside, that means it’s avail. Only SCU students can reserve a room (4 hours max), but as long as it’s not finals week, you’ll usually find an avail room. Full size wall whiteboards to draw out all your ideas clearly. Plasma screens with input hooks for your computer to play your thang while working. Two mode lights, one standard, but another, is a single beam spot light, that when all other lights are off, while working, makes you feel like you are the Don.

This library is fantastic. There are so many nooks where you can read or hang out, whether you need absolute quiet, a computer, or a friend :) I don’t come here for books, but more for a place to do some homework. I love sitting on the second floor on the black couches, where I can look outside through the huge windows. There’s a multicultural center on the top, and a café on the bottom. Near the bottom stairs, people can be a little more talkative and study in groups or alone. It’s very close to my place… I like it a lot!

The all new Santa Clara University Library otherwise officially known as the «Harrington Learning Commons Sobrato Technology Center Orradre Library» is what all modern libraries should be.
Books are becoming a relic of the past. This library features a state of the art book retrieval system that frees up a lot of library space for state of the art computers (widescreen monitors) great meeting rooms, reading tables and lounges. There is even several outdoor balconies with outdoor furniture.
We are fortunate to have so many great NEW libraries in the area — The joint City of San Jose and SJSU’s Martin Luther King library, CIty of San Jose Community College’s new library, Santa Clara Central Library are now joined by Santa Clara University’s library.