Combating the Rising Cost of Education

The Oviatt Library, the campus community, and the Chancellor’s Office are working together to create innovative Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) for CSUN students. CSUN's local initiative will be launching over the summer to promote and support the use of Open Educational Resources, textbook rental, low-cost faculty-authored texts, and other programs.

Featured: Rare, Robust and Renovation Ready

With an ever-increasing number of resource materials, new modes of access, and an expanding physical footprint the Oviatt Library’s Special Collections and Archives is more visible and vibrant than ever.

A Rare and Generous Gift

CSUN emeritus librarian Tony Gardner turns his longtime passion for rare books into a significant, personal and lasting legacy for the Oviatt Library.  Tony Gardner is a man who admires printing.  He has nothing against modern offset printing, or even laser printing, but what he admires most is hand-set printing dated prior to the middle of the nineteenth century; when type was set by hand, one letter at a time, and printed on a letterpress.

The Gift of Giving: The Sharon Fogarty Young Readers’ Collection

One family’s cherished tradition becomes the inspiration for a heartfelt gift that will continue to enrich the lives of CSUN students and inspire young community readers for many generations to come. “Last night, I think I may have dreamed about dragons and polar bears draping themselves over books.”  These are the words of Patricia Fogarty as she recalled her recent visit to the Sharon Fogarty Young Readers’ Collection at the Oviatt Library.

Primary Source Gifts Make a Lasting Impression

CSUN student and Oviatt Library eNews Intern Lesley Zambrano gives a firsthand account of her inspiring introduction to the many unique Special Collections and Archive resources that are available to our campus community and researchers from around the world.

Featured - Fifty Years of Resilience and Innovation: A Retrospective on the CSUN University Library

As the calendar marks another year, the CSUN University Library (formerly known as the Oviatt Library) approaches a historic milestone—the 50th anniversary of its opening on October 24, 1973. From its inception to its current status as a dynamic hub for learning, innovation, and collaboration, the University Library has seen significant transformations, triumphs, and challenges. This retrospective provides a lens into the Library's rich history and architectural growth, its recovery from natural disasters, and its continuous innovation over the last half-century.

Featured: Sights and Sounds of Black History Month

This year’s Black History Month event lineup coordinated by the University Library and the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center was met with much anticipation and excitement, as the featured events were fully in-person for the first time since 2019. Musical group The Cookies and photographer Dr. Tara Pixley cherished the opportunity to share their talent with the community.

Featured: University Library of the Future

When you imagine the academic library of the future, perhaps in 5, 10, 20 or even 50 years, what comes to mind? Everything digitized, no more print? Help provided by AI services from your phone or digital displays throughout the library? Books and other physical resources delivered to your home by drones? Massive open spaces filled with flexible study furniture, technology, media equipment, and crafting supplies to make “things,” recreational and leisure spaces, including a café? Or, all-digital libraries with the empty buildings converted into classrooms, dorms, or office space?

Featured: Bridging Generations - Lindsay Carron’s Tataviam Land Acknowledgment Mural at CSUN

Lindsay Carron is a distinguished artist known for her vibrant murals and dedication to social and environmental justice. She was selected by an American Indian Studies and Art Department faculty juror panel to create the Tataviam land acknowledgment mural, entitled “The Continuum of Time” in the University Library at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Carron’s work often bridges the connection between communities and the land, drawing attention to indigenous cultures and environmental preservation. Her thoughtful and intricate designs reflect a deep respect for nature and indigenous history, making her an ideal choice for this significant project that honors the Tataviam people and their ancestral land.

Featured: Our Hidden Histories, Author Talk with Désirée Zamorano

On March 5, 2025, the University Library hosted Désirée Zamorano, Los Angeles novelist and educator, to talk about her latest historical fiction novel, Dispossessed. During the event, Zamorano discussed Dispossessed’s position at the intersection of the ethnic studies and education fields.