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    Geisel Library

    4.1 (75 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Geisel Library Photos

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    J David H.

    The Geisel Library is the main library building of the UCSD campus. It was named in honor of Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, who donated more than $20 million dollars to the university through his philanthropic efforts both before and after his death. His estate dedicated more than $3 million to the renovation of this structure alone. The building's distinctive architecture has resulted in its being featured as the UC San Diego logo and is the most recognizable buildings on campus. Situated in the center of the UC San Diego, it houses over 7 million volumes to support the educational and research objectives of the university. It also contains the Mandeville Special Collections and Archives, which houses the priceless original works of Theodor Geisel. Also known as the Dr. Seuss Collection, it houses original drawings, sketches, proofs, notebooks, manuscript drafts, books, audio and videotapes, photographs, and memorabilia. The approximately 8,500 items in the collection document the full range of Dr. Seuss's creative achievements, beginning in 1919 with his high school activities and ending with his death in 1991. Every March, in celebration of his birthday, portions of this private collection are open to the public, but sadly as I found out today, due to Covid the library is still closed to the public and only available to the student population on a daily reservation basis. The Geisel Library itself was designed in the 1960s by Brutalistic architect William Leonard Pereira, famous for its futuristic designs associated with the space age, including the Trans-American Pyramid in San Francisco. It opened in 1970 as the Central Library, and was renovated in 1993, then rededicated as the University Library Building and thus renamed the Geisel Library in 1995. The east side of the Geisel forum is literally and symbolically connected to campus by the Stuart Collection work Snake Path, a 560-foot-long slate tile saw that winds towards the library. Its route passes a giant granite Paradise Lost and a small garden of fruit trees (Eden). The granite book is engraved with the excerpt "Then Wilt Thou Not Be Loth To Leave This Paradise, But Shall Possess A Paradise Within Thee, Happier Far." Someone recently left a red carnation to celebrate the Birthday of Dr. Seuss yesterday. With recent controversy I felt compelled to support with a visit. My children grew up reading the children's books and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I would love to come back once open to the public.

    Geisel Library

    The building is very pretty with brutalism. Some engineering students I met joked that one day they dreamed of it becoming magnetically levitated like you see in sci-fi movies of futuristic cities. Really fascinating the views at the highest floor. However, sitting in one of the seats at the top floor gave me a bad impression of sanitation of the work space, perhaps having cleaners to wipe the seats every once in a while would improve a lot!

    Darci K.

    Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow's another one. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. I will eat them in a car, I will eat them in a bar,... What do the above writings all have in common? The Geisel Library of course! More importantly, the library was named in honor of Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel. Dr. Seuss will live on until eternity. This beautiful library seems to be the main focal point within the university of California San Diego. It is the colleges library for students to study, research, and from where the building sits, students can look out over a great portion of San Diego County. The library has been open since 1970 with the renovation in 1993. The actual naming of the library did not take place until 1995. What fascinates me is at the library itself houses over 7 million volumes of educational and research objectives that university students have access to. It also houses of course the Dr. Seuss collection, original drawings, sketches, notebooks, photographs and other memorabilia. There are 8500 items in the full collection. As a Dr. Seuss fan I was absolutely thrilled, and blown away by not only the architectural beauty of this building but the interior as well. It is a masterpiece and a total creation all of which honors two wonderful people that have contributed so much to our world.

    Outside the Building
    Leroy T.

    Well Date of Visit : December 20 , 2020 and it was a Beautiful day in Sunny San Diego . The thing about how it is here . First I decided on coming to this Library because of how beautiful it is and it is an great Library for everyone !! The Beautiful Building is something special and it's Designed is pretty amazing !! The Area Surrounding the building is UCSD Campus and it has lots of other buildings around it !! It's just an amazing Building and Beautiful too !! I suggest you come to this Library and take a look for yourself !! It's got hills that go up and down for you to take a walk and I also suggest you bring your camera here !! It's an beautiful place to take photos !! Especially if it's Sunny !! The Statue outside of the Building is cool also !! It's of Dr Seuss and of course he was following all guidelines and had his mask on !! But of course the library was closed because of the situation going on !! But even closed it's still worth checking out !! There is also benches for you to sit and enjoy the beautiful surroundings that surround the building also !!! It's an amazing Library and I do suggest you put this on your Bucket List and check it out !! As for Parking no permit is required at this time because of the situation going on !! Overall Satisfaction: Cleanliness: 4 out of 5 Stars well kept and of course it was closed at the time but looks beautiful !! Fun Factor: 4 out of 5 Stars !! It's an amazing Building and lots of space for you to hangout and enjoy the Views !! Parking: No Permit is required at this time because of Situation going on but just a few spaces on the side of Building for you to Park . Overall Grade : It still gets 5 Stars out of 5 for how it is so Beautiful and the Design of it is amazing !! I can see myself coming back here again !!

    John H.

    the only reason, I came here was the architectural building of this library. you have to see it, to be amazed. Bummer, I couldn't go inside because it was summer break for ucsd and I think it was only for students only

    ucla graduates at ucsd
    Carissa C.

    Have you ever seen Inception? Not only was the snow scene filmed using Geisel Library, but the building itself is an inception. It has stacks inside and it's stacked on the outside. Also was named after Dr. Seuss and has Dr. Seuss books inside. The very top floor is silent, below is quiet, and the bottom two are loud. They have bathrooms and outlets and everything one needs in a library, plus it looks super cool from the outside. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

    Andria G.

    Fantastic college library on the campus of UCSD. Amazing architecture and wonderful layout on the inside. Lots of collaboration rooms for group study. Well lit and a ton of charging areas. Everyone welcome and accepted. Large collection of research papers and documents. Big area for computer use with board that shows areas with availability. Very clean and organized. In the heart of campus. Theodore Seuss Geisel and his wife Audrey left huge collections to the library named after him. Viewing Dr. Seuss' original manuscripts and illustrations was a true pleasure. I learned about many of his works such as propaganda campaigns and political ads that I had never seen or heard of. Collections on display are rotated so you always find something new to discover. Remember this is a college library so not appropriate for small children that cannot be managed. Lots of inspiration is found in this establishment. Also, take a stroll through campus to view the interesting art installations.

    Pretty forest
    Mason V.

    This review is for the forest across the street from the pretty library.. what a gem! Visited this morning and what a fun tim! Beautiful grounds across from library and fields, lots of nature trails and scenery.. a must visit if you are at UCSD!

    View from the six floor study room
    Clara Y.

    Geisel. The mothership of knowledge. The building that inspired the infamous building collapse in the snow scene in Inception. The mirrors that attract your eyes like magnets because you cant help but check yourself out, but in the most discreet way possible because people inside are probably watching you check yourself out. This building is located at the end of library walk next to the silent tree of solidarity. As you move from the first and second floor up, each floor gets quieter and quieter. So judging on what type of study environment you prefer and how long you have to study, you can customize your library environment by floor. The first and second floor of geisel are open to talking, so when midterms or finals week hits, its not even a library anymore. There is no point in getting legit studying on these floors during these times because it just becomes a social scene. People are literally just talking or laughing or going crazy on that finals high. 6th floor is also pretty noisy at times. This is where all the greek people converge. I avoid this area at all costs. 7th floor is my favorite. Im studying here in the summer in the 7th floor study rooms to take practice mcat exams. Its quiet, the view is pretty amazing, and the room has the perfect amount of air conditioning. Im not freezing, nor am I suffocating. During school I recommend to reserve rooms because there's nothing worse than being all settled in a study room and you get kicked out by someone who reserved it. You can reserve only once a day for a max of three hours. Team up with a couple friends to book the same room for the whole day. 8th floor is where all the hardcore premeds and silent studiers convene. There are no group study rooms and they have more cubby like desks. If you talk or even sneeze, people will give you the stink eye. So if you're a loud person in general, dont come here. Go to the first floor homie.

    Lucky S.

    The library, designed in the late 1960's by William Pereira, is an eight story, concrete and glass structure near the center of UCSD. It was named Geisel Library in honor of Audrey and Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) for the generous contributions they have made to the library and their devotion to improving literacy. The lower two stories form a pedestal for the multi story structure that rises 110 feet above the ground in addition to two subterranean levels. The best part (or most entertaining part to me) is that the entrance is a canyon of one way mirrors leading to the second floor. People inside the library can see people on the outside checking themselves out in the mirror as they walk in. I would be too much of a voyeur to get much studying done.

    Arguably one of the prettiest libraries in the world

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    Every thing is a great place to visit and enjoy, so come and look at this amazing building

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    Ask the Community - Geisel Library

    Would this be a good place to study for the bar? Are there private rooms?

    If you're a UCSD student, you can book study rooms on Dibs. Otherwise, study rooms are first come, first serve.

    Is this library open to public?

    Yes, but after midnight you need a UCSD ID to stay in the library

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Geisel Library

    Seuss) for the generous contributions they have made to the library and their devotion to improving literacy.

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     School of Global Policy and Strategy Library - A Fisker & a Fat Tire = Global Initiative to World Peace & the end of Global Warming. Come on for a hayride!

    School of Global Policy and Strategy Library

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    This is such a nice, clean, quiet place to study between classes. So many individual study spaces…read morewith three electrical outlets and two internet plugs (?) like ethernet cables. The location is tucked away and I believe the building itself is pretty new, so there's no weird smell like geisel. I really enjoy the brightness and the open, airy atmosphere of the basement study areas and will definitely be back to study for midterms...and finals as the quarter goes on D:

    Writing this review currently to procrastinate from studying for my midterms. I've lived in the…read moreVillage and I-House for the past couple years and have logged in countless hours here. This library is just 1 story and pretty small but the plus side is not that many people know about it! There are around 30-40 spots for individual study and about 6-7 group tables that students can use. The library for the most part is pretty quiet, except the group table area can get a little loud. Desks and decor is very basic but theres nothing wrong with it. Oh yeah and no computers here either, so you'll need to bring your own if you need one. This library used to have a lot more desks too but they took them all out so theres a random huge gap in the middle that is empty all the time. Library closes at 11pm all week I believe so you can still be here on Friday/Saturday at night unlike Geisel. During finals I think this place also goes 24/7 which is super convenient. This place is definitely my go to place when I need to buckle down and study and is very convenient for those who live close by. Also it's right in between Rimac and I-house for those who don't know about it.

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     School of Global Policy and Strategy Library - Little entrance from international lane. I've been studying here a lot lately because there's always tables and outlets.

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    Little entrance from international lane. I've been studying here a lot lately because there's always tables and outlets.

    Scripps Institution of Oceanography - Christmas Day '24

    Scripps Institution of Oceanography

    4.8(18 reviews)
    1.5 miLa Jolla Shores, La Jolla

    Saw some friends at whole foods and they scooped me up and took me over to this beautiful area!…read more There's a bunch of little places where you can sit and watch the sunset so that's what we did! Amazing views and just a quiet relaxing and gorgeous place to chill for a bit! Def recommend!

    Some University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) students study at Scripps Institution of…read moreOceanography. SIO is a science university where students emerge as geophysicists, marine biologists and seismologists. Their studies involve around research. Research about the effects the ocean has on the world's environment. SIO comprises 1,200 acres of coastal woodland and is located in La Jolla, California, where both the students studying here, and students from other local universities get to be a part of these endeavors, too. Students study issues currently affecting the world, such as rising sea temperatures, overfishing, the impact of methyl mercury in fish, the plastic degradation in the environment ... well, you get the picture. The students study the ocean off La Jolla shores' Pacific Ocean at the famous Ellen Browning Scripps Pier and in shore-based laboratories. Students and professors also motor out miles further from the pier on SIO's fleet of oceanographic research vessels. The fleet of vessels are based at Nimitz Marine Facility. Students also get the opportunity to travel to remote locations all around the entire world to study with students from other universities, and vice-versa. Birch Aquarium at Scripps is located nearby. It is open to the public, as an aquarium for ocean science education. SIO is known as first in the nation and was voted the 5th best public university for research in 2018. Now you know why. #LUCKYSTUDENTS #UCSANDIEGO #SIO #PROFESSORSWHOTEACHTHEM #MarineLifeProtectionAct #ASKMPA@wildlife.ca.gov #wildlife.ca.gov.MPAs

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    Scripps Institution of Oceanography - Christmas Day '24

    Christmas Day '24

    Scripps Institution of Oceanography - Christmas Day '24

    Christmas Day '24

    Scripps Institution of Oceanography - Christmas Day '24

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    Christmas Day '24

    UCSD Bookstore - UCSD Bookstore at Price Center West

    UCSD Bookstore

    3.1(55 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Both of my parents are retirees of UCSD, so I like to visit the UCSD BOOKSTORE when I'm in town. To…read moremy knowledge, they've never purchased merch or received any swag during their years of service. Just an employee badge or lab coat. So, now that I am a current, remote employee, I like to pick things up for the fam...and for me! ;-) There's quite a huge selection of clothing, hats, pennants, and coffee ware. For my dad, I picked up a dad hat, which he wears often. For my mom, a hoodie and a tote. Not only are the designs cute, prices are reasonable, and are of good quality materials. I recently completed an employee survey and scored a free mini tote, similar to the ones at Trader Joe's! After my shopping spree, I like to head outdoors to lay in the hammocks near the fountain. Very therapeutic!! My heart will always belong to SD! Stay classy San Diego!!

    Such a fun store! Not only do they carry nearly everything you can think of emblazoned with the…read moreTritan name (their mascot), the store also carries a vast selection of things from computers, clothing, study aids for everything from 101 classes to medical school, really fun and eclectic stationary items, and also a superb selection of books, both academic and general, including children's, graphic novels, best sellers, more. If you have the inclination, you could easily while away an entire afternoon (or even a day!) just looking at the books. There are nearby eateries, should your blood sugar start to wane.

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    UCSD Bookstore
    UCSD Bookstore - UCSD Bookstore!

    UCSD Bookstore!

    UCSD Bookstore - UCSD Pennant's

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    UCSD Pennant's

    UCSD Fireside Lounge

    UCSD Fireside Lounge

    5.0(1 review)
    0.2 mi

    Downstairs Fireside lounge. A hidden gem for studying…read more I have held off on reviewing this place since I did not want a lot of people knowing about it. hahaha selfish? sure. It's basically a lounge. It's 2 rooms, with one table each. It has a microwave as well as a refrigerator. A couple of couches in the middle. It also has a T.V. The table seats 4 very very comfortably. IF you are able to claim the room, it's basically all yours. Think of it as your personal study apartment living room. Why I love it. -Your own room basically. You can be loud, or be quiet. - WiFi access. Duh. - Easy access to go outside for a smoke -Great lighting. - If you are inside, they will not kick you out. So basically 24 hour study room. - Couches to sleep if you really want to. - Hella roomy - Large table, great for studying. - T.V so you don't miss the games. -Personal bathroom / clean. (their soap smells good haha) - Not many people know about it. Cons: - People walking around upstairs can be annoying sometimes, but bearable. - You just have to be the first to claim it. - A bit farther away from Price center. Upstairs fireside lounge is not bad either. They have round circle tables, and chairs that are not as comfortable. -lighting kind of sucks upstairs. - more tables upstairs, so more people. - The room is super quiet. So if you make a noise, it seems louder. Still fireside is a great private lounge to study at. Final Verdict: If you're sick of hearing loud obnoxious people talking in the library, I would drop by and check to see if it's occupied. I'm graduating this spring. woot 5th year. So feel free to check it out after I graduate. =P

    Geisel Library - libraries - Updated May 2026

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