I am rapidly becoming an expert on reviewing libraries. I have the kind of job where I have to periodically stop somewhere and have an online meeting or do some serious online work. And I have a friend who loves libraries. Turns out libraries are great places to work. In the UC Davis library is fantastic. It has more study space than most libraries, even university libraries. It's perfectly laid out. It's immaculately clean. There are plenty of electrical plugs for your laptop. There are rooms where you could have a small gathering and chat, and there are areas where you can study or work quietly . There's a museum exhibit on the main floor with an interesting display related to agriculture and food. Parking on the UC Davis campus is allegedly very easy, as long as you're willing to pay. read more

Shields Library - Libraries Near Me - Davis, California

Shields Library is a neat library located on the UC Davis campus. It's open to the public. Parts of the building and elevators feel a bit dated, but that adds to its character and charm. It's a great place to wander around and explore. I loved looking at the collection of old books. There's a lot of space and seating for studying, reading, or relaxing. There are exhibits in the lobby too that were interesting. read more

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Spent too much time here. It's a great resource for high schoolers but everything these days is online and more up to date than the stacks. One thing that this place has ALWAYS been good for in the summer is that air conditioning. The miserably warm three digit days of full sun would push me towards spending time either here or in the basement of Kemper Hall. Seems like most things are going digital though, so will the stacks be here much longer? As long as folks still love the nostalgia. As for borrowing: https://library.ucdavis.edu/library-accounts/ -Alumni Association (your basic blue check mark on Twitter) member? OK. You have to pay for it and it's a limited account. 4 week loan period. -Faculty and Staff account? A little better. Not sure why you'd want to borrow 300 items for up to a year, but you can. -Undergrad? 300 items, 4 weeks. Marry an employee and you get better than a paid alum assoc. account but for free...even if you're a UC alumnus yourself. read more

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The o freaking g! Love the hours and 24hour study room (although it is super musty) if you really need to grind! 4th floor is super locked in and one of the best places to take a shit on campus. Good! Bathrooms on first floor are lwk nasty but understandable as there's so many students. Definitely recommend if you need to study! read more

Good study spot, near downtown which is nice. Some areas can get really loud but its nothing crazy. Bathrooms aren't always the cleanest but it is cleanly in the common areas. The tutoring center is hit or miss, some tutors just don't know the topics they are supposed to teach but, it is a great resource when the right tutors are there. Good for long studying. read more

Normal library other than room 91 worker, useless and unable to help me print in the slightest

The best library hours on Sunday in the region - when UC Davis is in session. Open from noon until midnight. A wide array of lighting options and seating options. Some like it dark, some like it bright and some like it in between. Some like private cubbies, some like large open tables and some like a mid-sized table. Lots of seating. And yes, food is apparently allowed. Watch out, smells can be intoxicating for the foodie and annoying for the picky eaters. Anyhow, all of this truly helps the night owl to get their studies done! Like the UC Davis Mabie Law Library (which is awesome and well-stocked aside from lacking Schwing's Affirmative Defenses reference book), the Shields library is open to other college students/public. UC Davis students have access to a 24-hour study room at Shields Library. The public can go to the Shields Library during fairly broad hours, but not to the 24-hour study room. For those that need to get their study on during the weekends, permits and parking fees aren't required on weekends unless a parking attendant is present for special events. However, always check before you go and when and where you park as things change and I could be wrong as I've not parked everywhere on campus. http://taps.ucdavis.edu/parking/permits/rates Or, make it easier and ride your bicycle. The City of Davis is very bicycle friendly and there are a lot of bicycle parking spaces. read more

The times have I holed up in Shields Library to do some intensive studying are innumerable. I have checked out perhaps hundreds of books in my 6+ years as a UCD grad student. Excellent staff and student employees provide service and guidance. The lights along the rows of books are dimmed until you enter the path, clicking on one by one. Love it: one of my favorite places in town to get lost in. Why a star off? Not anything to do with Shields itself, but comfort/convenience in general. In recent years, rules have changed to allow food. The "quiet" study zones are sometimes punctuated with the crunch of Doritos or smacking of sour gummies. And belongings should not be left alone, meaning if the urge to use the facilities strikes, it's necessary to pack everything up. And your study spot may already be taken upon return. read more

Basement doesn't have much room or outlets, but it's pretty quiet. A good place to come if you have only an hour or two between classes but aren't planning on really hunkering down. First floor is pretty noisy and doesn't have a lot of outlets. I usually don't study here unless I'm meeting with a group. Second floor has the main reading room. It can get noisy but it's pretty solid, usually, since it's got lots if seats and plenty of outlets. Third floor has some great tables with power strips attached to them, but you'll need to be early or lucky to grab one. Fourth floor is usually silent and has lots of tables and cubicles if you aren't using power. However, if you need an outlet, your best bet is always the main reading room. I'm actually writing this review right now to procrastinate studying. read more

Shields Library - The third floor during Finals Week - Libraries Near Me - Davis, California

I love the library, even though there are barely any seats during the midterm and final season :[ However, I really like how I can usually get a seat in the computer lab without any wait, compare to the MU or other computer labs. When the weather is nice, it's awesome to read books or do work in the little outdoor area in the middle of the library that you can access through first floor. Also the RESERVES! You can save so much money by getting your books from the reserves :), but sometimes it's hard to get them as there are sometimes only few copies. read more

Oh Shields. How I love you so. So much so that I'd rather come here to study than anywhere else. Especially at 9 in the morning after seeing Calvert. I usually have a two or three hour break before my next class so I try to get some alone time here as much as I can. My favorite spot is on the fourth floor. I love it! At 9 in the am, there are virtually zero people up there. I study in the back side of the library and I get really focused. The tables are humongous and have lots of space for all my stuff that I put on there. To get to the fourth floor, I always take the stairs. It's a workout! Elevators = laziness for me. I also love the window seats, not to study but for napping. haha The only problem perhaps is the lack of electrical outlets for the laptops. But I don't really mind it anymore since I am here so much early in the mornings, and I take a plug. If I am ever on campus during the day, and not in class or with a friend, it'll be right here. read more

Shields Library - Third floor - Libraries Near Me - Davis, California

I just love having a large library to study in between classes and such, smack in the middle-ish of campus. There are many areas around the library that are great for studying and other areas for group works and such. Being the 3rd largest library in the UC system, it would have over 3.1 million books and 4 floor for students and people alike to traverse around. Bonus for the many hiding quiet spots for studying. My go-to camp out spot would be around the 3rd or 4th floor as people don't bother going up to high for a quick study. The study cages do look a bit daunting... something that I wouldn't use, but can be useful for those who can't concentrate without being forced to. At the front of the library, I always have a small giggle to myself at the egghead faceplanted into a book. Irony, I use facebook in the library sometimes... heehee get it? Final Thoughts: This is a huge library... I think I can procrastinate by playing hide-n-seek here :] read more

This place really needs an upgrade. The number of outlets is quite limiting especially if your laptop doesn't last very long. The A/C is almost always on too high and I have to bring a light jacket even in 90 degree weather if I know I'll be spending some time in the library. The overall layout is also confusing. It's basically a patch work building. Having gone several renovations in the past, each one seems to just add onto the existing building without consideration what the best way to do so is. The 24 hour room is a prime example. They basically partitioned out the side of the main library, permanently relabeled some doors and exits to be 'emergency exit only' and that was that. The largest traces of past expansion is located in various bathrooms with mismatched tiles and illogical toilet placements. The best and worst part of the library is the 24 hour room located on the left side of the building facing the CoHo. The best part is that it's open 24 hours with a valid student ID. The worst part is that it seems to be cleaned every 240 hours. On the worst days, you'll want to sit at least 3 tables away from the bathrooms lest you might catch a constant whiff of urine. read more

This place has a few benefits. They include a bunch of tables to study at, some silent study zones and a few group study rooms. There are also these cages you can rent to lock yourself in to study, if thats your thing... Besides plenty of room to study, theres nothing special about our library at UC Davis. I think it is really time for a renovation to keep up with the changes happening around campus. I only study here when I have to, otherwise I'd go to a coffee shop. read more

Ahh shields library.. what can i say about you? As i'm writing this review right now i'm sitting in the reading room absorbing your fantastic AC :) I love how you have all the books i need on reserve so i do not have to bring my own copy from home and i love how you charge my computer for free :) Although i must admit, some parts of you is a bit scary (especially the little caged in area with only a desk and a chair) the rest of you is always filled with tons of people just trying to get their nerd on. and for that i approve of you :) read more

I'm enjoying a day on the campus of my alma mater. It's the first week of Spring Quarter -- a gorgeous day of fluffy white clouds floating across a bright blue sky. The new leaves on the oak trees haven't yet turned dark green and tannic against the heat and herbivores. The students look relatively hopeful and unstressed. The two guys studying near me are going to knock off soon and go shoot some hoops. Youth is wasted on the young? Who wouldn't want to be young again? Fuck off, George Bernard Shaw. I'm spending a few hours doing some research in Shields Library, and this place is bringing it with the sweet memories. Man, to have steady and ready access to a fine research library. Sure, lots of stuff is available online these days, but the internet is no substitute for bookstacks in a brick-and-mortar building. Some things change: (1) All the students have laptops, and the place is wired to accommodate. (2) The bookstacks are dark until you enter a row, tripping a motion detector that triggers the lights for that one row. (3) There have been major additions to Shields since I finished grad school, and I couldn't find the deep dark stacks that looked like a cross between a medieval monastery and an especially confined and claustrophobic portion of the spaceship set from the movie "Alien." Some things remain the same: (1) The library is disproportionately full of Asian kids -- take that either as a compliment or as purely empirical, Asian kids. (2) Every third or fourth student sitting in the study carrels is head-down and apparently asleep. (3) The graffiti in my carrel advises that the ladies from Tri-Delt are still the easiest. read more

Shield's will always have a special place in my heart because I spent so many hours inside the stark, gray, concrete building's 4 walls reading and writing and growing and learning. It sounds cheesy but there is something about a library that can be a catalyst for personal change. It is a bastion of knowledge and if utilized properly, can be a place where one meditates upon the world and their place in it. Their poetry section is well stocked and well maintained. With as much shitty poetry that comes out every day, it is good to troll through poetry collections that catch your eye and read them before you buy anything. Want to do some etymological research? They have the full Oxford English Dictionary available. What about reading up on local agriculture? There may not be a better collection of agricultural information in Northern California. I always wished there was an entrance on the other side of the building though. I had a lot of classes in Olson hall and my lazy ass hated walking all the way around the library to get in, especially when I was in a hurry and needed to use the computer lab between classes. read more

The last time I set foot in Sheilds library was over 15 years ago, but when I needed to escape the chaos of a house with a toddler and a baby to study for a professional exam, i found myself back in the stacks. Sheilds is open to the public, and if you are lucky enough to need to study when UCD is in midterm or finals time, Sheilds could potentially be open until 2am. Of course, you will have to hunt for table space and put up with undergrads hanging out and sort of studying, but hey, it does kind of make you feel young again. Out of all the libraries in the area that are open to the public, Sheilds has the latest hours and is worth the drive if you really need to get away like I did. read more

Ehhh it's just a library. Pretty outdated. But I like the art work inside. During Christmas they make their tree out of books! The supervisor behind the reserve desk is not friendly btw. read more

Shields Library - Group study time! - Libraries Near Me - Davis, California

Shields is a good option for studying. It's big with lots of fun spaces (both group study and individual) to sit down and focus for a few hours... so many spaces that it may take a few trips to figure out "your spot". The main reading room has a large hall feel, but that feel comes with LOTS of noise. If you want to hunker down I suggest somewhere in the stacks, an individual carrel, or the tables in the back. When you walk in it can be overwhelming and tempting to just sit at the first open spot, but take some time to walk and find a place that suits you! In my undergrad glory days, the second floor right hand side was my secret to success! read more

I didn't frequent the library much, but when I did, librarians were extremely nice and helpful and so were the student employees. They have every book you could possibly need and archives that are crazy cool (one holds Mayan codices). The 1st floor is generally not quiet, with students working on group projects, and being a high traffic area, it's difficult for some students to study on this level. Some of the quietest areas to study and take a nap are on the upper floors, along the walls. I'm taking 1 star off for a lack in cleanliness and electrical plugs. But overall, a great place to explore and find all your researching needs. read more

My to-go place whenever I don't own a book I need to read for one of my classes! I love the reserves place because I can always count on it when I want to save money and not purchase any of my books for my classes. Other than that, this place is a great place to do work and to study but it gets pretty crowded during midterms week and finals week. First come first serve when you need an outlet! I suggest bringing a power strip when you have a huge study group or when you need more than one plug. The computer lab is a plus too especially since it opens at 7:30am and you need to print something for an 8am class. I've never actually tried checking out their books so I don't know how good they are about that but the reserves place is definitely the place for me! read more

Great library although I feel like most people don't really utilize everything that this library has to offer. Most UCD students come here for the AC during the hot summers, use the computer, take a nap and study. I've never really see anybody crack up a book from the shelves or scan through them. Maybe it's just me? They have a great section of cook books which I discovered recently. Like an unbelievably, amazing selection of cook books that fill up rows and rows of shelves the size of two large rooms. I did mention free AC right? read more

Definitely my go-to place to study! I prefer the actual library study areas rather than the side 24 hour study room.. but the 24 hour study room surprisingly gets pretty busy after midnight most nights! Best to just start studying there before the main library closes if you know you'll be there still after midnight! Honestly, it kinda does feel like a dungeon in the 24 hour study room. I haven't really been to the library during Finals week to know how busy it gets, but it seems to get decently busy around midterm time! Will update review later. Also, if you're thinking about taking a book out of Reserves, remember to get the CALL ID # from the computers near the Reserves desk. read more

Ahhh, the place where I spend most of my time on campus. Most afternoons you can find me on the 4th floor, which is blissfully quiet and serene unless it is close to the end of the quarter. The Reading Room on the second floor is from the original building, and it is beautiful. I like to study in there sometimes too. I love that you can renew books almost indefinitely, and the Inter-Library Loan system is fantastic. You can get books from any UC, and even Stanford through it. I also love that we can access journals and databases through the library. I love to troll through Early English Books Online. You definitely have to check out the study cages on the north (Maybe? Near the PS section) wing of the 4th floor. They are frightening and compelling. Serena is right though. It is a pain that the door is on the opposite side of the building from Olson. I read on Davis-wiki that before one of the remodels the door actually was facing Olson, which is why there is that pedestrian bridge across the bike path. Then they built the new section where the door is now and moved it. read more

Ah yes, dates with Peter J.....such fond memories. Shields is a great place to study, as long as you can find a seat. Even if it took a little longer to find one than I hoped, I always found somewhere to nestle in and read or type or just talk and get shushed. The collection is enormous, and there are all these random corners in the library that you find. I like the online catalogs too, so I didn't have to schlep out to Shields at 2am for an article. read more

Great place to study. Quiet environment, tons of tables to study at all the time (I never have trouble finding a seat near a plug!), and you can eat! It's very close to both Silo and MU so you don't have to walk far from/to either terminal. Also very clean all the time. They have computer labs as well and you can print stuff here. Not much else to say! It's a great library! read more

I should probably come in here more often. But omg, what is with this place and their lack of outlets? I swear I spent 10 minutes looking for one once. My housemate and I have learned to just bring an extension cord with a power strip if we know that we're going to be studying in a group. Library faves; - 4th floor! There's no one there. - The group study room in the basement- perfect for talking out loud and working on group projects or just hw together. - Reserves desk- saved my butt so many times. It's what I get for not buying textbooks and finding out that there's hw due tomorrow. - 24 hr study room. Oh, finals. It's crowded during finals but not too bad. There hasn't been a point where I haven't been able to get a desk or anything. read more

I haven't been to many libraries other than this infamous one in Davis, but I really will miss it when I graduate this quarter. Looking back, always hit the 2nd or 3rd floor to get some room for group studies and such. If you are looking for a super quiet place to study, go for the individual cubbies at the random spots. Nevertheless, the computer room gets super packed here so I would advise to try another computer lab! When all else fails, go to the 24 hour room which may seem like a prison, but it gets the job done. If you feel super hipster, be sure to study on one of the huge window panes/cubby.. it makes you really appreciate the weather and environment! read more

I love this place, its great for everything...studying, researching, printing, internet, napping...hahah yessssh, i said napping Theres lots of tables and plenty of floors, desks, and even a few oversized windows to make your own nook. The staff is nice, and the reserves are quite useful. It can get crowded during finals, but during a hot summer day, there are few better sanctuaries....the AC is awesome. the only downside is a lack of adequate outlets...so pack those power strips read more

Shields Library is the place to get your study on. The location is convenient and the staff are helpful.I probably spent the majority of my college career in the main reading room on the second floor. Its quiet, has huge tables to scatter my papers everywhere and usually not too many people. They're getting electrical plugs for the tables next year so everyone can plug in their laptops! read more

Shields Library - Main Reading Room (2nd Floor) - Libraries Near Me - Davis, California

I am not the type that goes to the library to study, however I feel like Shields library is a holy sanctuary for studying. Every now and then I have to go borrow books from the reserves (2 hours loans) and the library enable me to stay in complete focus and finish my reading tasks. The library is very clean and organized, the only bad part about this library is that it can get crowded and there could be no open tables at all. read more

Ah yes, Shields Library aka my second home. If you can't get ahold of me or if I haven't replied to your text, you can probably find me here. 1st floor- where I do all of my printing, I don't spend much time studying on this floor since there is too much traffic and is noisy. If you walk around the 1st floor, you'll find some excellent artwork! 2nd floor- My favorite spot is on this floor! I won't give away my secret/special place, but it's a desk far from everyone and has an outlet, ha. You'll also find the main reading room up here and multiple group study areas. 3rd floor- I have the hardest time finding outlets on this floor; however, I've found that this floor is the quietest. So if you're looking to nap, head on up to the 3rd floor! 24-hour study room- You need a valid student ID to enter. I've considered coming to this room to study and sleep overnight to save time during finals ha but decided not to. So I haven't been to this room yet and pray I never have to. I've heard that it's pretty gross... Just like a previous reviewer said, it's time for renovations to keep up with all of the other upgrades happening around campus, but overall it's a pretty decent library. I do wish that they would go around and fix all of the outlets that are broken! read more

I love this library. I'm not a UCD student, and I never have been, but free internet on a hot summer day is wonderful and extremely appreciated. No one has ever bothered me for NOT being a student, and that's great, and it's amazing that such a large library can be so quiet. read more

Where else can you find books on artesian cheese making, intestinal parasites, antisemitic conspiracies and ice cream in one convenient location? It is the source for all knowledge on campus, especially if you happen to have a thing for food science, or veterinary literature. Not that there isn't something for the rest of you. There is a surprising collection of cookbooks (TX700-TX800), the entire back archives of Analog Science Fiction (PZ1), and a host of other cool things. read more

Best place to study midterms! Avoid the big reading room, sometimes it could become a bit chaos!

i get lost here often... which makes this place twice the fun! good place to nap... open til midnight... has other all night studying areas... has a photo copying area too! many floors many tables and millions of books that dont seem to be touched! it so nice and clean... but too bad i cant follow the "no food and drinks" rule! come on now... it's so far from the silo... imma die just sitting there! another reason it loses a star... the combo of large walking space and the girls who go there wearing heels! drives me mad when all you hear is clak clak clak.... i wanna rip my ... wait ... i wanna rip their hair out! read more

y'know. my 5 star on and off boyfriend, on during midterms and finals. peter j shields read more

Perfect place to grab a table and study on any ordinary day but is nearly impossible to find one during finals week.

This is my go-to study place when I'm on campus. Little to no Internet connection in the basement, but that just means more study time lol.