Jan 31 Saturday
Simi Valley author Faline Kissick celebrates the release of My Redeemer and Me, a faith-centered memoir about healing from childhood trauma and finding peace in God’s presence. Guest host Julieann Hartman (Healing Journeys Today). Books available on site, with signing and light refreshments to follow. Content note: discussion of childhood trauma and may reference abuse. Recommended for mature audiences. RSVP at facebook.com/falinekissick
Feb 01 Sunday
Since 2007, UCSB Reads has fostered a shared sense of belonging by bringing the UCSB campus and Santa Barbara communities together to read a common book that explores compelling issues of our time. Conceived by then Executive Vice Chancellor Gene Lucas, the program is led by the UCSB Library in collaboration with campus and community partners. Each year, a committee of UCSB faculty, students, staff, and community members selects a thought-provoking, interdisciplinary book written by a living author that encourages a wide range of readers to engage with a contemporary social, political, cultural or scientific issue such as climate change, racial justice, technology, memory, identity, and democracy.
The program kicks off in winter with a book giveaway for UCSB students led by the Chancellor, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, and University Librarian, and culminates with a free public talk by the book’s author(s) at Campbell Hall in the spring. Throughout the winter and spring quarters, the Library sponsors a variety of free learning, experiential, and social events to explore the book’s themes. The selected book is also incorporated into the university curriculum for winter and spring, allowing students to explore its themes in an academic context. UCSB Reads is generously supported by many individuals, university departments, and organizations.
This exhibition highlights the history of UCSB Reads since its inception, featuring promotional posters, selected books, custom bookmarks along with testimonials and images of participants engaging with programming throughout the years. UCSB Reads has become a beloved campus tradition that brings together thousands of people every year and demonstrates the power of literature to bridge divides, promote intellectual engagement, and build community.
"Through most of our lives and work, Cedric and I have had deep commitments to collaboration, internationalism, and solidarity movements."–Elizabeth Robinson, 2024
This exhibition documents the life’s work of Cedric J. Robinson and Elizabeth Peters Robinson, placing it in the global context of the Black radical tradition. The Robinsons were renowned for their seminal scholarship and activism that had wide-ranging influence at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB), in academia, and across many public arenas. The exhibition is drawn from the Cedric J. and Elizabeth P. Robinson Archive (“Robinson Archive”) and supplemented by a variety of materials from other collections in UCSB Library’s Special Research Collections, as well as personal contributions from Elizabeth Robinson.
A deeply influential educator, Cedric Robinson (1940-2016) was a well-known scholar of racial capitalism and the Black radical tradition, and an active participant in political movements, both at home and internationally. For more than 30 years, Elizabeth Robinson has been an educator, social worker, former associate director for media at KCSB-FM radio, activist, and community media producer.
This exhibition was curated by Yolanda Blue, the Library’s Curator of American and International History, Politics, and Cultures Collections, in collaboration with New York University and UCSB Library staff.
Feb 02 Monday
UCSB Library is pleased to present Heejung Kim (Psychological and Brain Sciences) in the Pacific Views: Library Speaker Series for Winter 2026. In her talk, “Culture and Social Support: Implications for Health and Well-Being,” she explores how relationships lie at the heart of human life, strongly influencing our health and well-being. Yet what counts as a “good relationship” can vary widely across cultures. Different cultural values—such as prioritizing personal independence or emphasizing group harmony—shape how people set social expectations, regulate emotions, and interact with those closest to them. In this talk, Kim will present her research on how these cultural differences influence the way people use and benefit from social support when dealing with stress.
Heejung Kim is a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at UCSB. Her research interests are in cultural psychology, looking at how culture influences psychological processes to understand why and how people engage in a range of everyday behaviors, such as acting pro-environmentally, giving and seeking social support, making product choices, and interacting with others from different cultures. Her research has been funded by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation.
Kim’s approximately 45-minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.
This event may be photographed or recorded.
Advance registration is recommended as space is limited.
Feb 03 Tuesday
Feb 04 Wednesday