Library Services

Circulation | Interlibrary Loan | Reference & Instruction | Special Collections

Introduction

Containing special collections in Jungian, archetypal, and psychoanalytical psychology, mythology, the humanities, and religious studies, Pacifica’s library acquires rare materials that are specific to each of the Institute’s degree programs. With branches on both campuses, the library houses over 24,000 books, 100,000 ebooks, 3,000 theses and dissertations, audio and video material, and print and electronic journals. Special collections include course reserves, student papers, faculty publications and archives, rare titles, and multimedia materials.

Pacifica’s Graduate Research Library supports graduate-level study in the areas of counseling psychology, clinical psychology, depth psychology, mythological studies, education, and the humanities. Our subject area strengths are Jungian and archetypal psychology, depth psychology, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, mythology, religious studies, cross-cultural studies, psychological studies of literature, research methodology, practices in education, and mythological focuses in the humanities and education. Library holdings also include dissertations and theses of Pacifica’s graduates and some faculty, and audiovisual materials. A primary goal has been to provide access to hard-to-find materials; for example, the periodical section focuses on titles which are not readily accessible in other libraries, as well as leading professional journals in depth psychology, and distinctive interdiscplinary journals. The library also provides access to a variety of online information resources via Mac and PC computers.

In addition to materials available, the Library offers a number of services designed to meet your research needs; these include circulation services, interlibrary loans, reference assistance, and special collections access. Library staff also offer in-class, small-group, and individual instruction to facilitate academic inquiry. A number of auxiliary resources are available to students with disabilities, details of which can be found on the Library Disability Services page. You are encouraged to explore the opportunities afforded to you by the Library and we welcome your questions or concerns.

Circulation Services – contact staff

For items not held by the library, you may try other commercial document delivery suppliers. They may be found through DocDel.net or via the APA. Do note that prices can vary between suppliers.

Associated Policies:

Students and faculty are strongly advised to familiarize themselves with the library’s policies on collection development and academic freedom, which govern acquisitions and patron information respectively:

Collection Development Policy
Academic Freedom and Privacy Policy

Interlibrary Loan Services – contact staff

If current Pacifica students, faculty, or staff need items not held by the Pacifica Library, they may request that the Library borrow the items from another library. This is called Interlibrary Loan or just ILL. You may fill out the library’s online ILL Request Form, or email ill@pacifica.edu with your request. When making requests, please be sure to have clear and accurate citation information so staff may find the correct document. ILL requests are filled on a first-come first-serve basis and items already owned by the Pacifica Library will NOT be processed. Please consult the library catalog, or the library’s journal holdings, prior to submitting an ILL request. Students will be contacted when the items arrive. It is difficult to predict when items will arrive, since the library depends on the speed of the lender to process requests, the mail delivery service, etc. To cover the fees of the lending libraries, $3.50 plus shipping is charged per item for this service to students (faculty are not charged). Renewal policies for ILL documents are dependent on the lending library, not Pacifica’s Graduate Research Library. Overdue ILL items are charged a $1/day fee and items not returned after one month are assessed a replacement charge (determined by the lending library, not Pacifica’s) plus a $20 processing fee. Students are limited to 20 ILL requests per 30 days. Requestors have the option of picking up ILL requests in person at either campus library or by having journal article requests or book chapter requests emailed to them (PDF copies sent as attachments).

Reference Assistance – contact staff

Reference staff are available in-person when students are on campus as well as by phone at (805) 969-3626 extension 144, or email at reference@pacifica.edu. Reference staff include Mark Kelly, Director of Library Services and Richard Buchen, Special Collections Librarian. Replies to reference questions sent by mail, email, or left on voicemail, are usually provided within 24 hours during normal library operational times of the year (excluding holidays or Pacifica staff events). Appointments may also be made for private consultations and tutorials with the reference staff.

Instruction

As of Fall 2012, the library also offers instruction in the following sequence: 1) a beginning tour and orientation to the library’s physical and electronic resources for first-year Pacifica students, 2) an intermediate course for constructing online search strategies for research topics, and 3) an advanced course for dissertation and thesis research, including constructing the literature review.

Optional and other required-by-faculty library classes are also available to students and faculty throughout the academic year as part of the academic curriculum in every program. Faculty may request collaboration with library staff in offering classes any time. Library staff are happy to develop training workshops on topics requested by faculty or students. Please contact the reference desk to schedule trainings or workshops. The following are examples of additional classes offered: information literacy, searching academic databases, searching the web for scholarly information, and information management software.

Special Collections & Archival Research

For access and research to the manuscript and archival collections please contact OPUS Archives & Research Center directly at research@opusarchives.org or (805) 969-5750. General tours and orientations are available, though appointments are requested for in-depth research in order to allocate sufficient time for document retrieval and preparation.

For access to the Joseph Campbell and Marija Gimbutas Library on the Lambert Road campus please contact Richard Buchen, Special Collections Librarian, (805) 969-3626 x133, rbuchen@pacifica.edu