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Community Access

Are you unaffiliated with UBC? There are many resources, services, events, and spaces you can access through the Library! Read this guide to learn more.

Connect with a Community Engagement Librarian

Allan Cho (he/him)

Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, UBC
allan.cho@ubc.ca
604-827-4366

Allan’s work includes supporting ongoing community initiatives and leading new ones, focusing on community engagement with historically underrepresented groups, piloting IKBLC’s AskAway coordination, subject liaison librarian with the School of Information, and developing a new speaker series with the support of the Peña Family Foundation.

Donna Langille (she/her/they/them)

Community Engagement and Open Education Librarian
UBC Okanagan Library
donna.langille@ubc.ca
250 807-9233

As Community Engagement and Open Education Librarian, Donna works to improve access to scholarly research for community members. You can find her at the UBC Innovation Library where community members can access many of UBC’s electronic resources. Contact them by email to schedule an appointment.

Kayla Lar-Son (she/her/they/them)

Indigenous Programs and Services Librarian
X̱wi7x̱wa Library, UBC
kayla.lar-son@ubc.ca

604-817-8091

Kayla is Metis from Treaty Six Territory and is the Indigenous programs and services librarian for the Xwi7xwa Library. Along with her colleagues at X̱wi7x̱wa, she works to provide Indigenous communities with culturally relative services and programs on the UBC campus and beyond. Kayla is also the program manager librarian for the Indigitization program. You can contact her through email.

Aleha McCauley (she/her)

Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, UBC
aleha.mccauley@ubc.ca
604-827-3906

Aleha is involved in several community initiatives that strive to improve access to research for community members, organizations and businesses across BC. Aleha welcomes you to connect with her by email.

Nick Ubels (he/him/his)

Community Engagement Librarian
UBC Learning Exchange & Irving. K. Barber Learning Centre
nick.ubels@ubc.ca
604 827-0905

As an embedded community engagement librarian at the UBC Learning Exchange in the Downtown Eastside (DTES), Nick works with community members and non-profit organizations to improve access to scholarly research. Contact him by e-mail to set up a free one-to-one research consultations or get help using the DTES Research Access Portal.

Access our digital collections

UBC Library’s digital collection includes leading academic journals, monographs and many more items to explore.

You can access most items from the digital collection when you visit a branch. Here’s how:

  1. Ask library staff at the help desk for a guest OpenAthens log-in
  2. Show library staff one current piece of government-issued, photo ID and proof of a local address (e.g., bank statement, utility bill, or automobile registration).
  3. Go to https://openathens.library.ubc.ca
  4. Scroll down and log into OpenAthens using your OpenAthens username/password
  5. You will be redirected to the UBC Library homepage and will remain logged in for the duration of your browser session
  6. Enjoy free on-site access to UBC Library’s e-books, academic articles, and much more!