The Image Resource Center (IRC) in the History of Art & Architecture Department provides image and technology support, available to the whole campus community. We offer assistance with image management and research tools, access to instructional and research media including extensive digital image resources, and assistance with image-focused technology. The facility includes digitizing equipment and two teaching/meeting/workshop rooms. Our services support individuals (faculty and students), classes, groups, or sessions customized for any focus. We also host regular talks and workshops on innovative image technology applications and Digital Humanities.
About Us
Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, and by appointment
Location: Arts 1245, near the main HAA office
Phone: (805) 893-2509
Staff: IRC Curator: Jeff O'Brien, jeffobrien@ucsb.edu 
IRC Assistant Curator: Christine Fritsch, cfritsch@ucsb.edu
Resources: Artstor 
, the online digital library containing over 2 million images and other media, covering art and architectural history as well as disciplines beyond, and JSTOR Forum , a media and data management, storage and online sharing platform.
Blog: The Red Dot , a good place to learn more about image collections, tools, and new developments in digital research and learning.
The Facility
The Image Resource Center is home to several unique spaces, functions and collections:
The Digital Image Lab (DIL)
The DIL focus is the discovery of new technologies through demonstrations and workshops, ultimately informing new directions in research and pedagogy. It can accommodate small or large (up to 25) groups for discussions, online meetings, review sessions, and more. It offers flexible seating and work surfaces, two dedicated workstations (PC and Mac), a 55” monitor, interactive projection, and whiteboards. There is extensive wall space with panels that allow material pinning or hanging, and movable shelves, all designed for display or discussion. The DIL is also home to a small reference library containing survey texts and books commonly used in HAA courses.
The Center for Object-Based Research and Learning (COBRAL)
COBRAL has been designed to support museum studies, architectural history, and other courses focused on learning through the study of materials. The room can accommodate up to 30 students, with ample mobile surfaces and shelving for display. There is an adjoining temperature-controlled room for safe storage of borrowed materials, and both spaces are monitored by security cameras and alarms.
Materials Collection
The IRC is developing a materials collection that can be used in our facility or checked out for classroom use. Contact Christine Fritsch, cfritsch@ucsb.edu | (805) 893-2509, to inquire about the materials already in the collection, to check out materials for lecture/seminar/section, or to request materials to add to the collection.
Scanning Stations
The IRC maintains two large high-quality Epson flatbed scanners, a CZUR ET24Pro book scanner, and a Nikon 35mm slide scanner. These are set up at computer work stations, one Mac and one PC, and are available on a sign-up basis. Training is provided on request.
The Technology Museum
The IRC manages a collection of pre-digital image technology from the past 60 years, such as image study books and card sets, a variety of slide transparency format examples, and slide projectors and viewers. In addition we have examples of other technology from the last century such as typewriters, early laptops, and electronic storage devices. Selections from this collection are on rotating display.
35mm Slide Archive
The IRC was once home to over 400,000 35mm slides used for classroom teaching. Over the last 20 years most of the slides have been removed during our transition to digital teaching and collection building. We still maintain a small collection of archival slides, primarily original photography by and from our department’s scholars and their colleagues. Over time these slides are being systematically documented, digitized and shared online.
Our Services
Image Research
The IRC staff are the primary campus resource for image research and use. The main gateway to instructional and research media is the Artstor Digital Library , with over 2 million images. After clicking the Artstor Digital Library link, click Log in to Artstor and off-campus access is available through Log in through your Institution (as University of California, Santa Barbara) with your UCSB NetID and password. Artstor holdings include materials of value to many disciplines. Note that the Artstor website will be retired next year on August 1, 2024, but all of Artstor's licensed content, images contributed by UCSB's IRC and Library, key resources, and functionality are moving to JSTOR . UCSB also licenses JSTOR Forum , software which supports digital media management, and sharing via JSTOR and other platforms. Please reach out to the IRC staff if you are interested in learning more about Artstor, JSTOR, or JSTOR Forum.
In addition to Artstor there are numerous general and subject-specific online collections available to you. Please contact the IRC staff, who can help you locate the highest quality images for your needs.
Training, Demonstrations and Workshops
The IRC staff provides image research orientation to classes, and offers regular workshops for small and large groups. Past workshop topics have included:
- Online image research (Artstor, JSTOR, and beyond)
- Creating gradebooks in Excel
- Photoshop basics
- Image copyright overview
- Bibliographic management tools
We are the organizers and hosts of a Digital Humanities series on Mapping, with hands-on workshops and research presentations. If you have a request for a workshop or demonstration on a specific topic, please let us know .
Image Copyright
Clarifying which images you can use, and how, can be a frustrating process. The Image Resource Center staff can help with one-on-one counsel and group workshops. However, to get the conversation started we've put together this copyright guide to image use in M.A. Theses and Ph.D. Dissertations 
.
Course and Classroom Support
Images can be digitized on request by HAA faculty and visiting instructors. Please provide the source (book or print) with a list of pages or figures and allow at least 7 days for processing (for Rush Orders, please contact IRC staff – these will be handled on a case-by-case basis). Staff can also research to locate high-quality digital images.
IRC staff arrange orientations to all HAA classrooms and provide first line troubleshooting.
Room Reservations
If you are interested in reserving an IRC space or scanning station, please use the History of Art & Architecture Room Reservations form 
to review department policies and submit a request.
If you would like to bring your class into the IRC to view objects from the Art, Design & Architecture Museum and/or other objects, please use the HAA Image Resource Center - Object Teaching Request form to submit which objects and when and how you would like to visit.
For more information about space or equipment booking, visit HAA Room Scheduling or contact Christine Fritsch, cfritsch@ucsb.edu | (805) 893-2509.