Inside Geisel Library's Massive Transformation: What Uc San Diego Students Are Seeing
By Alexander Ross
Physical renovations represent only half of the institution's ongoing evolution. Deep within Special Collections and Archives, conservators have accelerated efforts to safeguard endangered historical records. Magnetic media, open-reel tapes, and acetate discs degrade rapidly in coastal environments, making digitization an urgent preservation priority.
In August 2025, the library secured a competitive Recordings at Risk grant funded by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The award financed the rescue of rare Pacific audio holdings, specifically field recordings, oral histories, and linguistic patterns from Oceania. Ethnomusicologists and regional historians worked alongside digitization technicians to extract sound from decaying analog media before chemical degradation rendered the tapes unreadable.
These audio assets were integrated into the public library digital collections portal. Researchers worldwide can now stream primary audio artifacts without handling delicate physical originals, expanding access beyond the campus borders.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
