Finding in-person help from UC Riverside’s BearHelp team is easier than ever with a new program stationing technicians at the two campus libraries.

Starting this fall, Information Technology Solutions, or ITS, is partnering with the UCR Library to offer technical support at the Tomás Rivera and Orbach Science libraries. A technician and a student worker will be available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the library support/IT support desk (formerly the information desk) at the two libraries. Both are centrally located on the first floor.

Students, staff, and faculty members can drop by without an appointment. The BearHelp team can assist with issues like password resets, WiFi access, VPN access, cloud printing, kiosk laptop support, and basic hardware troubleshooting for laptops and other devices.

The UCR community will still be able to receive assistance from library staff or a trained library student worker with requests such as finding books, articles, or specialized sources, or help with finding a research topic or citation management help.

BearHelp, the primary information technology help desk from campus, offers support through its web site, with email and chat, and live support during business hours through its helpline at 951-827-4848. Students, faculty, and staff can still go to the Computing and Communications Building at the east end of campus or Room 2111 in Watkins Hall for in-person assistance as well. 

“We are trying to meet the needs of the campus population, particularly the students, where they naturally congregate,” said Lily Barger, director of computing support services for ITS.

The libraries already host ITS resources such as printers and laptop kiosks, resulting in students often going to the support desk for help. Adding the tech support desk will relieve library staff from answering questions they’re not able to resolve while providing convenient support to the campus, Barger said.

“The goal is to help students and the campus community resolve issues more quickly by avoiding the need to leave messages and playing phone tag,” she said. “We also want to make it more obvious to campus where they can find help.”

The program began with a soft-launch last week that will be publicized as the fall quarter begins. Hours and locations may be expanded as the service becomes better known and ITS gets a better gauge of campus demand, Barger said.