Cal State Long Beach has received more than $2.1 million in federal funding to make its storied archives more accessible to students and the Long Beach community.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, presented the university with the funds last week to support the construction of a new Long Beach Research Center and Special Collections Archives. The funding will help create a modern facility that will preserve rare materials and expand access to the histories that shaped CSULB and the Long Beach region, officials said.
Rep. Robert Garcia presented $2.175 million in federal funding to CSULB for its Long Beach Research Center and Special Collections Archives on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Photo courtesy of 42nd Congressional District office)
Rep. Robert Garcia presented $2.175 million in federal funding to CSULB for its Long Beach Research Center and Special Collections Archives on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Photo courtesy of 42nd Congressional District office)
Rep. Robert Garcia presented $2.175 million in federal funding to CSULB for its Long Beach Research Center and Special Collections Archives on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Photo courtesy of 42nd Congressional District office)
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Rep. Robert Garcia presented $2.175 million in federal funding to CSULB for its Long Beach Research Center and Special Collections Archives on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Photo courtesy of 42nd Congressional District office)
CSULB’s Special Collections and University Archives is the home of the university’s rare book and manuscript collections, as well as its archives, including pieces of Long Beach history, the largest fine arts collections in the CSU system and more. It is located on the third floor of the university’s library.
The archives include artifacts such as a 1490 witch-hunting manual, World War II ration packs, historic campus materials and regional political papers, according to university officials.
“One aspect that we’re not currently flourishing in is our online presence,” University Library Dean Elizabeth Dill said in a statement. “We are just now starting to build a robust digital repository, providing access to all of these great materials that would normally be under lock and key.”
The federal funding that the university has received will aid in those efforts, officials said. The community project funding secured by Garcia will be used to modernize, digitize and expand the special collections area of the library – making previously unseen materials publicly accessible.
In addition to expanding the archives’ online presence, the plan also includes making changes to the current space by adding glass walls to open sight lines and converting the adjoining storage room into exhibit and classroom space, according to the university’s website.
Garcia presented a check for the funding to university officials on Friday, Feb. 13, in front of the library. The congressman was joined by CSULB Interim President Andrew Jones, Vice Provost Pei-Fang Hung, Dill, ASI President Sonny Ciampa, other administrators, staff and students.
“This funding is about investing in education, access, and opportunity for our entire community,” Garcia said in a statement. “CSULB plays a critical role in Long Beach, and this new research center will give students and the public a place to learn, explore, and engage with history in meaningful ways. I’m proud to support a project that strengthens our university and will open doors for future generations.”