Tucked away in the top floor of the Old Student Center rests a cozy nook filled with a maze of packed bookshelves, cardboard boxes brimming with novels, board games, pulpy posters, figurines, and the comforting vanilla aroma of ancient parchment. This hidden rectangular room is called Darkstar, and it is UC San Diego’s sole science fiction and fantasy library. Since its inception in 1978, student librarians have stewarded Darkstar.

Through its 47-year tenure, Darkstar’s compact space has provided a uniquely comforting space for students to enter the world of these imaginative genres, all while navigating the limitations of a student-run space. The library is dense with 6,000 books and 140 board games contained within only 400 square feet of floor space, creating a palpable gravitational pull, much like a massive star on the verge of collapsing into a black hole. Enthusiastic and devoted student librarians have cultivated a welcoming atmosphere through the careful curation of Darkstar’s collection of science fiction and fantasy literature. 

Currently, 14 diligent student librarians manage the space, opening its doors to anyone interested in checking out a book, playing a board game, attending a movie night, participating in the library’s book club, or simply studying and socializing with others. While operating hours vary due to librarians’ fluctuating schedules, Darkstar is typically open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Dhruv Sehgal, a student who utilizes this space, says he goes to Darkstar whenever he’s working on a creative project because the atmosphere inspires him.

“The ambience feels less corporate than bookstores or other libraries because all the books have some wear and tear to them; it feels more natural and human,” he said.

Another student, Ezra Sheldon, regularly attends board game nights on Fridays and checks out books that the librarians recommend to him. For him, these offerings never disappoint and are important for building community. “Darkstar is the most welcoming place on campus, and I think spaces like this allow for strong connections because there’s no need to break the ice; everyone can immediately bond over a common interest,” Sheldon explained.

The current “Book Tamer,” Darkstar’s name for head librarian, is Cat Siler. They have been volunteering at Darkstar since they were an undergraduate student in 2021 and explained the importance of this space. 

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Siler felt isolated and lacked a comfortable space to express themself on campus. “It wasn’t until I walked into Darkstar [that I] realized I very much found a place I could truly be myself,” Siler said. They cited their intimate connection to Darkstar as a major part of why they decided to pursue their graduate education at UCSD.

Siler is trained in book restoration, so their role as “Book Tamer” is essential for maintaining the quality and coherence of Darkstar’s internal catalogue. Darkstar’s internal catalogue originated from a bulk donation from the late Anne Proud, a Southern California native who wanted people to enjoy her large collection of science fiction and fantasy novels after she passed away. Since then, Darkstar’s catalogue has steadily grown from donations and the occasional staff-bought book. 

Due to their reputation of competence and passion, student librarians also maintain a strong collaborative relationship with Geisel Library. Recently, Darkstar connected with Roger Smith, a librarian at Geisel, to secure a large donation of literary material from UC Riverside. 

Alperen Ayan, Darkstar’s secretary librarian, commented on the benefit of a student-run library like Darkstar on campus in addition to the larger Geisel Library.

“It’s fantastic that we can provide a physical resource for people to discover and check out science fiction and fantasy because there’s no real way to peruse the genres in a place like Geisel,” Ayan said. “The UC system’s internal exchange system is a bit complicated because you have to wait for the books to arrive … but at Darkstar, there’s a plethora of librarians readily equipped to give you recommendations.” 

One proposal the student librarians have been pursuing with Geisel librarians for the past few years is integrating their catalogue into Geisel’s directory, so more people can access Darkstar. 

Darkstar has also joined forces with the Student Veterans Organization to jointly-host game nights. They are currently in talks with other organizations in the Old Student Center, such as the LGBT Resource Center and the General Store, to further their shared goals of providing for the community. As a result of Darkstar’s involvement in events like the Student Center Co-Op Fest and increased promotional tabling, attendance for its events has greatly increased. However, the space’s physical limitations have become more apparent as more people visit the library.

Darkstar originally had a larger dedicated space in the Ché Café, but renovations in 2014 forced the University Centers Advisory Board to relocate the library to its current location in the Old Student Center above Taco Villa. UCAB is a student-chaired board that allocates space for student organizations, from clubs to the co-ops. Typically, space is not guaranteed and student organizations must reapply annually. However, because of the library’s long-standing, deep roots in UCSD’s campus community, Darkstar is automatically designated space by UCAB every year.

However, the 13-by-30 foot room still presents challenges with a maximum capacity of around 25 people. Ayan explained that seating space is limited to four folding tables, leaving little to no maneuverability. Oftentimes, people have to go downstairs to Blue Pepper in order to have more room for activities like board games.

Additionally, the limited space impedes its ability to maintain its archive of first-edition, old historical pulps while adding onto its catalogue through donations. 

“We hit [shelf] capacity a long time ago, and because of that, we have to be very selective with which books we take in and out,” Siler admitted. “In my mind, that diminishes how we can serve the community as a library.” 

The solution to its space conundrum, however, may lie just beyond the other side of its east wall: the Dark Room. Though the origins of its name are unknown, the Darkstar librarians posit it was originally used as a darkroom for photography. The Dark Room has been under renovation for years, but UCAB has predicted that it will be ready for use by the start of Spring Quarter. Although there are no solid guarantees from UCAB that the space will be allocated to Darkstar, the librarians are hopeful 

The Dark Room is three times the size of Darkstar’s current space, and Siler explained that it would be big enough to store its extensive catalogue. Siler envisioned how they might utilize the space once it is fully renovated: plush reading chairs and cushioned furniture, a permanent TV for movie nights, and of course, more room to shelf its 6,000 volumes. 

Ayan said that the physical space of the library is essential because Darkstar acts as a spiritual home that allows his friends and other students to congregate and bond.

“The most valuable aspect of Darkstar is the physical location. … Me and my friends haven’t managed to find another space on campus for people like us, so I would say it’s vital for a lot of students to have a center where we can all come together,” Ayan said. “So many of my friends, like a lot of students, live in different parts of campus and have busy schedules, so Darkstar is the perfect space to meet, chat, relax, play board games, and gush about books.”

Whether Darkstar’s possible expansion into the Dark Room comes to fruition remains to be seen. However, despite its spatial limitations, Darkstar Library remains an integral, inviting, and cozy fixture on UCSD’s campus. Darkstar’s librarians are always ready and willing to welcome anyone and everyone.