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Digitized in February 2025 as part of the California Local Government Documents Collection, the Loyola Corners Neighborhood Commercial Center Specific Plan (City of Los Altos, 1990) offers a vivid example of how local governments use specific...Read more about Spotlight on Local Planning: The Loyola Corners Specific Plan

This week the Institute of Governmental Studies will be conducting another of its periodic polls of the California public about major political and public policy issues facing the state. It is a legitimate non-partisan poll sponsored by...Read more about Berkeley IGS Poll in Progress this Week (Oct 20 - Oct 27)

One of my favorite parts of working with the library's document collection is getting to take in all the imagery. In his poem "A Supermarket in California," Allen Ginsberg...Read more about Student Assistant Allie Carr: Shopping For Images

Welcome back to another dive into California's local history!

If you've been following our blog on the CA Local Documents Digitization Project website, you know that the...Read more about A History of Berkeley

Dr. Smith is best known for his leadership as the Assistant to the...Read more about Harold Palmer Smith, Jr., Distinguished IGS Scholar in Residence (1935-2025)

The Institute of Governmental Studies Library (IGSL) at UC Berkeley has reached a remarkable achievement: more than 5,000 local government documents from across California have been digitized and made freely accessible to the public!

...Read more about 5000th item digitized!

On Friday, May 23rd, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. sharp. It was the day I'd been waiting for since I had graduated a few days before. I was flying to Washington D.C. for the Democracy Camp program! I messaged the group chat with my cohort last night if anyone wanted to...Read more about 2025 Democracy Camp in DC Journal

California has become the epicenter of wildfire devastation, with recent years marked by unprecedented destruction and loss of life. The state now...Read more about California wildfires: documents in the California Local Government Documents digitization collection

This week the Institute of Governmental Studies will be conducting another of its periodic polls of the California public about major political and public policy issues facing the state. It is a legitimate non-partisan poll sponsored by...Read more about Berkeley IGS Poll in Progress this Week (June 2 - June 9)

Congratulations to these three incredible recipients of the prestigious Chancellor's Award!

The first recipient, Esme Nuno Mora, '26, is a 2025 Democracy Camp in Berkeley Alum with deep passion for creating higher pathways for unnaccompanied homeless youth, and aiming to pursue her PhD...Read more about Three IGS Alums recognized by prestigious Chancellor's Award

Spending a semester in Washington, D.C., was a defining chapter of my academic, professional and personal growth journey, one that has reshaped my aspirations for the future. From snowy days to the vibrant bloom of spring, my time in D.C. was truly an unforgettable experience....Read more about UCDC Spring 2025: Blossoming in Spring - How A Semester in D.C. Reaffirmed My Commitment to Public Service and Advocacy

I initially encountered the IGS Student Library Assistant position during my study abroad program in Morocco. Through this program, I visited al-Qarawiyyin, the oldest standing library in the world, and had the opportunity to explore preserved books dating centuries before us. As...Read more about Student Assistant Habiba Hesham Geweifal

Looking back at my semester at Washington D. C., I feel very grateful that I had this wonderful opportunity. My first post may have been critical of my internship because of its misalignment with its mission (for context, please read my first blog), but after much thought and...Read more about UCDC Spring 2025: Concluding a Profound Experience at D.C.

Being in Washington, D.C. this spring and experiencing an administrative transition while interning at a federal agency was unlike anything I had anticipated. Although there were challenging moments, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be in Washington, D.C. It was one thing to...Read more about UCDC Spring 2025: In the Midst of Generational Change, Still Motivated to Say 'Yes' to Public Service

The Institute of Governmental Studies is searching for a detail-...Read more about IGS is hiring a 2025-2026 Events and AV Student Assistant!

The Institute of Governmental Studies is searching for a motivated...Read more about IGS is hiring a 2025-2026 Media and Design Student Assistant!

This week the Institute of Governmental Studies will be conducting another of its periodic polls of the California public about major political and public policy issues facing the state. It is a legitimate non-partisan poll sponsored by...Read more about Berkeley IGS Poll in Progress this Week (Apr 21 - Apr 30)

I initially encountered the IGS Student Library Assistant position during my study abroad program in Morocco. Through this program, I visited al-Qarawiyyin, the oldest standing library in the world, and had the opportunity to explore preserved books dating centuries before us. As I...Read more about Student Assistant Habiba Hesham Geweifal: What the Project Means to Me