Our Mission

It is the primary mission of the Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City Library to serve as the intellectual commons of the University, providing high-quality resources, services, and gateways to information to meet the needs of OSU - Oklahoma City's diverse instructional, research, and outreach programs. The Library's secondary mission is that of an information resource for all the citizens of Oklahoma through both direct access to its collections and services and by sharing these resources as needed with other libraries in the state.

 

Our Services

Whether assisting students, faculty, or staff in locating library materials that meet their information needs or directing patrons to other campus services, our primary job in the Library is to provide information. To facilitate this we offer reference services and teach both groups and individuals how to use the Internet, the library catalog, and online databases. As part of our instruction, we also teach ways to think about the research process and how to be a discriminating information consumer.

 

The Library offers friendly customer service, quiet study areas, and group study rooms. In addition, for the convenience of our students, we provide several on-site services such as Ask-a-Librarian, Interlibrary Loan, the OK-Share card, color copies and transparencies, which are especially popular with students doing presentations for their classes. The Library serves as a repository for faculty reserve materials and distance education materials.

 

Behind the scenes, we evaluate thousands of books, videos and electronic media each year and consult faculty, searching for the materials that will be most useful. Once we decide on materials, the process we call collection development involves maintenance of several tracking spreadsheets, invoicing, relations with library vendors, cataloging, organizing, and processing items before they go on the shelf for use. At the other end of the spectrum, older materials are evaluated for retention and, when necessary, repairs are made.

 

Because technology is constantly changing - and much of librarianship these days is related to technology, we also invest time in training and continued education in an effort to stay current and ensure that we can best assist our patrons.

 

On a daily basis, we notify students of outstanding fines and overdue items, update campus holds, maintain equipment, process magazines and newspapers for use, smile a lot, and in general do whatever it takes to provide quality information services for a wide variety of users.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

• MAY I BRING MY CHILDREN TO THE LIBRARY?

  You may bring your children as long as you keep them with you and they do not disrupt or disturb others in the Library.  Please do not bring food or drink for your children.  We do not filter Internet content, so we ask that you not allow them to play on the computers.

• DO I NEED A LIBRARY CARD?

  You will need to present your OSU-Oklahoma City ID card to check out Library and Reserve material. An ID is not required to use the computers for research or the Internet.

• ARE YOU OPEN HOLIDAY WEEKENDS?

  The Library is open unless the entire campus is closed. However, hours may be reduced, therefore, Holiday and Interim hours are posted throughout the Library.  Please call 405-945-3251 during regular library hours if you're unsure.

• HOW MANY THINGS CAN I CHECK OUT AT ONE TIME?

  The Library's policy is that three video/audio tapes AND/OR three books AND/OR five Vertical File items per subject may be checked out at one time. The staff on duty at the Circulation Desk will use the call numbers to determine the subject matter of the books. Bring what you find and want to check out to the Circulation Desk and the staff will determine how many of the books you may check out. YOU may think they are all on the same subject, but WE may determine that they pertain to two or three different subjects. The overall limit is 10 items.  This can be a combination of Books, Media and/or Vertical File.

• HOW MUCH DO PHOTOCOPIES COST?

  Black & white copies are self-service and cost 5 cents per page. Our machines are able to copy front-to-back.  Please ask at the Reference Desk or the Circulation Desk for assistance. Color printing (sorry, there is no color copier) must be done by Library staff at the Circulation Desk and costs $.75 per page.

• IS THERE A PLACE WHERE A GROUP OF US CAN GO TO STUDY AND TALK?

  There are four Group Study Rooms available on the 4th floor of the Library which can be used for group study and discussion. Two of the rooms have special equipment for collaborative work. There is also a 'Quiet Study' area on the 3rd floor that can be used if you intend to study quietly together. Because your voices will carry, discussion should be kept low and at a minimum on the 3rd floor.

• CAN I HAVE DRINKS AND FOOD IN THE LIBRARY?

  You may enjoy your covered drink on the 4th floor of the library.  Food is not allowed on the 4th Floor (this includes the 4th floor study rooms). A table is available by the elevator as you enter the 4th floor where food may be left; you can retrieve it as you leave the Library. Drinks and food are allowed in the 3rd floor study area, but please help by keep the area neat and inform us immediately of any spills.