Whether in person or online, an undergraduate new to the Norman campus, an experienced researcher, or a member of our extended community, we want to extend our warmest welcome to the University of Oklahoma Libraries. We play a fundamental role in OU’s academic and research success, as well as that of a discovery resource to learners beyond our campus. It is my privilege as Dean of University Libraries to walk you through what to expect and experience both in person and on our digital platforms.
With eight special collections, three branch libraries and three satellite locations, and of course, the historic main Bizzell Memorial Library located at the center of campus, the Libraries’ efforts are faculty- and student-focused with an array of cutting edge and specialized services.
Students will find peace and tranquility in our stacks or the Great Reading Room for focused study, as well as state-of-the-art collaborative spaces, such as the Learning Lab and the Helmerich Collaborative Learning Center to brainstorm and bring your ideas to life. Here, you and your group can carry your group project across the finish line.
Scholars have at their fingertips a comprehensive Local Catalog and database holdings paired with our Interlibrary Loan and SHAREOK services. University Library subject area liaisons work tirelessly to connect scholarly and research faculty with the needed resources for a world class research institution.
University Libraries also hold year-round workshops and events featuring the Libraries’ professional staff expertise in the latest in data resources and technologies, such as our data and software carpentry partnerships and other cutting-edge work in emerging technologies.
We serve the entire university community, either in person, by phone, or through our website. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions please reach out to us. We look forward to helping you reach your goals this academic year and to supporting your success here at the University of Oklahoma.
MISSION
We are a catalyst and a destination elevating our community’s ability to imagine, explore, discover, and create knowledge that changes lives.
OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Priority 1:
Leverage and advance the University Libraries to position the university as a top-tier research institution
Priority 2:
Contribute to student success and information fluency by leveraging library expertise and partnerships
Priority 3:
Build and develop a robust offering of information resources and tools enabling affordability and accessibility
Priority 4:
Embody OU’s diverse community of stakeholders by establishing the UL as an inclusive place for the exchange of ideas, learning, and discovery
Priority 5:
Strategically enhance, preserve, and promote our distinctive research collections and archives in the service of scholarly and creative activity
OUR PRINCIPLES
University Libraries serves, connects, and empowers the University communities in their discovery, creation, and sharing of knowledge. Our guiding principles are:
- We build, deliver, and sustain services, expertise, and scholarly information that reflects the broad research and learning needs of our diverse and evolving communities.
- We facilitate the work of research and learning communities as an accessible, welcoming, and productive virtual and physical place.
- We lead initiatives and collaborations expanding our impact on the research and learning objectives of the communities we serve.
- We innovate and adapt in concert with stakeholder engagement and changes in the information environment.