Mission Statement
The Eva B. Dykes Library promotes academic excellence by supporting the University’s curriculum. It provides the Oakwood University community and constituents with access to quality resources and services that enhance teaching, learning, research, and the integration of faith.
Goals
- Provide and promote access to resources and services at the time and place of need.
- Prepare an information literate graduate.
- Enrich teaching, learning and research through collections, access, and content management.
- Recruit, support, and retain qualified and competent staff.
- Continue to position and promote the library as a place that supports scholarship.
- Promote the physical and virtual library’s role in supporting teaching and learning.
- Employ and support current and emerging technologies, allowing users and staff to accomplish their goals.
The Eva B. Dykes Library offers a variety of resources to meet patron’s information needs. Whether the search is for print, electronic, archival, or multimedia materials, all are available or accessible from the Eva B. Dykes Library or website. All Oakwood students, faculty and staff may borrow library materials. The Oakwood University ID card is also a library card. Librarians and staff are ready to assist users in identifying, locating, evaluating, and using resources effectively.
Services include access to over 30 networked computers in the computer lab, and another 10 distributed on the main and upper floors; wireless Internet connection; interlibrary loans from libraries worldwide; and class or individual instruction. In addition to the book collection, resources include thousands of electronic journals and e-books accessible on and off campus; print periodicals, 7,000 plus videos and DVDs, projectors, and other equipment. Oakwood University students, faculty, and staff may also borrow books directly from the Learning Resource Center at Alabama A&M University and from Athens State University Library. Simply present current ID prior to checking out items.
The Library is an affiliate member of the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries (NAAL) and a member of the Adventist Libraries Cooperative (ALICE) and LYRASIS which according to definitions.net is a non-profit member organization serving and supporting libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage organizations around the world. The consortia provide electronic resources at reduced cost and offer on-going professional development and training for library faculty and staff. The Library is also a member of the HBCU Library Alliance and is a member of the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) which makes over 40 databases available to the library.