High School Visitors Information   Tags: group tours, high school groups, schools  

The Edmon Low Library at Oklahoma State University welcomes school group visitors. If you would like to bring your high school or grade school class to the Library, this page contains information and links.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. My contact information is on the far right.

Directions to the OSU Library

Generally, bus parking is available at University overflow Lot 81, which is located on Hall of Fame Avenue and McFarland on the west side of campus. Monroe Avenue is closed to through traffic from Athletic Avenue to just north of Willard Hall from 8-5 M-F, and Hester Street is closed to through traffic as well. If you are planning to drop students off, plan accordingly.

OSU Campus Parking Map

If you are over the age of 18 and an Oklahoma resident, you can be issued a Courtesy Card, which will allow you to borrow materials for 4 weeks at a time.

Courtesy Card Information

OSU Campus Tours are available if you would like to schedule one for the same day you visit the OSU Library. You can contact Undergraduate Admissions to schedule a campus tour.

If you would like to bring your class to the Library, we ask that you contact us in advance to make arrangements. Some questions we will as include:

• What is the purpose of the visit? Are students working on an assignmen, or just interested in a quick tour of the library building?
• How many students will be coming? Generally, we can accomodate school groups of less than 30, particularly if students need to access resources and collections for research papers. If your class needs to use our collections and databases, we need to show them how to do that, and our instruction room can only accomodate 28 students. If you bring more than 30 students, I cannot guarantee computers for  them to use, as all computers outside of the training room require OSU logins.
• How long will you need to be in the library? Generally, school groups work with a librarian for an hour or two in the instruction room, because computers are scarce for non-OSU students. One to two hour visits are the custom.

GUIDELINES

The Edmon Low Library welcomes Oklahoma elementary and secondary school groups to visit and make use of available resources. School groups interested in visiting should make note of suggested guidelines for school group visits.

1. Please limit school group size to a maximum of 28. (If we bring groups in for library instruction, the electronic classroom can only accommodate a maximum of about 28.)
2. Students should have some project or assignment to work on. Students should have a research topic before they arrive at the Library.
3. There should be adult supervision and/or chaperones.
4. Please call to make arrangements for a visit at least 2 weeks in advance, the earlier the better. When school groups visit, the Library must assign extra librarians to the reference desk to accommodate the increase in activity that results. Please request a librarian for instruction and orientation. A librarian can meet with your group if you ask.
5. There are certain times of the school year when it is not recommended that school groups to visit. "Bad times" for library visits include the first month to six weeks of the semester (when we are engaged in freshman orientation and English composition instruction) and pre-finals and finals week period, days when there is already another school group visiting, etc.
6. The OSU Library is dedicated to priority service for the students, faculty and staff of the University community. Non-university groups will be welcomed, but our first priority always rests with the University community.
7. The Edmon Low Library is a place for quiet research, consultation and study. Appropriate conduct is expected from all who use the facilities. Complaints regarding inappropriate behavior from school groups may result in that school from being denied permission to visit in the future.
8. OSU Library Internet accessible workstations are specifically off limits to school groups.
9. School groups should not be noisy or unruly.
10. School groups should not use tobacco in any form; tobacco use is prohibited by university policy.

To make a reservation for a school group, please contact Dan Chaney at 405-744-9772, or via e-mail at dan.chaney@okstate.edu.