Library Home
Named for OCC’s founding academic dean Seth Wilson, OCC's library offers nearly 100,000 print and non-print items, as well as access to additional volumes in the nearby Joplin Public Library and Missouri Southern State University Library. Special collections include rare book archives and the Seth Wilson Bible collection. The library catalog is accessible online, and private study rooms are available by reservation at the circulation desk.
The library staff is available to assist with reference questions, bibliographic assistance, research issues, and assistance with papers and course assignments. During the school year, the library is open seven days a week and provides research assistance during regular business hours. Library assistance is available for online students during regular hours by phone (417.626.1209), email, and via a web address.
To learn more about library cards and donations or to phone in a renewal, call 417.626.1209.
Library Hours
Regular Hours:
- Sunday: 2:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
- Monday-Wednesday: 7:30 a.m.-midnight
- Thursday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
The library is closed to the public after 7:00 p.m. Students and employees will have ID card/fob entry access until the regularly scheduled closing time.
(24-hour book drop located on library porch)
Reserve Study Rooms
Click a link below to reserve a study room for two hours:
If you cannot make your reservation time, please cancel as early as possible.
Online Catalog
Click here to access the online library catalog.
Library Handbook
Click here to download the OCC Library Handbook.
JSTOR and Other Resources
Try these helpful resources for your research project:
OCC Information Literacy Plan
Cross-curricular Integration of Information Literacy (IL) at OCC
INFORMATION LITERACY HANDOUT
Information Literacy Statement in the Syllabus Template: OCC is committed to the ongoing education of its students and graduates. Therefore information literacy will be intentional, incremental, and missional. Students will learn to access, evaluate, and utilize pertinent information in their studies for ministry preparation.
1. How does the Seth Wilson Library at OCC view information literacy and its role on campus?
In accordance with the ACRL’s framework for information literacy, OCC builds its IL plan upon the following foundation:
a. Authority is both constructed and contextual.
b. Information creation is a process.
c. Information has value.
d. Research is viewed through the lens of inquiry.
e. Scholarship is conversation.
f. Searching is strategic exploration
2. What do we want to accomplish in IL at OCC? We want to students to be able to:
a. Access pertinent information.
b. Evaluate (sort/discern) that information.
c. Appropriate that information in their studies.
d. Measure (analyze) the use of that information in their studies.
e. Utilize that information toward greater maturity in kingdom work.
f. Develop skills to become lifelong learners.
3. What does IL look like across the curriculum at OCC? We want our IL program to be:
a. Intentional—not just assumed; designated in certain classes.
b. Incremental—taking place throughout the student’s academic career (not just loaded up on the front end).
c. Missional—fitting of OCC in producing a lifelong learning vocational Christian worker.
4. What short-range steps can we take now?
a. Introduce students and faculty to “Information Literacy” in their first year and in faculty meetings.
b. Reinforce OCC’s historical tradition of equipping information-literate graduates through announcements and printed materials (e.g., the Academic Resource Commons, flyers, The Ambassador, mailings, signage, games/contests, surveys). This responsibility would be delegated to the faculty library committee.
c. Encourage group and individual viewing of the video by Dr. Michael Wesch, “Information R/evolution” from Kansas State University for Bibliographic Instruction.
d. Add a brief note to the syllabus template concerning IL, as we have done for ADA Accommodations. Faculty helped word the IL statement.
e. Designate certain core classes in the curriculum to be IL specific. Make sure each part of the three branches of our curriculum is designated.
5. What long-range steps can we take?
a. Update portions of the OCC Catalog (printed or electronic) to reflect IL terminology/approaches.
b. Develop assessment/evaluation tools and determine how and when to use them (e.g., enrollment and exit testing similar to the Bible knowledge test, and IL questions in the senior exit interview).
c. Create and assess surveys to measure IL success.
d. Document IL progress and chart ways of improvement through the institutional office.
6. What classes might be designated for emphasizing IL? (Each professor will customize his/her syllabi to ensure that this is accomplished in the respective courses.)
a. Freshmen (100 level): Book of Acts, English Comp. 1 (or English Comp. 2, Practical Applications for English Grammar), Speech, and Foundations for CE.
b. Sophomore (200 level): Principles of Interpretation, Psychology, and Introduction to Library and Information.
c. Junior (300 level): Timothy and Titus and Christian Apologetics and Worldview.
d. Senior (400 and 500 levels): Leadership in Ministry, Philosophy, Romans, and Critical Issues courses.
Main resources:
American Library Association Website.
Association of Christian Librarians ListServ and periodical, The Christian Librarian, Continuing education and conferences.
Kaplowitz, Joan R. (2012). Transforming Information Literacy Instruction Using Learner-Centered Teaching. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Kvenild, Cassandra, and Kaijsa Calkins. (2011). Embedded Librarians: Moving beyond one-shot instruction. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.
MOBIUS Consortium and SWAN Cluster help.
Primary Research Group Staff (2016). Information Literacy Efforts Benchmarks. Primary Research Group.
Radcliff, Carolyn J., et al. (2007). A Practical Guide to Information Literacy Assessment for Academic Librarians. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Tensen, Bonnie L. (2013). Research Strategies for a Digital Age. Boston, Mass: Thomson Wadsworth.
Young, Rosemary M. (1999). Working with Faculty to Design Undergraduate Information Literacy Programs. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
