Unlocking Resource Archives for College Students

What has access to over six million resources, online archives and hundreds of thousands of books? It’s the Centennial Library at Cedarville University.

And now these resources are more accessible than ever.

One thing that college students have in common is homework. And the Centennial Library has taken several initiatives to make that process more efficient and effective.

Most notably, Cedarville has installed 32 new research lockers in the lower level of the library. These lockers provide storage space for students to collect intellectual materials for significant, semester-long projects. Now, students can keep some of their resources in the library and not transport them to and from their residence halls.

Students apply for research lockers on the  Centennial Library webpage by going to “Explore Our Services” and “Student Resources.” The lockers are intended for students who are required to complete a major research project, seminar, capstone or independent study project as part of a university course.

Once an application is approved, the student can set the code on the combination lock and will have access to the locker for the semester.

Additionally, to ease the burden of finding resources, library staff have started pulling materials for the faculty, staff and students.

With students getting less exposure to libraries in high school, accessing their resources can be intimidating. This new resource works like putting a book on hold.

Once a title has been found in the Centennial Library’s online catalog, students can click the “Request” button at the top of the screen to request that item. One of the library staff members will pull the book from the shelf and put it on hold at the service desk. Students are notified by email once their book is ready, so all they have to do is come to the desk to pick it up.

“Our goal is to lower the perception barrier and help people become familiar with using the library, with the hope that people will graduate into using the library for themselves,” said Josh Michael, dean of library services.

Both the research lockers and the materials service are shaped by the staff’s awareness of student needs.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 5,082 undergraduate, graduate, and dual enrolled high school students in more than 175 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, high graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and the #4 national ranking by the Wall Street Journal for student engagement. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.