The Edmon Low Library

Standing six gorgeous floors tall and holding over 3 million books and resources, the Edmon Low Library sits at the heart of Oklahoma State University ready to be used by students and staff alike. Students like myself and my mentor Ashley Welch use the library often. Edmon Low has a beautiful and enormous grass lawn met with a large fountain. The library offers many opportunities for students at Oklahoma State to use from tutoring to endless printing. The structure of the library can be a bit overwhelming at first with its huge grand arches and immaculate structure. Once inside, the atmosphere of quiet and hardworking students and staff brings ease of mind to any of the looming uncertainty the outside walls brought.

The first time most Oklahoma State students get to experience the library is usually on a tour. For Ashley the first time she got to the see library she was “in awe”. When I asked my mentor Ashley about the first time she got to experience the Edmon Low Library she said “…It felt like the center of campus” and that “It was different than any other library” she had seen. The first time I got to experience the library I just could not stop staring at the large clock tower that sat atop the six floored beauty. I heard the chimes that are sung throughout the entire campus letting students know that it is time for class and they should pick up their pace if they want to be
less than 10 minutes late. Our tour was directed through the first two floors of the building so I did not even get to see the entire building. Even so, the library seemed huge to a future student. Getting to see the thousands of resources available to me was inspiring to say the least. Computers, printers, books, people. All of these were available just two blocks away from where I was going to eventually live. The library was somewhere I knew I was going to spend a good majority of my time if I chose to attend OSU.

The library holds many events whether that be on the lawn or inside on one of its floors. Two of the busiest weeks during the school year have numerous experiences to offer. The first being ‘Welcome Week’. A time where new students and old can jump back into the routine of school and campus life. Free food, yard games, and adventurous scavenger hunts surround students in laughter and joy with friends at the library. Another event is the dyeing of the fountain in front of the library. Every year at the front lawn people gather to see the fountain’s clear water be dyed bright orange for America’s Greatest Homecoming. This year the fountain dyeing is something I look forward to experiencing. It is supposed to be extravagant this year since it is Oklahoma StateUniversity’s 100th homecoming.

Edmon Low has many uses, other than just to have fun on the lawn, like floors for tutoring and studying along with mass amounts of resources. The LASSO center is a place at the library that offers students help to learn critical thinking and how to use their resources while they’re here at Oklahoma State University. The tutors and study rooms allow for the most growth and best environments for further educational studies. “I started going once a week with friends to do a study session,” my mentor told me “and work on math in the MLSC ”. Students are offered so much just from the library which is why it is a busy place on campus.

The library is a tall brick building standing on six floors. A lawn stretches far past the entrance to the library. The outside has its signature clock tower and three large arch doors. A small set of stairs guides one into the beautiful main entrance. Next, you’re met with the grand staircase that ascends into a hall of chairs and tables used for people who study or groups there to work on a project. Down below on the first floor, a plethora of computers and printers can be used for pretty much anything you need whether that be printing off your temporary parking permit or researching your midterm about the study of Hindu religion. I like the 3rd floor. It is stocked top to bottom with books and resources. There are desks strewn about so that I can sit where it is quiet but also busy. The layout of the library leaves very minimal room to get lost. There is a tiny staircase right in the middle of the library that is hard to use when there are two people on it.

I have only spent a semester using the library. I don’t go often. My most frequent use is when it has been raining on campus and I need a place to hide out between classes. It is a bit of a hot spot for people dodging the rain. A story my American History Professor told me is that the library is somewhere he visits often. He went on to say that “there is just so much to see, it is like a museum at times”. ‘Museum’ is not a word I would have ever used to describe such a place but it best portrays what it is. The Edmon Low library is a time capsule of the world and the happenings around our campus. There isn’t a specific type of major or person that you would see all the time at the library, it is used by all. It is similar to a croc-pot for education. You can put whatever you want into the library and whatever you get out of it is a conglomeration of everything and everyone involved.

The atmosphere of the library is what I think is the most important thing. “When I’m in the library, I feel calm and my stress kind of goes away” says my mentor “I love the atmosphere of having all the students there feeling a common purpose of learning and working to gainknowledge”. It brings an environment that people can be comfortable in  and be able to excel in their work. Not only does the environment of quiet and calm help the students who choose to study in the library but the staff is also so much help. Staff can be used to conduct interviews, help you with location, help studying, or even just offer some genuine advice. The library is one of the best places on campus for problem solving and using resources.

From fountain dyeing to its beautiful architecture the Edmon Low Library at Oklahoma State University has so much to offer faculty and students. Widely known for its study help and numerous volumes of published work the library is a central hotspot for people who value their education and aspire to learn a higher quality of study. Next time you need a view to take in, someone to check your paper, or a reminder of when class starts, Edmon Low is at the heart of Stillwater ready to benefit your educational success.