About the Library
The Cedarholm Library has enough resources for every need, from in-depth research to casual reading. The beautiful building has a professional, comfortable atmosphere. Online database accessibilty, computer labs, a well-equipped media center, and instructional material curriculum are just a few of the resources beyond the scope of traditional holdings. The library collection currently conatins over 105,000 items, subscribes to more than 300 periodical subscriptions, and currently has access to 45 online databases which make some 37,000 journals available electronically. The collection growth has also seen a growth in staff as there are currently 2 full time and 5 part time librarians, as well as 16 student staff. The Cedarholm Library desires to provide students with user-friendly access to information and to help students become lifelong learners to the praise of His glory.
Library Mission
The mission of the Cedarholm Library is to support the educational and spiritual objectives of Maranatha Baptist Bible College, by providing students, faculty, and staff with broad based material, assisting patrons to research effectively, and always striving to make God’s glory preeminent.
Library History
As an important supporting arm of the broader academic campus, the library officially began with a donation from the founding president’s personal library starting with a Bible and an Encyclopedia as the first two catalogued items. The first library was humbly located in the basement of the main administration building (affectionately known as “Old Main”) and later expanded up to the second floor.
As the President’s wife Mrs. Thelma Cedarholm was the first librarian and she was instrumental in the formation of the library from the very beginning guiding it in its infancy as the Director for 20 years from 1968-88.
Mr. Tom Erickson succeded her as the Library Director from 1988-89 and implimented the first computer system used to process data records.
He was followed by Mr. Dave White (1989-1991) and Mrs. Carolyn Perdue (1991-1992) who between them increased the collection size by an astounding 77% or roughly 82,000 volumes in just three years.
Mr. Stephan Mattsen then took the helm serving in the Director position for nearly a decade from 1993-2002. A dedicated library building, the Cedarholm Library and Research Center, was constructed in the heart of campus adjacent to the Dining Complex and “Old Main” in 1996. The library, named after the founders of Maranatha, Dr. and Mrs. B. Myron and Thelma Cedarholm, places a special emphasis on collecting and preserving Baptist and Bible materials. The Cedarholms, strong supporters of the mission field, brought back many souvenirs from their travels. Today, many of these items are on display in the Cedarholm Library.
In 2002 Miss Lois Oetken began in the position and has been steadily navigating the library into the digital age with its rapid changes over the last decade. In 2008 the catalog and OPAC were upgraded to operate through EOS International which was a marked improvement for library management. 2012 will bring new “Discovery” with incorporation of the EBSCO Discovery Service which will intergrate most resources provided by the Library into on unified search system.