OCCC students researching current events, local issues and communities in Oklahoma now have expanded access to news coverage through the Keith Leftwich Memorial Library’s newest database addition.
During the spring 2026 semester, the OCCC library added NewsBank to its growing collection of digital research resources, giving students and faculty access to hundreds of newspapers from across the country, including The Oklahoman, The Tulsa World and numerous local Oklahoma publications.
According to Director of Library Services Ann Raia, the addition of NewsBank prompted the library to create a dedicated news section on its website, making news-focused resources easier to find and use.
“We really wanted to make sure people were aware of it,” Raia said. “We wanted people to more easily see that we had access to The Oklahoman and The Tulsa World.”
Before adding NewsBank, some news-related resources were located under other sections of the library website. Raia said the library decided to create a dedicated news tab because its collection of news resources had grown significantly.
The library already provided access to resources such as Newspaper Source Plus, The New York Times and other news collections, but the addition of NewsBank prompted staff to reorganize the website and make those materials easier to find.
The newly introduced news section allows users seeking current events and journalism resources to access news databases without having to search through broader article collections.
NewsBank’s primary appeal for the library was its extensive coverage of Oklahoma newspapers. Raia said the database provides access not only to The Oklahoman and The Tulsa World, but also to newspapers from smaller communities throughout the state.
The NewsBank database includes hundreds of newspapers nationwide through its U.S. News collection. However, Raia said local coverage was the most significant benefit for OCCC students and researchers.
“It really opens up local news, local information and local stories,” she said.
Raia recently used NewsBank while helping students research issues affecting Oklahoma’s unhoused population. While other databases provided useful information, NewsBank allowed researchers to examine how communities throughout Oklahoma were addressing the issue.
“It was really helpful within NewsBank to be able to go in and see not just Oklahoma City and Tulsa, but some of these other smaller communities talking about what they were doing to try to support that population and provide better services,” Raia said.
The NewsBank database also provides access to information that would otherwise require multiple newspaper subscriptions. Raia noted that local publications such as The Norman Transcript and The Lawton Constitution are available through the service.
Beyond research convenience, Raia said access to credible news sources plays an important role in supporting student learning and information literacy.
Many class assignments require students to investigate current issues affecting their communities. Access to local and national reporting allows students to connect academic research with current events and concerns.
Raia also emphasized that many news websites place articles behind paywalls, limiting students’ ability to follow developing stories. By providing access through the library, students can continue tracking issues as they evolve.
“You’re really not able to keep up with the full extent of a changing news story” when access is restricted by paywalls, Raia noted.
The availability of news resources also helps students understand how different information sources serve different purposes. While scholarly and peer-reviewed journals remain important research tools, news coverage often provides context for current events and emerging issues.
“Having access to high-quality news is going to be the type of resource that makes better sense for what they’re doing,” Raia said, referring to many student research projects focused on timely topics.
As both a librarian and instructor, Raia expects NewsBank to expand research opportunities for students and faculty. She teaches a research skills class and says the new database will provide additional resources for students learning how to evaluate information sources.
The addition of NewsBank is part of a broader expansion of the library’s digital resources. The library recently launched a discovery search tool in beta mode that allows users to search across multiple databases from a single interface. Additional resources, including Gale Research Complete and Statista, are also getting added or expanded upon.
Raia said the goal is to make the library’s growing collection of resources more visible and easier for students to use.
“Options are good,” she said. “But if you don’t know they’re there, then they don’t get used.”
For Raia, one of the most exciting aspects of NewsBank is the ability to explore news from communities across Oklahoma.
“I just think it is really exciting to have access to all of those local Oklahoma newspapers,” she said.
With access to newspapers ranging from major daily publications to small-town Oklahoma weeklies, NewsBank expands the scope of information available to OCCC students and faculty. For people who are looking to understand issues close to home, the stories are now only a few clicks away.
