“Academic Libraries are indeed lakes of mental energy.”

Judith Thomas Library

Welcome!

A lot of thought and strength go into producing knowledge that is manifested in books and other formats of information resources.  That is the reason Germaine Greer says that “Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace, and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity, lakes of mental energy, neither warm nor cold, light nor dark. The pleasure they give is steady, reliable, deep, and long-lasting. In any library in the world, I am at home, unselfconscious, still and absorbed.” It is amazing what libraries can do. In the Judith Thomas Library, you will find current and reliable information resources that can be accessed via information technology. The inviting library environment will give you calmness as you interact with knowledge and this will leave long, lasting memories and an excellent academic experience.

Library e-Resources
African Seventh-day Adventist History
EGW Estate Branch Office
Contact Us
OPAC
DaysOperating TimeClosing Time
Mondays to Thursdays 9:00 am 10:00 pm
Fridays9:00 am 3:00 pm
Sundays10:00 am 4:00 pm
Public HolidaysClosed

• Users must provide a valid ID card at all times in order to be served in the library.
• Do not consume food or drink apart from water in the library.
• Do not remove any items from the library unless they are officially issued out to you.
• Respect other user’s rights to use the library.
• Observe absolute silence while in the library.
• Do not make or receive phone calls in the library.
• Do not reshelf books after use.
• Do not leave books you have not borrowed in your reading carrels, especially reference books.
• Do not rearrange or move chairs or tables within the library.
• Marking, writing on, underlining, defacing or mutilating any library material is strictly prohibited.
• All readers leaving the library in possession of books, papers and bags must show them to the security personnel at the exit point.

The African Adventist Heritage Museum (AAHM) is located in the Judith Thomas Library on the second floor. It provides the Seventh-day Adventist history of the three Sub-Saharan African divisions: East-Central Africa, Southern Africa-Indian Ocean, and West-Central Africa Divisions.

The main objectives of the African Adventist Heritage Museum (AAHM) are to document, educate, inspire and motivate students, staff, visitors, and researchers who visit the Adventist University of Africa.

  • Documentation: Documents the rise and progress of the Adventist work in Sub-Saharan Africa;
  • Education: Educates students/visitors about the positive impact of Adventism in the African context;
  • Inspiration: Uses past progress to inspire present and future generations to do exploits for God;
  • Motivation: Motivates students and visitors through words, visuals, displays, inter-activities with ICT, Mission Theatre, and other media

The Museum contains carefully selected information on the religious and secular history of Africa, demography, culture, independence, diversity, continental highlights, gospel challenges, unreached people groups, and Swahili basic words, which all grace the colorful walls of the Museum. You are welcome to take a virtual tour of the museum.

African Seventh-day Adventist History (ASAH) is a website created and operated by the Adventist University of Africa. The website was borne out of a partnership with the three divisions of the church in Sub-Saharan Africa: East-Central Africa Division (ECD), West-Central Africa Division (WAD) and Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID).

ASAH’s mission is to educate, inspire, and equip global Seventh-day Adventist researchers, scholars, students and laymen by providing open access to information, documents and materials on the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sub-Saharan Africa.

You can visit the website via www.africansdahistory.org. 

Registration and Regulations

The following persons are allowed to register and use the library:

  1. All bonafide students of Adventist University of Africa
  2. All members of faculty, Adjunct faculty and non-academic staff
  3. All alumni
  4. Advent Hill community
  5. Community surrounding the University

Students must be registered at the circulation desk and will use their university student ID cards to access library services. Advent Hill occasional guests are not required to register but may use the library for reference. Other guests from the University environs who may wish to use the library will pay an annual membership subscription fee of KES 4,000.00, a quarterly fee of KES 1,000, or a monthly fee of KES 500. This membership will allow the use of the library resources within JTL premises.

Note 1: Family members of Advent Hill workers may borrow library items against the name of the principal worker upon presentation of their identification.

Note 2: It is the responsibility of the patron to remember the due dates for the books they borrow. Please check the last date stamped on the due date slip. Reference materials are to be used within the library only. Audio-Visual materials can only be used within the library. Library users can borrow books from the General stacks as indicated in the table below:

User CategoryNo. of BooksBorrowing Period
AUA Students87 days
AUA Faculty828 days
AUA Non-Academic Staff814 days
Advent Hill Community Employees414 days

Physical library services will only be available to all library users with a valid student ID or library card. Registered users are expected to bring their ID cards with them if they intend to check out items.

If materials are damaged or lost, the patron must pay the replacement cost. If a damaged or lost book is subsequently replaced, the library will charge 10% of the total cost of the book for processing. A notice of these charges will be sent to the patron.

There are 3 computers in the library designated for accessing the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). These should not be used for document processing, accessing the internet or e-mails. Formal instruction will be given on how to access the OPAC.

Printing and photocopying services have been outsourced. Charges can be paid in cash or charged to the patron’s account. The proprietor of the company reserves the right to adjust the printing/photocopying charges.

Library materials are protected by copyright laws which make its deliberate infringements a criminal offence. Permissible copying limits shall be 10% or less of a book made for academic purposes. Any violation of copyright laws will be the responsibility of the patron, and the photocopying agent in accordance with the Laws of Kenya, the copyright act, chapter 130, 2014

Overdue fines will be levied on overdue library resources as follows:

• Regular books to ALL patrons shall be charged at a rate of KES 10.00 per book for each overdue day.
• Ksh 20.00 will be charged per an extra HOUR above the stipulated duration per item on all Short Loan materials.

All fines must be paid in cash to the cashier in the administration office. The payee will be issued a receipt which will be presented at the library circulation desk for clearance. No items will be issued to patrons with overdue fines.

Books may be renewed only once if they are not reserved. However, they are subject to recall before the due date if need be. Recalled books must be returned as instructed and failure to do so will necessitate a fine at a rate of KES 5.00 per day.

Only one book from the Short Loan section will be borrowed at a time for 3 hours. The same resource can also be checked out overnight, but has to be returned to the library within the first hour when the library opens; failure to do so will necessitate a fine at a rate of KES 20.00 per hour.