Oklahoma Department of Libraries

Oklahoma Department of Libraries Working to preserve history, expand knowledge, and enrich lives.

09/25/2026

📚 FRIDAY FUNDAY: BOOK TITLE MASHUP!

Take two book titles and mash them together to create a completely different story.

We’ll go first:

🦁🧙‍♀️🐛 The Lion, the Witch and the Very Hungry Caterpillar
⚡🏹 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Hunger Games

Now it’s your turn! Mash up those book titles and drop your new concoctions in the comments. ⤵

09/23/2026

📚 As we launch this year’s My Favorite Book contest, we’re celebrating why books matter and the lasting impact they can have on our lives. What does reading mean to you?

Sometimes we pick up a book because the story sounds interesting. But the right book can become something more. It can help us make sense of what we’re going through, see things differently, or remind us that we’re not alone.

That’s what happened for Georgena, last year’s My Favorite Book Division 3 winner, when she read Whalefall by Daniel Kraus.

Drawn to the novel by her love of marine science, Georgena discovered a story that spoke deeply to her own experience and helped her see that even when something feels too big to process, it’s still possible to keep moving forward.

“Thank you for proving that comfort can be found in what some might consider strange places. Thank you for showing me I’m not alone.”

📝 Read Georgena’s letter: oklahoma.gov/libraries/mfb-div3-letter

What book has stayed with you long after you finished the last page? What book has reminded you why reading matters?

Wayback Wednesday: Where in Oklahoma? 🔎Take a close look at this colorful postcard from the George H. Shirk Postcard Col...
09/23/2026

Wayback Wednesday: Where in Oklahoma? 🔎

Take a close look at this colorful postcard from the George H. Shirk Postcard Collection in our digital archives.

Zoom in on this downtown street scene and you’ll spot some great details from another era: people gathered along the sidewalks near storefronts, horse-drawn wagons making their way down the road, utility poles and overhead wires, and what appears to be a clock mounted on a pole. And, of course, there’s that tall, narrow building with its classic red brick and stone exterior towering over the scene.

❓ Can you guess what Oklahoma town this is?

⭐ Bonus points if you can name the building and give us a little history!

Drop your guesses in the comments. We’ll reveal the answer tomorrow!

📚🪪 There’s still time to celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month!A library card is about much more than checking out books....
09/22/2026

📚🪪 There’s still time to celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month!

A library card is about much more than checking out books. Depending on your local library, your card can connect you with eBooks and audiobooks, research tools, homework help, job and career resources, technology, programs, and so much more.

Already have a library card? Take another look at what your library offers. You might discover a resource you didn’t know was available.

Don’t have one yet? Stop by your local library and sign up!

Find your Oklahoma public library:
oklahoma.gov/libraries/find

Start the school week with resources that can help students research, study, complete assignments, and strengthen academ...
09/21/2026

Start the school week with resources that can help students research, study, complete assignments, and strengthen academic skills. 📚

Through Oklahoma libraries, students can access helpful online learning tools, including:

🔎 EBSCO Explora — Reliable, age-appropriate research resources designed specifically for elementary, middle, and high school students.

💻 Brainfuse HelpNow — Live online tutoring, writing assistance, study tools, practice tests, and test-preparation resources.

Whether it’s research for a school project, help with a tough subject, writing feedback, or extra support with schoolwork, your library can help.

Explore these and other learning resources through ODL’s Digital Resources:
oklahoma.gov/libraries/digital-resources

📣 Come work with us!The Oklahoma Department of Libraries is hiring for three positions! Join a team doing important work...
09/18/2026

📣 Come work with us!

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries is hiring for three positions! Join a team doing important work to support state government, libraries, and access to information for Oklahomans.

We’re looking for people ready to bring their skills and experience to ODL:

🔹 Collections Access and Discovery Manager – Lead the systems, standards, data quality, and technical infrastructure that help ODL collections be accurately described, integrated, discovered, and accessed.

🔹 Government Records Officer – Support the State Records Management program by managing the intake, maintenance, retrieval, and transfer of state records and working with state agencies on records management and retention schedules.

🔹 Accountant II – Support ODL’s financial operations by maintaining financial records, processing invoices and payments, preparing payroll, assisting with purchasing and travel, and preparing financial reports.

ODL offers eligible employees a competitive State of Oklahoma benefits package, including health insurance benefits, retirement contributions, generous paid leave, paid holidays, and more.

If you’re looking for meaningful work, great benefits, and an opportunity to serve Oklahomans, consider joining the ODL team!

Learn more about our open positions: oklahoma.gov/libraries/job-openings

Know someone who might be a great fit? Share this with them!

🇺🇸 Today is Constitution Day! 📜On September 17, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the U.S. Constit...
09/17/2026

🇺🇸 Today is Constitution Day! 📜

On September 17, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia, establishing the framework for our nation’s government.

Constitution Day is an opportunity to learn more about this founding document, its history, and the rights and responsibilities it outlines.

Explore the U.S. Constitution through the National Archives, where you can view the original document, read a transcript, learn about the amendments, and discover educational resources:

Explore the Constitution at the National Archives:
🔗 archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution

📣📚The My Favorite Book Writing Contest is now open!READ. A book that makes an impact.WRITE. A letter about what it means...
09/17/2026

📣📚The My Favorite Book Writing Contest is now open!

READ. A book that makes an impact.

WRITE. A letter about what it means to you.

WIN. Cash prizes for you and your library!

Oklahoma students in grades 4–12 are invited to enter for a chance to win:
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $100

Plus, the first-place winner will choose their favorite library to receive $1,000!

Entries are due December 15, 2026.

Teachers, librarians, parents, and everyone who works with young readers, please spread the word and encourage Oklahoma students to enter!

Learn more and submit an entry:
oklahoma.gov/libraries/my-fav-book

On this day in Oklahoma history: September 16, 1893 The Cherokee Outlet was opened to non-Native settlement in Oklahoma...
09/16/2026

On this day in Oklahoma history: September 16, 1893

The Cherokee Outlet was opened to non-Native settlement in Oklahoma’s fourth and largest land run. More than 100,000 people sought land, with approximately 40,000 homesteads available.

The history behind the opening is complex. The Cherokee Nation acquired the Outlet through treaties with the United States in the 1820s and 1830s. In the decades that followed, cattle interests, railroads, settlers, and the federal government sought access to the land. After years of federal pressure, the Cherokee Nation agreed to sell the land to the United States.

These photographs, dated September 16, 1893, document the opening along the Hutchinson & Southern Railroad. Handwritten captions identify scenes of people waiting in line, registering with officials, crowds of spectators, and “The Start.”

The photographs were held for many years by the Oklahoma State Archives at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and were transferred to the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Research Division in 2025 for continued preservation and access.

Learn more about the Cherokee Outlet and the events surrounding its opening from the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.

📷 Opening of the Cherokee Strip, Sept. 16, 1893, Hutchinson & Southern Railroad.

https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=CH021

The My Favorite Book Writing Contest is now open!📖 READ. A book that makes an impact.✍️ WRITE. A letter about what it me...
09/15/2026

The My Favorite Book Writing Contest is now open!

📖 READ. A book that makes an impact.
✍️ WRITE. A letter about what it means to you.
🏆 WIN. Cash prizes for you and your library!

Oklahoma students in grades 4–12 are invited to enter for a chance to win:
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $100

Plus, the first-place winner will choose their favorite library to receive $1,000!

Entries are due December 15, 2026.

Teachers, librarians, parents, and everyone who works with young readers, please spread the word and encourage Oklahoma students to enter!

Learn more and submit an entry:
oklahoma.gov/libraries/my-fav-book

Address

200 NE 18th Street
Oklahoma City, OK
73105

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+14055212502

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