Oklahoma Department of Libraries

10/22/2026

🏀 Throwback Thursday!

We're throwing it back to 2013, when Rumble, the OKC Thunder mascot, helped encourage young Oklahomans to pick up a book through the Read Y'all literacy initiative!

Read Y'all was a statewide literacy campaign led by the Oklahoma Library Association in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Libraries from 2003 to 2017. The campaign featured Oklahoma celebrities sharing their love of reading.

More than a decade later, the love of reading is still worth celebrating! Today, we're encouraging Oklahoma students to share how their favorite books have inspired or impacted them.

📚 Through the My Favorite Book writing contest, Oklahoma students in grades 4–12 can write a letter to an author about a favorite book, series, or story and why it matters to them.

Know a student who loves to read? Encourage them to enter by December 15, 2026!

🔗 oklahoma.gov/libraries/my-fav-book

10/21/2026

Thanks for sharing, Council of State Archivists (CoSA)! We love highlighting Oklahoma’s history and sharing some of the fascinating stories found in our archives!

, we have this annual report of the Territorial Librarian from the Oklahoma Library in 1898. This report was shared by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries's recent Archives and Records Management Newsletter, which includes this statement that could have come from a report a century or more later: "The people of the various states, and especially those where the best libraries are maintained, have learned to regard the state libraries as a source by which they can produce information on any and all subjects."
You can read the whole report at https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/territorial/id/2117/rec/1, and subscribe to the ARM newsletter at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKODL/subscriber/new

10/21/2026

🕰️ Can you guess this Oklahoma town?

This historic real photo postcard offers a glimpse of Main Street more than a century ago. Farmers National Bank stands prominently in the foreground with its impressive limestone architecture, while a mix of brick and wooden storefronts line the unpaved street. Two men dressed in suits and hats stroll past the bank, while covered sidewalks lead to other businesses, including the Endicott Hotel farther down the street.

The buildings, storefronts, and fashions offer a fascinating look at what Main Street was like more than a century ago.

🔎 Do you recognize this Oklahoma town? Share your guess in the comments!

We'll reveal the answer tomorrow!

10/20/2026

📚 What's your favorite book?

Is there a book, series, or story that has stuck with you? Now's the time to pick your favorite and tell us why!

The Oklahoma Center for the Book's My Favorite Book Writing Contest invites Oklahoma students in grades 4–12 to write a letter to an author explaining how a book, series, or story has made an impact on their lives.

🏆 Prizes are awarded in three grade divisions (4–6, 7–8, and 9–12):
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $100

Plus, each first-place winner's school or public library receives $1,000!

The deadline to enter is December 15, 2026!

Start thinking about your favorite books, put your thoughts into words, and submit your letter for a chance to win!

Parents, teachers, and librarians: Remind the young readers in your lives to pick their favorite books, get creative, and enter the contest!

📖 Contest details and entry information: oklahoma.gov/libraries/my-fav-book

10/19/2026

📢 Help connect Oklahomans with information and resources!

We're looking for a Collections Access and Discovery Manager to help improve access to the Oklahoma Department of Libraries' collections. And there's more time to apply! The application deadline has been extended.

This position provides agency-wide leadership for cataloging, metadata, library systems, and electronic resource access. Working across ODL divisions, the manager helps ensure our collections are accurately described, connected across systems, and easily discovered and accessed by customers.

💼 Salary: $58,000–$63,000 annually, based on education and experience.
⭐ Benefits: The Oklahoma Department of Libraries offers eligible employees a competitive State of Oklahoma benefits package, including health insurance, retirement contributions, paid leave and holidays, and other benefits.

Ready to make an impact? Explore the opportunity and apply today!
🔗 https://okgov.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/okgovjobs/job/Oklahoma-County/Collections-Access-and-Discovery-Manager_JR65478

10/19/2026

🍎 Kindergarten Teachers! Have you applied for Read Across Oklahoma?

Applications are open for kindergarten classes to attend Read Across Oklahoma on March 25, 2027, at the Oklahoma City Zoo!

Selected classes will enjoy a fun-filled day of reading, learning, and exploring, including zoo admission, lunch, books for every student and the classroom, a special reading with featured author Kelly Bennett, and time to explore the Zoo!

📚 Submit your application by December 31, 2026, for the opportunity to attend with your class!

Learn more and apply: oklahoma.gov/libraries/read

10/16/2026

🗃 For American Archives Month, we're highlighting a unique piece of Oklahoma history found in Digital Prairie!

The Eye Opener was the official inmate-created publication of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Produced as a medium of self-expression, the newsletter aimed to foster better relationships between inmates and the public.

Digital Prairie includes 285 issues of inmate newsletters from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and Oklahoma State Reformatory, dating from 1937 to 1973. These publications offer a glimpse into the experiences, creativity, and perspectives of incarcerated Oklahomans during that time.

Pictured is the cover of the September–October 1955 issue of The Eye Opener, featuring a colorful, hand-drawn deer standing in a stream.

View the newsletter at: https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/125582/rec/72

And find the collection at:
digitalprairieok.net

10/15/2026

🥗🚴‍♀️Libraries play an important role in helping communities build health literacy!

Through the Oklahoma Department of Libraries’ Health Literacy Grant, public libraries across Oklahoma have created opportunities for community members to develop healthy habits, including Story Trails that encourage families to read and get moving together.

We’re excited to share that Oklahoma’s Health Literacy Grant programming was featured in a Community Spotlight on InformationLiteracy.gov, a website of !

Check it out: https://bit.ly/4hmgccT

10/14/2026

TODAY is Ask an Archivist Day! 🗃️

Have you ever wondered what an archivist does, how historical materials are preserved, what you might find in an archive, or how to get started with your own research?

Now’s your chance to ask! Drop your questions in the comments or send us a message, and our archivists will get back to you as soon as they can.

What would you like to know?

10/13/2026

For some rural Oklahomans, the local library is their connection to the internet.

E-Rate helps public libraries and schools afford reliable, high-speed internet and Wi-Fi. On June 25, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) initiated a proposal concerning the E-Rate program and requested public comment.

In Sayre, the public library provides internet access that residents rely on for everyday needs. City Manager Ted Lawson emphasizes the importance of this service, particularly for families who may not have reliable internet access at home.

“Those of us who live in small towns know that free internet access through rural libraries is a lifeline.”

Today, October 13, is the deadline to submit public comments to the FCC about E-Rate. Libraries and community members can share their experiences with the program and learn more about the process at oklahoma.gov/libraries/e-rate.