Voter Registration Day
September 24 is Voter Registration Day! This is your opportunity to check in and make sure you’re eligible for your voice to be heard at the local, state, and national level. Whether it’s the issues that impact your day-to-day life or the broader, more philosophical affairs that inspire you to visit the polls, this Tuesday is a good time to ensure you are registered and ready to go.
While next November’s 2020 presidential election has garnered plenty of attention already, Oklahoma County has elections for candidates and propositions slated throughout 2019 and 2020. Elections empow...
Crazy 8's Math Club
Edmond Library recently started hosting sessions of the Crazy 8's Math Club, and it's been a huge success! Watch Ryn Lewis, Teen Librarian, at the Edmond Library talk with reporter Shelby Love of Fox 25 about the class....
Geek Con
Are you a Star Wars fan? Harry Potter fan? Comic book fan? Pokemon fan? LIBRARY fan?
If you answered yes to everything above (and even more not mentioned) join us for the Downtown Library’s 2nd GEEK Con! Escape rooms, crafts, mini-panels, Cosplay fashion show, face painting and more await you at GEEK CON 2019! Costumes are encouraged and who knows, you just might win a prize. It’s an all-ages event, so bring the entire family and Geek out!
Saturday, May 18 10-11aStar Wars Escape Room!
Geek Con Storytime!
10a-2p:
An...
Lego Builders
Sparking Creativity Brick by BrickDid you know that kids who play regularly with blocks, like LEGOS, score higher on standardized tests and perform better in math? To celebrate National Architecture April 21 – 27, we want to share with you the benefits of attending LEGO programs at the library.
Library LEGO programs are a great way to get children solving problems, learning new concepts in science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) and building key leadership skills.
In a study of 62 students between the ages of 8 and 14 using LEGO Mindstorms construction...
So You've Been Asked to Read a Book to Children...
Have you ever been asked to read a book out loud to a group of children? This can be intimidating for community leaders who don’t have the professional training and experience of a children’s librarian!
Here are some tips to help:
Read the book first. Practice! Hold the book so children can see the pictures. Point out interesting things on the page. Add your own sound effects, silly voices, and ask questions of your audience as you feel comfortable. The best storytimes are engaging and interactive. Pick a book that’s not too long, is paced well, and doesn’t have to...
Bestselling Author of Boom Town to Visit OKC Library
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BOOM TOWN TO VISIT OKC
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sam Anderson, bestselling author of Boom Town, an urban history of Oklahoma City, will visit the Metropolitan Library System this spring.
The event will be held April 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Metropolitan Library System’s Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library. The event will include an author talk followed by time for open questions. Anderson will be joined by Ponca City native Brian Phillips, author of the recently published book of essays, Impossible Owls.
Local bookseller “Commonplace Books” ...
Belle Isle Butterflies
The Belle Isle Library recently welcomed some very special new members to its property: beautiful monarch butterflies! The annual migration of North America’s monarch butterfly is an incredible phenomenon. The monarch is the only butterfly to migrate two ways, as birds do. Unlike other butterflies that can sleep through winter as larvae, pupae, or even as adults in some species, monarchs cannot survive the cold. Using environmental cues, the monarchs know when to travel south for the winter.
In 2017, the library partnered with the Oklahoma Master Gardeners to plant a but...
Metro Library Reaches Record Numbers in Summer Reading Program
The Metropolitan Library System reached record-breaking numbers for Summer Reading– reaching their goal weeks before the conclusion of the program.
Almost 26,000 readers participated in the annual Summer Reading program, a 12 percent increase over last year’s summer reading program -and there is still two weeks left to participate. Adult participation is 65 percent higher. The children’s program has had a 63 percent bump in 10-hour goal completions and a 148 percent bump in 20-hour goal completions. Each goal is to read 10 hours, which is the equivalent of reading 20 minutes per d...
LIBRARY SENSORY PROGRAM DEVELOPS COGNITIVE SKILLS IN CHILDREN
Pops, shakes and splashing sounds fill the room, but the most prominent sound from sensory playtime are the sounds of giggles and parents talking with their little ones as they learn. The Metropolitan Library System’s sensory playtime programs stimulate children’s senses to help them develop key cognitive skills.
The Metro Library offers sensory play programs at libraries across the county. Sensory programs include a variety of activities that stimulate the senses: touch, smell, taste, movement, balance, sight and hearing. At one station a child may be playing with blobs of shavin...
METRO LIBRARY GIVES THOUSANDS OF NEW BOOKS TO LOCAL NONPROFITS
The Metropolitan Library System donated over four thousand new books to local nonprofit organizations following the completion of the library’s annual Summer Reading program in August.
The Read It Forward program gives Summer Reading participants the opportunity to donate their prize - a free book - to someone else or "Read it Forward" rather than claim it. The library system also donates a book on behalf of Summer Reading participants who complete 30 hours or more in the program. These books are then distributed to local nonprofits serving families and youth.
After a re...
METROPOLITAN LIBRARY SYSTEM RELEASES 2018 NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS SCHEDULE
The Metropolitan Library System announced the schedule for the 2018 Neighborhood Arts programs, a series of energetic performances throughout the summer for all ages to enjoy.
Programs will take place at each Metro Library branch from June 4 - July 28, 2018. Performers go on tour for two weeks at a time making stops at neighborhood libraries along the way. Neighborhood Arts showcases local talent including Lucas Ross, Sugar Free Allstars, Rhythmically Speaking, OKC Improv, Adam and Kizzie and others.
“The Neighborhood Arts programs give ...
METROPOLITAN LIBRARY SYSTEM HOSTS GEEK CON
The Metropolitan Library System will host Geek Con – a celebration of pop-culture fandom for children and adults.
Geek Con will take place at the Downtown Library May 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. library customers can register for individual activities at metrolibrary.org to reserve a spot. Activities will include a cosplay contest, escape room, crafts, mini-panels, guest appearances and a superhero storytime.
“We are thrilled to give both adults and children the opportunity to show their inner superhero,” Downtown Librarian Kimberly ...
LIBRARY ANNOUNCES BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS
OKLAHOMA CITY– The Metropolitan Library System will celebrate Black History Month with diverse library programs throughout Oklahoma County in the month of February.
Black History Month programs will include performances from Rhythmically Speaking and Adam and Kizzie, Freedmen genealogy presentations, a film series presented at Ralph Ellison Library and others.
To kick off Black History Month at the library, Adam and Kizzie will perform Roots of African American Music. The performance will take the audience on an informative musical journ...
DONATION MADE FOR ADDITIONAL RENOVATIONS TO THE VILLAGE LIBRARY
OKLAHOMA CITY– The Special Friends of The Village Library have donated $60,000 to help fund renovations to The Village Library teen and adult reading areas.
The Metropolitan Library System budgeted more than $250,000 for renovations to The Village Library to take place in mid-January. The additional funds from the Special Friends of The Village Library, a 501c3 organization that’s mission is to support The Village Library, will allow the library to replace shelving in the teen area and add new lounge seating in both the teen and adult areas, as well as add new dis...