Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library

Downtown Library

Contact Information

300 Park Avenue

Oklahoma City, OK

73102

Phone: (405) 231-8650

About Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library 

The four-story Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library is located in the Arts District of downtown Oklahoma City. Library service in downtown OKC first began in 1901 when the Carnegie Library opened at NW 3rd and Robinson Ave. In 1954, the new Main Library was dedicated at Dean A. McGee Ave and Robinson Ave. On December 14, 1993, Oklahoma City voters approved a five-year, one-cent increase in the city's sales tax to fund nine building projects for the downtown area (called MAPS) which including a technologically adaptable Downtown Library/Learning Center. The RJN Downtown Library opened to the public on August 17, 2004. The building is 114,130 square feet and includes classrooms, study rooms, conference rooms, a children’s program room, the Route 66 Computer Lab, 46th Star Auditorium, and Friends Event Room. The building has two floors of collections and services, one floor of meeting rooms open to the public, and one floor that houses administrative offices. The Downtown Library also uniquely serves as the library of record for the John Rex Charter school students from pre-K to 4th grade. This state-of-the-art library is a great place for Oklahoma County families.

Book drop locations: Walk-up returns on the west and north sides of the building.

Public transit: 

  • EMBARK bus routes 009, 012, 016, 040, 13N, RAPID (click here for system map)
    • Closest bus stop: N Hudson Ave @ Park Ave (1-minute walk to library from stop) 
    • NOTE: Nearly all Oklahoma City EMBARK routes stop at the EMBARK Transit Center, which is a 7-minute walk (0.3 miles) from the Downtown Library.
  • OKC Streetcar Downtown Loop (click here for route map)
    • Closest streetcar stop: N Hudson Ave @ Park Ave (1-minute walk to library from stop) 
  • MOE/City Care OKC: Route 1 stops at the Downtown Library, Monday-Friday (click here for route map)
    • MOE is a free shuttle service that connects its riders with many shelters and essential service agencies.

Services

    Technology

    • Public use computers with 60-minute internet access and printing capabilities
    • An express computer with 15-minute internet access and printing capabilities
    • Mobile and offsite printing
    • Free Wi-Fi
    • Color copy machine with free outbound faxing (to U.S. numbers only) and scanning capability
    • Wi-Fi hotspots (available to check out; holds can be placed in our catalog)

    Collection

    • Self-serve holds shelf and self-check machines
    • Catalog computers dedicated to searching the library's collection
    • Library staff who can provide assistance locating information, using print and electronic sources, and provide readers' advisory
    • Place and pick up interlibrary loan requests
    • Tours and instruction in the use of library resources (by appointment)
    • Experience Passes for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma Banjo Museum, and the Museum of Osteology that are first-come, first-served

    Spaces

    • Study rooms - Free (reservations required)
    • Meeting rooms - Rented for a cost (reservations required)
    • Adult changing station available. Please ask staff.

    Special Collections

    • Genealogy Collection
    • Holocaust Collection
    • Oklahoma Collection
    • Topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey
    • Vertical file, a collection 90 years in the making. Contents include newspaper clippings, meeting and/or annual reports of committees and agencies, flyers and programs, and maps
    • Microform collections of newspapers, magazines, and limited numbers of Federal and Oklahoma government publications

Hours of Operation

Please check the top of this page for notices impacting our hours of operation or services offered.

Monday - Thursday: 9am - 9pm
Friday: 9am - 6pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: 1pm - 6pm

Curbside Hours

Monday - Friday: 9am - 6pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: 1pm - 6pm

Upcoming Events

This event is in the "Adults" group.
Registration
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Online + Curbside (Downtown)
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: Take-Home Kit
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 13
Event Description:
Clare Westmacott’s grandmother lived in Cologne (Kӧln) Germany during World War II.  Cologne was the recipient of 262 Allied bombing raids, the worst, “Operation Millennium” in 1942, consisted of 1000 bombers.  The diary of Clare Westmacott...

Disclaimer(s)

We can only guarantee one kit per registration.  Please register individually to ensure that kits are appropriately distributed.  Special notes should not be used for additional registrations.

Thank you for your help!

This event is in the "Teens" group.
This event is in the "Adults" group.
Registration
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Online + Curbside (Downtown)
Age Group: Teens, Adults
Program Type: Computers & Technology, Cultural Experiences, Games & Gaming, Science & STEAM
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 0
Event Description:
In the 1830s, inventor Charles Babbage proposed schematics for the analytical engine, the first prototype of what we would now call a computer. Though it would never be built, his academic partner and long-time friend Countess Ada Lovelace, created a...

Disclaimer(s)

We can only guarantee one kit per registration.  Please register individually to ensure that kits are appropriately distributed.  Special notes should not be used for additional registrations.

Thank you for your help!

This event is in the "Adults" group.

Lunch Bunch Book Club

12:00pm - 1:00pm
Downtown Library
Registration
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Jim Thorpe Conference Room (Downtown)
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: Book Clubs
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 5
Event Description:
Do you like meeting new people, trying new book suggestions, or just reading and sharing ideas? If so, bring your lunch and join us to discuss this month's book club selection. The book selection for March is The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. Call,...
This event is in the "Kids" group.

STEAM Break: City in a Shoebox

3:30pm - 4:30pm
Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Children's Program Room (Downtown)
Age Group: Kids
Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Science & STEAM
Event Description:
Designing your own city engages all of the elements of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Come Downtown and be inspired by your surroundings to create a miniature city of your very own! We'll provide all of the ma...
This event is in the "Kids" group.

STEAM Break: City in a Shoebox

6:30pm - 7:30pm
Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Children's Program Room (Downtown)
Age Group: Kids
Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Science & STEAM
Event Description:
Designing your own city engages all of the elements of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Come Downtown and be inspired by your surroundings to create a miniature city of your very own! We'll provide all of the ma...
This event is in the "Birth-PreK" group.

Baby Storytime!

11:00am - 12:00pm
Downtown Library
Library Branch: Downtown Library
Room: Children's Program Room (Downtown)
Age Group: Birth-PreK
Program Type: Child Development & Parenting, Storytimes
Event Description:
Join us every Wednesday, 11:00am, at the Downtown Library for a baby storytime! Connect with other families in the community while engaging in stories, songs, lap bounces, and more! Skilled librarians will introduce little ones to new songs and stori...

Disclaimer(s)

This program is designed for children and accompanying adults. Please plan to be in attendance and be engaged with your child for this program.