Contact Information
2000 NE 23rd Street
Oklahoma City, OK
73111
Phone: (405) 424-1437
About Ralph Ellison Library
The Ralph Ellison Library opened in its current location in 1975. Named in honor of Oklahoma City native and acclaimed author Ralph Ellison, this library is in one of Oklahoma City’s historically African-American neighborhoods yet serves a diverse group of residents. Customers rely on the library to find basic information about voting, taxes, tutoring, government assistance, and a variety of other fundamental needs. In addition, the library serves a dynamic population of motivated customers ranging from school-age children to young adults and elders in the community. The Library serves as an essential hub for services, research, programs and events linking members of the larger community to one another.
Book drop location: To the right of entrance.
Public transit:
- EMBARK bus routes 002 (click here for route map) and 022 (click here for route map)
- Closest bus stop: N Martin Luther King Ave @ NE 23rd St (2-minute walk to library from stop)
Services
- Public use computers with 60-minute internet access and printing capabilities
- Mobile and offsite printing
- Free Wi-Fi
- Express Wi-Fi Hotspots (7-day checkout period), first-come first-served
- Reservable Wi-Fi Hotspots (4-week checkout period)
- Color copy machine with free outbound faxing (to U.S. numbers only) and scanning capability
- Chromebooks with web cams available on a first-come, first-served basis for in-library use only
- Self-serve holds shelf and a self-check machine
- Catalog computers dedicated to accessing 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 - Free admission to local museums. For more information, click here
Technology
Collection
- Meeting rooms - Cost (reservations required)
- Black History Collection
Spaces
Special Collections
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: 1 - 6pm
Curbside Hours
Mon-Friday: 9am - 6pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: 1pm - 6pm
Upcoming Events
Grab a fun take-home kit to learn about bugs and butterflies. This kit includes coloring sheets, a backyard bug scavenger hunt, a fun fact sheet, and a simple butterfly craft to do at home.
Disclaimer(s)
It is encouraged that an adult supervise children while using this Metropolitan Library System Take & Make Kit.
Birds & Bones: Owl Pellet Dissection Take-Home Kit
Owls swallow their prey whole, and their digestive systems separate flesh from bone. Later, they regurgitate compact pellets containing undigested skeleton bones.
Visit Ralph Ellison Library for a poem a day during National Poetry Month, featuring different poets, eras, and subjects. You just might find a new favorite!
Skull Detective: Guess Which Animal Skull is Which!
Come check out the display of 3D printed replicas of various animal skulls at the Ralph Ellison Library! Guess which animal each skull belongs to and bring your answers to a staff member at the desk for a prize!*
*while supplies last
Improve your reading and other basic skills in this class made possible by Community Literacy Centers. This class meets every Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 am-12:00 pm.
Bring your own quilting or other project and get a chance to work on it with like-minded people. They'll even offer advice if asked. Be sure to check out a quilting book from our collection!
If you have a challenging homework assignment or questions about what you've learned, stop by the Ralph Ellison Library for Homework Help.