The Ronald J. Norick Library in Downtown Oklahoma City is nestled in the shadows of the Devon Tower, providing books, information, classes, and programs. Since 1901, there has always been a library in downtown Oklahoma City, though it has moved throughout the years before settling into the current location.
Part of the Metropolitan Library System, the Downtown Library offers many services and amenities that typical library patrons know and love. But the building itself and how the space of the Downtown Library is used are what make a trip to this facility stand out from other locations.
In addition to shelves and shelves of fiction books, the library also contains nonfiction, magazines, microforms, and free computers for public use. There are plenty of locations for a reader to get lost in a good book, as well as designated quiet areas for those who need to study. Library classes and programs are offered in the library’s classrooms, and there is an area offset from the rest of the building specifically for children’s books, games, activities, and computer use.
On the fourth floor is the Friends of the Library Event Room and the 46th Star Auditorium. Both spaces may be scheduled by library and community groups.
Perhaps not so well known are the special collections housed within the RJN Downtown Library: the Genealogy, Holocaust, and Oklahoma Collections. In the Genealogy area, patrons can look at furniture from the estate of C.F. Colcord.
On the west side of the first floor, there is an a four-story atrium with tables for patrons to use, and there is a café planned for that side of the building.
