Metropolitan Library System (Oklahoma)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Metropolitan Library System | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in Oklahoma City | |
 | |
| Location | Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States of America |
| Branches | 19 with one under construction |
| Collection | |
| Size | Over 1 million[1] |
| Access and use | |
| Access requirements | Resident of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City, or Pioneer Library System cardholders |
| Circulation | Over 5.8 million[2] |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $62.5 million (2012)[3] |
| Director | Jason Kuhl |
| Website | http://www.metrolibrary.org |
The Metropolitan Library System is a public library system consisting of 19 libraries with one under construction that serves Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The system serves anyone who lives, attends school, or owns property in Oklahoma County.[4]
Metropolitan's service area includes the majority of the Oklahoma City city limits, as well as many suburbs that surround Oklahoma City that are located in Oklahoma County. In addition to residents of Oklahoma County, the system also allows those served by the Pioneer Library System (which includes Cleveland, McClain, and Pottawatomie counties) to check out materials via a reciprocal borrowing agreement, and also allows non-residents to borrow materials if they pay an annual fee.[4]
The library is governed by the 28-member Metropolitan Library commission: 13 of its members are appointed by the Mayor of Oklahoma City, 11 are appointed by various cities within the Library's service area, and one is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners of Oklahoma County. The other three seats are occupied by the Mayor of Oklahoma City, the chair of the Board of County Commissioners, and the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Library System.[5][6][7]
The Metropolitan Library System (MLS) had 5.87 million circulations in the 2015-2016 Fiscal Year. The MLS has consistently had about 6 million circulations each year for the past decade. The Edmond branch of the MLS has the highest total circulation of physical materials of all MLS locations.[8]
Inventory
The MLS has 1,343,826 items in its collections.[9] The vast majority circulates. The collection is 76.3% books, 7.5% D.V.D., 6.5% C.D., 6% eMedia, 4% periodicals, 1.6% Audio Players, .2% Video Players, and .2% other materials by items.[9] Information about the collection by titles is needed to gain a real perspective of the collection, but the MLS is clearly a paper-pages-book in hand public library.
You can help add to the collection via suggestions or donations, but either way the materials will have to meet the selection policy.[10]
Locations
Metropolitan Library System operates 19 locations with one under construction. [11]
Oklahoma City
- Almonte Library
- Belle Isle Library
- Capitol Hill Library
- Downtown Library (Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library)
- Northwest Library
- Ralph Ellison Library
- Southern Oaks Library
- Stockyards City (formerly Wright) Library
Other cities in Oklahoma County
Membership
There are multiple types of library cards with borrowing privileges.[4] Each card comes with responsibilities.[12][13]
Services
The Metropolitan Library System provides many services.[14]
Borrowing physical and digital titles via the Public Catalog, Databases, Ask a Librarian, Tailored Titles, Adult Education, GED and Literacy Programs, Books by Mail, Children's Services, Family Place, Come Read with Me, Meeting Rooms & Rental Spaces, Oklahoma Memories, Printing, Public Computers & WiFi, RSS Feeds, Relay Services, Teen & Young Adult Services, and Suggest a Title. Also, the MLS provides an Interlibrary Loan service for items that aren't in the MLS's collection.[14]
Some services are available for all members, while some services are limited depending upon library card type.[4]
