History of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Libraries - 1897

            Soon after the city of Alva was settled in 1893, citizens became eager to establish a center for higher education. Teachers were in high demand as approximately 200 schools were being established in the surrounding area known as “M” County. The clamor for a Normal School was so strong that a bill was introduced in the territorial legislature in 1895 for that purpose. The school opened on September 20, 1897, with classes being held in the Congregational Church until a building to house the new college could be constructed.  
            A firm in Illinois was contracted to erect the first campus building. John Foucart, an architect from Guthrie, designed the building using Norman-French castles as models, and this building became known as The Castle on the Hill. The cornerstone ceremony took place on July 1, 1898, with a dedication speech by Temple Houston, a Woodward attorney and the son of Sam Houston. By the fall of 1899, the building had been completed, and the school was transferred to the present site. The construction cost of the first building was underwritten by a number of private citizens, since the legislature did not appropriate funds for the building. The library, which contained a large colonial fireplace, was located on the first floor of this new structure. An effort for an additional building was brought before the territorial legislature in 1905.

 

 

CASTLE'S LIBRARY

JESSE DUNN LIBRARY

Throughout the years, several librarians were employed at the institution. The first librarian to serve was Charlotte White during the school year of 1903-04. However, librarians with professional degrees were not employed until the 1940’s. Frances DuVall and Edith Gorman joined the faculty in 1947 and 1948 respectively. During the 1950’s, DuVall and Gorman began to develop the statewide program known as the Sequoyah Children’s Book Award. Based on DuVall’s original concept, the award is presented annually to the author of the book chosen as the favorite in voting by children in grades three to six throughout the state. The Oklahoma Library Association later assumed sponsorship and continues the program today.   DuVall and Gorman led in the founding of a Library Science program at Northwestern as well.  Throughout the years, the program expanded to include a Bachelors degree program and certification programs for both public librarians and school media specialists. These programs continued intermittingly until 2001.
The vision for a separate structure for the library came under the administration of Dr. J.W. Martin, who became Northwestern’s president in 1956. DuVall and Gorman were instrumental in the planning and design of the Alva campus library during the years of 1962-1964. In April 1964, an open house was held, and visitors to the new library were able to view the openness of the structure with its subject modules, open shelving, large reading tables, and a focal-point sculpture entitled “Quest.” The new library also had a mezzanine, where classrooms and a conference room were located. In 1968, a 125-foot, two-story addition was added to the library. Today the first floor of the addition houses the reference and periodicals department, and the second floor houses the government documents department and a periodical annex. In total, the facility has 45,000 square feet on its two levels.

JW Martin Library - Alva Campus
           

MARTIN LIBRARY INTERIOR
          

Following the retirements of DuVall and Gorman in the early 1970’s, Ray Lau became the Library Director, and the institution experienced a name change to the present one of Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The Northwestern library joined the Oklahoma Publications Clearinghouse when it was created by the state legislature in 1978, and remains a member of this state depository library system today. In 1983, the library at Northwestern was officially named the J.W. Martin Library.
            At the start of the fall term of 1990, the Martin Library became a member of the Online Computer Library Center. This membership allowed the library to computerize its cataloging records and to establish a loan program with other libraries across the nation. As the 21st century approached, the library, under the leadership of Lau, continued to update its technology to include an online catalog and numerous databases. An Instructional Media Center was also developed, and today this collection contains more than 2,200 video titles available for circulation. The Media Center, a member of the Oklahoma School Video Consortium, offers the continuous and economical addition of many titles. 
            During the 1996 school year, House Bill 2164 provided for the establishment of branch campuses in Enid and Woodward. The library on the Enid campus has over 4,000 square feet in its two rooms. The library’s main reading room houses the book collection and most of the non-book items that can be accommodated with standard library shelving. The K-12 curriculum materials, multimedia equipment, and media requiring special shelving are located in the library’s multimedia room. Plans include a library for the Woodward campus building when it is completed in the future.

ENID CAMPUS LIBRARY

In 2000, the Oklahoma Textbook Commission designated the J.W. Martin Library as an official Textbook Examination Center to receive copies of all Oklahoma-adopted K-12 textbooks and ancillary materials, including computer software. In June of 2003, Lau retired as Director of Libraries after 29 years of service. Susan Jeffries is the present Director of Libraries.
Throughout the years, the staff of the NWOSU Libraries has remained committed to providing the highest level of customer service in a relaxed learning environment. For additional information regarding the NWOSU Libraries, please visit the website at www.nwosu.edu/library.

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