| Jim
Lucas Checotah Public Library, Checotah |
| Contributed
by Marianne Jones, Sharmell Martin and Kathe Smith |
1907 |
The
local newspaper, Inquirer, publishes an article announcing the
consideration of a city library to be established. |
| 1908 |
When all
members of the New State Club of Checotah had moved away or
died except three, the little library they had started was closed. |
| 1920 |
The Delphian
Society, a women’s history club, maintains a library for
public use. |
| 1926 |
Delphian
Society, a women’s history club, reopened the library
for public use. The library was given free quarters in the city
hall and the city contributed $75 annually to its budget for
a time. |
| 1931 |
A reorganization
resulted in a library board consisting of the remaining members
of the New State Club and the Delphian Club. |
| 1960 |
The Eastern
Oklahoma District Library System bookmobile makes weekly stops
in Checotah. |
| 1971 |
Checotah
joins the Eastern Oklahoma District Library System and officially
dedicates the Jim Lucas Checotah Public Library. Congressman
Ed Edmondson made the dedication speech to mark the formal opening
of the library. |
| 1972 |
Citizens
vote for a two mill levy for library support. |
| 1981 |
29% of
area citizens hold library cards. |
| 1982 |
A 14% increase
in patron library card holders occurs in the Checotah area. |
| 1983 |
Checotah
Public Library operating hours are changed to meet state requirements.
|
| 1988 |
Checotah
native, Britton Tabor, donates land for a new library. Fundraising
begins for the building.
The library is the recipient of the “Most Improved Branch”
library award. |
| 1990 |
Library
receives Oklahoma Department of Libraries grant of $97,400 for
a new building.
City Council members unanimously voted to officially name the
community’s new library, the Jim Lucas Checotah Public
Library. This satisfied all opposition met when discussion of
a name change began. The Library will continue to honor the
Pulitzer Prize journalist, home town boy Jim Lucas, and the
name will also honor the townspeople whose tax dollars made
the new library possible. |
| 1991 |
Jim Lucas
Checotah Public Library is dedicated on Sunday, December 15th,
at 2 p.m. The $454,150 building provides 6,400 sq. ft. of space
and shelving for 12,000 books. First Books-Sandwiched-In is
held in the new library. |
| 1992 |
The card
catalog is removed and replaced with four online computers. |
| 1995 |
The McIntosh
County residents voted to pass the increase in mill levy from
2 mills to 4 mills. The millage increase means growth and prosperity
for our Jim Lucas Checotah Public Library.
The entities of the Eastern Oklahoma District Library System
are now automated. Gone are the stamps and card catalogs. The
new Dynix catalog system will link all system libraries together;
therefore, allowing for control on ILLs. All materials throughout
the system may now be accessed by patrons simply by sitting
at a terminal. |
| 1997 |
Internet
services become available to the public in the library. |
| 1998 |
Checotah
receives four mill support for the library. |
| 1999 |
The first
“Let’s Talk About It Oklahoma” program takes
place through a grant provided by the Oklahoma Library Association. |
| 2000 |
Internet
classes are taught by a staff member at the library on two new
computers acquired from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. |
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