Cushing Public Library
215 North Steele
918-225-4188
A city owned and financed facility managed by a volunteer board appointed by the City Commissioners.
Library Advisory Board
Loralu Billings -|- Barbara Westberg -|- Gary Toland
Wade Shaw -|- Dorotha Feller -|- Deloris Adkins
Ruth Ann Johnson-Head Librarian -|- Laura Lou Pierson -|- Mike Tuttle -|- John Widner
Hours
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Thursday
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday thru Saturday
Closed on Sunday
Facilities and Sources
Auditorium for special events
* Weight Watchers
* Literacy Tutoring
* Genealogy Group
* Storm Shelter During Tornado Season
49000 Volumes
86 Magazines Subscriptions
7 Newspapers
Income Tax Forms
Copy Machine - .15 cents per page
Fax Machine - $1.00 for incoming - 918-225-6201
$2.00 for outgoing
4 Gateway computers for the public with internet accessibility and printer.
Current telephone books of all the towns in Oklahoma.
Delivery service to shut ins.
Genealogy Section
* Early day Cushing newspapers on microfilm
* Earliest newspaper on microfilm is 1895
* 1910 & 1920 census of Oklahoma on microfilm
* Microfilm of any state & county can be borrowed for a three week period.
* 2 microfilm readers
* 1 microfilm printer.
Story hour every Wednesday for preschool children
Large print books
History
Cushing has always had a public library. The first one was located on the top floor of the old City Hall. Several women of the Hypatia Club gathered up donations of used books and stored them at the Methodist Church until the rooms were ready at the City Hall. The books were then moved and placed on shelves. The library was operated on strictly a volunteer basis. There was no money for salaries, books or supplies. In the late 1930's the people of Cushing decided they wanted a new and modern public library. The City Commissioners and the Library Board met and hired an architect. This would be a WPA project and the library would cost $84,000 to build. The land at the corner of Oak and Steele was already owned by the city and would be an ideal site as it was close to the high school and downtown. The library project was presented to the citizens of Cushing and they went to polls and overwhelming passed the bond issue. The bonds were sold to the First National Bank and Trust of Oklahoma City at percent interest. It was going to cost Cushing $44,000 and the WPA grant was for $40,000 for a total of $84,000. The Cushing Public Library was the first building in Cushing to be air conditioned. Today the library is valued at 1 and ½ million dollars.
