Mary Kimberly Public Library

The Mary Kimberly Library in Kiowa, a longtime partner of the Southeast Oklahoma Library System (SEOLS), received a part-time staff member in January 2025 on a one-year trial. SEOLS will also provide materials and a program budget to enhance community engagement. If successful, the library could become SEOLS' seventeenth library! The Mary Kimberly Library joins other SEOLS-affiliated reading centers, including Hochatown, McCurtain, Pickens, and Red Oak. Notably, the Nelda Clark Myers Public Library in Quinton and the Mattie Terry Public Library in Valliant also began as reading centers. “Reading centers face limitations in the resources they can offer, often struggling to replace damaged items or those not returned. In addition, they operate without consistent budgets, typically relying solely on the materials available within the center,” said Erika Needham, manager of the Nelda Clark Myers Public Library. SEOLS remains optimistic about the Mary Kimberly Library’s potential as a vital community resource.