Metro Library System Revenue and Competitors

Much has been made of the fact that Oklahoma City was “born grown” when thousands of people settled in the city on the first day of the land run in 1889. The city may have been born grown, but it was still quite immature in its development of infrastructure and cultural pursuits. Not long after the Civil War the fashion of women's study clubs swept the country and nearly every settlement from village to city could boast of at least one club. In Oklahoma City the first club was formed in October of 1889 when the wives of leading merchants met at the home of Captain Stiles to form the Philomathea Club. Drawing its name from the Greek for “love of learning” the club “has held aloft without ceasing the torch of learning and light” even to the present day. The Philomathea Club immediately set about to improve culture and education in the fledgling city. Early on they assembled a club library, but under the leadership of the fiery Julia Douglas, the club began to press for the formation of a public library.