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Our History

Oak Ridge Public Library began, as most organizations in Oak Ridge did, as a community effort to fill a need. In May of 1944, residents in Oak Ridge wanted books and magazines, but the ongoing war and the secret nature of Oak Ridge made it difficult to get reading material. City residents pooled their resources and began sharing their own magazines with the help of the Boy Scouts, who collected and delivered magazines to the dormitories, hospitals, and common areas around town. The first library building was located on the corner of Kentucky and Tennessee Avenues, near Jackson Square, and contained about 1,700 books. In 1970, the library moved to its current location on Oak Ridge Turnpike. The Oak Ridge Room was dedicated in 1986 as part of the Library’s celebration of Tennessee’s Homecoming ‘86. Today, the library continues to serve the diverse community in Oak Ridge. With a collection of 111,000 books, movies, music CDs, and audiobooks, the library also offers e-books and downloadable audiobooks, streaming services, mobile printing, digital archives, laptops, and engaging programs for all ages. 


 

Our Values

 

Our staff shares the mission of creating and maintaining a patron-centered library that is the heart of our community.
We work efficiently and focus on what needs to be accomplished, supporting each other while being respectful, friendly, and protecting the privacy of all who come into the library.

 

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Our Team

Julie F.

Julie F.
Library Director

Lexie R.

Lexie R.
Admin Associate

Yvonne O.

Yvonne O.
Library Publicist

Ana V.

Ana V.
Page Coordinator

Jacob B.

Jacob B.
Patron Clerk

Bailey L.

Bailey L.
Item Clerk

Bri W.

Bri W.
Sunday Clerk

Maddie R.

Maddie R.
Library Page

Shannan G.

Shannan G.
Library Page

Terésa P.

Terésa P.
Library Page

Colleen R.

Colleen R.
Library Page

Ella R.

Ella R.
Library Page

Michaela M.

Michaela M.
Children's Librarian

Micheal R.

Michael R.
Children's Clerk

Chad B.

Chad B.
Children's Clerk

William G.

William G.
Community Services Librarian

Mike S.

Mike S.
Local History Specialist

Sarah F.

Sarah F.
Technology Specialist

Emily C.

Emily C.
Outreach Specialist

Haley S.

Haley S.
Technical Services Librarian

Ashley W.

Ashley W.
Fiction Clerk

Steve S.

Steve S.
Receiving Clerk

Willie W.

Willie W.
Library Systems Administrator


Our Policies