Light, bright, airy, welcoming, accessible, exciting. These are hardly typical descriptions of libraries. But the new, $24 million Downtown Library, is anything but typical. Before you even get inside the building, it's obvious you're in for a treat. A playful water feature set in front of the structure squirts water into the air at unpredictable intervals. That's just a hint of the surprises you'll find within. Here's a peek at what our new library has to offer.

13 Things to See and Do
1. Sit under a tree, follow the yellow path, and visit a castle in the Tallgrass Prairie Children's Place. Kids can check out their books at the pint-sized circulation desk.
2. Introduce the teenagers to Deep Deuce, an area just for youth, with books, audio and video tapes, and their own quiet spot to study.
3. See the historic Oklahoma photos along library walls and be inspired by our state's early citizens.
4. Choose from thousands of CDs, DVDs, and audiotapes. You can keep your selections for seven days.
5. Visit the special genealogy area on Fridays between 10am-2pm when volunteers will help you explore your family's history.
6. Book a conference or meeting in one of the beautiful event rooms. The 46th Star Auditorium seats 137 people and has a state-of-the-art light and sound system. The Friends of the Library room accommodates 115 people.
7. Get ready for that big test in a comfortable private study room or quiet reading room. Choose the Will Rogers Reading Room and take in the view of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
8. Plan your next vacation, near or far, with maps, brochures, and information from the impressive set of files on the second floor.
9. Visit the Oklahoma Room, open Monday-Friday from 1-5pm and by appointment, for an amazing array of Oklahoma materials including historic photos, biographies, and the history of 71 of the state's 77 counties.
10. Learn more about a grim time in world history at the Holocaust Resource Center.
11. Visit the restrooms not just for the obvious reason, but because you'll love them.
12. Enjoy a view from top where you can see all four floors of the library. It's gorgeous!
13. Take a college course via OKC Community College, OSU-OKC, Redlands Community College, Rose State, and the University of UCO.

A library cafe is in the works, but an opening date hasn't been set. Hungry readers should cross the street to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art Cafe.
 
Metropolitan Library System Services
Visit the Downtown Library, 300 Park Avenue, Monday through Thursday from 9am-9pm; Friday from 9am-6pm; Saturday from 9am-5pm; and Sunday 1-6pm. To reserve a room or to inquire about services, call 231-8650.
 
Use your library card to borrow from any Metropolitan Library System (MLS) facility, place items on reserve, request materials through interlibrary loan, and access the library system's automated services. Items borrowed from any of the system's libraries may be returned to any MLS location, not just the one from which they were borrowed. Thirty materials may be checked out at one time. For more information on the MLS, visit their web site.

Denise Springer is Editor of MetroFamily Magazine. She is an author, speaker, and travel agent. She and her husband, Andy, live near Guthrie with their two sons.