Hardesty Regional Library History
In 1964, The Woodland View Library opened in a strip center at 61 st & Lewis with Pat Woodrum as the Librarian. Ten years later she became the System’s Director. It was a popular branch from the very beginning, although it was small and had little room for programs. Pat Dorman became the Librarian in 1965, followed by Dusty Wade in 1967, Susie Herwig in 1970, Mary Ann Cozad in 1976, Lisa Plumly in 1977, and Rosemary Moran in 1982. It closed that year at the same time the newly-built South Regional Library opened.
The South Regional was built on a 3-acre site at 6737 S. 85 th East Ave. donated to the System by developers of Woodland Hills Mall. Designed by Coleman-Irwin, it was the largest of the branches at 18,300 sq. ft. It had 3 meeting rooms, an auditorium, and a large open area for books. It was very heavily used from the first day.
In the summer of 1984, Roger and Donna Hardesty made a $600,000 donation to complete a match for a $250,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant. In recognition, the South Regional was renamed the Hardesty South Regional Library. In 1991, it was expanded to 21,800 sq. ft. to accommodate more book stacks and a small lounge area.
Still inadequate to meet the needs of Tulsa’s fastest growing area, the System promised to enlarge the building as part of the 1998 Bond Issue. Shortly after planning began; it became obvious that it would not be possible to double the size of the building and the parking lot in the space available. The Hardestys generously offered an 8-acre site at 93 rd & Memorial in January, 2001, a huge help in furthering efforts to build a new library. The Tulsa Library Trust raised $1,200,000 to augment the 1998 Bond funds available, and architects from ISD designed a 50,000 sq. ft. 2-story building which opened in May 2003.