Peggy V. Helmerich Library History

The Peggy V. Helmerich Library opened to the public on February 10, 1991 as a 9,800 square foot facility, on a three acre lot, with capacity for 35,000 volumes. It was designed by Wallace and Bates Architects with a provision for future expansion. The Helmerich Library was funded by a 1988 Tulsa County bond issue to support a 10-year Tulsa City-County Library building program. The Library was named after Peggy V. Helmerich, the leading supporter of and contributor to the Tulsa Library Trust.

Total cost for the land, design, construction and furnishings of the new library was $1,038,433.

On May 12, 1998 Tulsa County voters approved a $22 million bond issue aimed at all the libraries in the system which effectively doubled the size of the building.