An Oklahoma Public Library Makes its Case (and a Cup)
“This is definitely not my father’s library!” said impressed Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole (OK-04) as he watched a video about one of the Pioneer Library System’s (PLS) most successful adult education programs.
That’s certainly true of most public libraries across the country, whose customers now need and find vastly different services than they did even a decade ago. This is especially true of PLS in Norman, Oklahoma. From brand new Maker Labs and an ongoing partnership with the local schools, PLS is making sure its public library customers have the most up-to-date and important tools they need to tackle every challenge and thrive in today’s modern world.
These services and more were on full display on the morning of July 29, 2025, when Rep. Cole visited PLS’s Noble Public Library branch. Rep. Cole went on a tour of the library location, which included highlighting the machines in their new Maker Lab and an explanation of their various functions. PLS’s goal in investing in Maker Labs is to enable customers to build science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) skills in practical ways that they can use to advance their education and employment.
From left to right: Regan Schreier, Kay Johnson, Hillarie Kuhn, Rep. Tom Cole, Amanda Kordeliski, Lisa Wells. (Credit: Pioneer Library System)
Building those skills is a critical need in Oklahoma, from those already in the workforce seeking jobs to students trying to figure out the best ways to enter the workforce. A local small business owner in Noble, named Preston, shared a recent project he’s been working on at the library. Library staff and Preston together explained to Rep. Cole how the Maker Lab makes laser engraving available to the public so that small business owners like him can continue to afford to best serve their customers.
In addition to the library staff present—including PLS Executive Director Lisa Wells, Noble Branch Manager Hillarie Kuhn, and others—Norman Public Schools’ Director of Libraries and Instructional Technology Amanda Kordeliski was also on hand to discuss PLS’s partnership with Norman’s schools. Kordeliski, who also serves as the President of the American Association of School Librarians, described how the partnership enables students to fulfill Oklahoma’s career academic plan requirements, and how federal funding is instrumental in providing resources for that and other library partnership programs. One example they shared was how library databases are key tools for students seeking their degrees across the state.
From left to right: Lisa Wells, Hillarie Kuhn, Rep. Tom Cole, Amanda Kordeliski. (Credit: Pioneer Library System)
Staff showed Rep. Cole a video of two sisters from Noble who graduated from PLS’s Gale Presents: Excel Adult High School program together, thanks to the public library’s scholarship, resources, and education. In fact, the story of these two successful customers is what prompted Rep. Cole’s quiet exclamation: “This is definitely not my father’s library!” Congressional funding—which Appropriations Committee leaders like Rep. Cole can secure—is essential to empowering these customer success stories, and thousands more.
During the tour, Rep. Cole spoke frequently about his love of libraries, including how he and his wife raised their son in their local Oklahoma library. Attendees could hear the pride in his voice as he described how his son had taught himself to read at the age of three, and his connection to libraries was clear as he described how nearby Moore Public Library was a lifesaver because it provided him with books to read himself during his own childhood.
But the Maker Lab was truly the highlight of the visit, with Noble’s staff presenting Rep. Cole with a tumbler cup laser-engraved with the PLS logo and Oklahoma state seal during their tour. As they were on their way out the library doors at the end of the visit, he could be heard saying to his staff member that his laser-engraved cup was “so cool!”
From left to right: Hillarie Kuhn, Rep. Tom Cole, Amanda Kordeliski. (Credit: Pioneer Library System)
Truly, the whole visit was “cool” – and a great example of how building long-term relationships with local congressmembers can have a significant impact in service of library advocacy. Every public library is worthy of being shown off to their representatives; it just requires some dedication and relationship building, which the PLS and Noble staff did brilliantly to pull off this particular visit in the middle of a busy summer.
For resources on how to approach congressmembers for a similar library tour, watch the Public Library Association’s recent virtual training or check out the Public Policy and Advocacy Office’s other library visit guides and resources.
Tags: library makerspace, makerspaces, Noble Public Library, Oklahoma, Pioneer Library System, Tom Cole
