Bizzell Library

Bizzell Library

Bizzell Library is an elaborate Collegiate Gothic or Cherokee Gothic building, designed by the architecture firm Layton Hicks & Forsyth and constructed in 1928 during the administration of OU's fifth president, William Bennett Bizzell.

The Oklahoma Legislature appropriated $75,000 in 1917 to construct yet another library building that could be expanded in the future, but subsequent legislatures did not appropriate necessary funds to allow the project to move forward.

In 1927, state officials budgeted $500,000 for construction of a new, three-story library. New facilities included a "treasure room" to hold rare books and special collections and separate spaces for graduate and undergraduate work.

A reading room, known today as the Great Reading Room, held the bulk of the 105,000 volumes the university then owned. The new library was dedicated on February 21, 1929.

Under George Lynn Cross, the University's seventh president, a 1958 addition effectively tripled the size of the structure. After a generous donation by Doris W. Neustadt, a 1982 addition was completed during the William S. Banowsky administration.

Location

401 W. Brooks Street
Norman, Oklahoma
USA

Getting There

Bizzell Memorial Library is located at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. The easiest way to get to the library by public transportation would be to take the CART (Cleveland Area Rapid Transit) system. The CART system provides bus service throughout Norman and the surrounding areas. There are several bus stops located near the University of Oklahoma campus, and the Bizzell Library is just a short walk from these stops. Additionally, the CART system operates the free OU Night Ride program, which provides safe transportation for students, faculty, and staff around campus after dark.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Oklahoma that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.