Muskogee Library selected for National Library of Congress digital initiative

Muskogee Public Library has been selected to partner with the Library of Congress on a groundbreaking new project that will bring the nation's largest collection of knowledge right into the heart of Eastern Oklahoma.

A National Partnership Comes to Muskogee

Through a new initiative called LOCal, the Library of Congress will create interactive digital experiences inside public libraries, starting with just two pilot locations: Muskogee and Cleveland, Ohio. The project aims to connect local communities with relevant stories and collections from the national library.

What the LOCal Experience Will Look Like

The project will transform part of the Muskogee Public Library into an immersive digital exhibit that blends technology with local storytelling.

“If you can picture sort of museum exhibits that you might have seen digital museum exhibits, it’ll be a little bit like that,” Laurie Allen said, Chief of Digital Innovation at the Library of Congress.

Why Muskogee?

Library officials say Muskogee stood out for its strong community engagement and its ongoing “Imagine More” campaign.

“We were looking for systems that already had really deep connections in their community,” Allen said, “And Muskogee was already doing an amazing job serving theirs.”

A Big Opportunity for the City

City Manager Kendal Francis says being chosen out of many rural applicants is a big honor and one that could help boost tourism.

“There’s going to be people that don’t have the ability to leave Muskogee... they’re going to have the opportunity to bring that experience right here and be a part of it,” Francis said.

Making the Library Feel Like Another World

The experience is designed to transport visitors into new environments, all while highlighting local connections to national archives.

“The folks who live here will see all that is available to them,” Allen said, “They’ll start to see what they can make and do and create with the materials at their disposal, both here locally and at their national library.”

What’s Next?

The Muskogee Public Library plans to unveil a prototype of the exhibit to the community this fall. The full installation is expected to launch in early 2026, offering both in-person and online experiences for residents throughout Eastern Oklahoma.