Dallas Public Library - North Oak Cliff Branch

Located southwest of Downtown Dallas in the heart of old Oak Cliff, the North Oak Cliff Library was the first branch in the Dallas Public Library system and has been serving the surrounding community for almost a century. Built in 1986, the current branch replaced the original library that opened in 1914. One of its treasures is the mural on its front wall by local artist Sixto de la Rosa. The mural presents a history including Mexican leaders Emiliano Zapata and Marcos. Martin Luther King, Jr. is shown to link the civil rights struggles of both Mexican Americans and African Americans. The branch provides 12 computer workstations and offers free wireless Internet access. North Oak Cliff has a large and varied collection, including a Teen Center and a strong collection of books in Spanish. The branch offers a variety of community programming, including storytimes for children, a book discussion group, computer classes, E.S.L., G.E.D., and citizenship classes.