Temporary Exhibits

Students Inspired by an

Exhibit on Loan from the

Melton Art Reference Library

Of the many goals the Library maintains, the primary goal is to educate the public on the overwhelming importance of art, and especially its impact upon our lives. Whether it be a student, professor, dealer, collector, museum curator, writer or simply an interested individual; the Library is designed to access information easily on over 100,000 different artists. In fact, inquiries by either phone calls, email or snail mail are made from across the country.

   Beginning with a few biographies, monographs, raisonnés, resource tomes and sales’ catalogues, the Library has grown to over 3,000 such materials. In addition, the Library houses individual articles, reproductions, sales records, and catalogues.  

Howard and Merle Melton, as a means to educate themselves in building a private collection, began the Melton Art Reference Library. As their collection grew they soon realized the need in the community for such a resource.

  The thrust of their interest, concerning the library, became geared toward the lesser-known artists; the better-known artists were already well represented and accessible. However, this does not limit the library’s resources. The Library houses material on all artists who have reached recognition through publication and/or public acceptance through secondary market sales. The adjacent art collection is a delightful adjunct to the library.

  The Melton Art Reference Library was officially dedicated March 9, 1989 in memory of its co-founder, Merle Buttram Melton. The Library achieved (501-(c)3) non-profit status in October of 1989, and since then has been open to the public free of charge, Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Contact Us:
Melton Art Reference Library-4300 North Sewell, Oklahoma City, OK 73118~ 405.525.3603
www.marl-okc.org  meltonart@aol.com


“One of the main goals of the Milton Art Reference Library is to promote Oklahoma Artist”
Suzanne Slyvester, Executive Director