Open Carry Law

Staff:

On November 1, 2012, the new open carry law takes effect. Here is what you need to know:

Essentially, nothing will change for our libraries because the same restrictions on our facilities are in place. The police recommend that we have signs on all our buildings that indicate NO Firearms to avoid a challenge. Downtown, Midwest City, Northwest and Del City have these signs in place. The rest of you will be getting signs soon, but you will not have by Thursday. Kim made a temporary sign which is attached to this email. 

Please print this and poston Thursday on the front door and leave in place until the permanent sign is installed.

The details on the law: Anyone who has a conceal carry license is able to openly wear a firearm beginning November 1. There is no restriction as to the type of gun. This law does not apply to openly carrying of knives or other weapons.

SB 1733 prohibits carrying firearms on properties owned or leased by the city, state or federal government, at corrections facilities, in schools or college campuses, liquor stores and at sports arenas during sporting events. This covers our libraries.

This bill applies to both staff and customers. The only persons authorized to carry weapons in a library are library security and police, on-duty police, officers in uniform, and plain clothes officers with their badge displayed, and others in civilian dress who work for law enforcement in the course of their business.

We generally have no problem with officers who pick up reading materials and are carrying a weapon. It is okay for staff to ask someone openly carrying and, if they are not law enforcement, you can inform them of the restriction in the library. Everyone who has a conceal carry permit is aware of the wear restrictions.

The concealed carry law allowed guns in parking lots, so the same would be true with open carry. The police are not anticipating a problem; however, some people may test the law to see how it is enforced.

If you have questions, please call Linda Hyams or myself.

Thanks,

Donna

Donna Morris
Executive Director
Metropolitan Library System
300 Park Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
405-606-3725