Memory Shelf

TUCKED AWAY ON the first floor of the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in Oklahoma City, the Henia Ring Schiff Holocaust Resource Collection is a result of the collaborative efforts among philanthropist Max Schiff, the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, and the Metropolitan Library System. This extensive collection, available to any library user, includes more than 1,700 books, audiobooks, and other resources that can be used to learn about and teach the Holocaust.

“People are curious about the times they live in and what the past can teach us. As a librarian, we hope to always answer the questions people have and empower them with information,” says Judith Matthews, a special collections and research librarian with the Metropolitan Library System.

The collection officially opened in October 2004. Schiff, a lifelong Oklahoman, was instrumental in the relocation and significant expansion of the collection, named in memory of his wife, Henia Ring Schiff. Henia was a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto as well as Gross-Rosen, Mauthausen, and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps.

The couple was devoted to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and teaching lessons of courage, survival, and tolerance through its study. Schiff felt it important to ensure that Henia’s memory and work would live on and pursued the establishment of the Holocaust Resource Collection in her honor.

“Few survivors remain with us to share their testimony. In Jewish life, remembrance is incumbent upon us, we are to preserve the past for the education of future generations. Oklahoma City is fortunate to have a resource of the caliber available to aid us in remembering and assist us in teaching about the Holocaust,” said Edie Roodman, executive director of the Jewish Federation at the time the collection was dedicated.

Since its opening, the collection has served as a focal point for a variety of programs. Numerous lectures, teacher workshops, traveling exhibits, student field trips, and continuing-education opportunities have used the collection as a resource.

In April 2025, the library system invited author Michael Korenblit to tell the story of his parents, who survived the Holocaust and raised their family in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

“We have tremendous attendance at these events. It’s clear that many people in Oklahoma County want to know more about the Holocaust, and our libraries are supportive places to learn,” Matthews says.

Roodman, now the executive director of the Oklahoma Israel Exchange, continues to champion the collection, saying, “Studying the lessons of the Holocaust continues to remain profoundly relevant. It serves as a powerful tool for education, critical reflection, and fostering a firm commitment to human rights and social justice.”

The Henia Ring Schiff Holocaust Resource Collection at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Photographs by Kennon Bryce. For more information visit metrolibrary.org/hrc