The roots of this service date back to the early 1900s as regional community groups came together to organize book collections and reading groups. These early efforts grew into local libraries, most of which struggled to serve their communities with limited funds.

The Oklahoma Library Systems Act of 1967 allowed libraries to work together to improve library services and resources by establishing library systems. Starting in Muskogee County, the Eastern Oklahoma District Library System radiated out to include Adair, Cherokee, Delaware, McIntosh and Sequoyah counties.