Awardees
| 2025 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Helmerich - TCCL |
| John Harkey Best Friends | [no entries received] | |
| 2024 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Helmerich - TCCL |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Eufaula | |
| 2023 | Oklahoma Best Friends | [no entries received] |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Elk City | |
| 2022 | Oklahoma Best Friends | [no entries received] |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Stillwell | |
| 2021 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Durant |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Stillwell | |
| 2020 | Oklahoma Best Friends | [no entries received] |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Meeker and Stillwell | |
| 2019 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Helmerich -TCCL |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Blanchard | |
| Honorable Mention | Westville and Meeker | |
| 2018 | Oklahoma Best Friends | [no entries received] |
| John Harkey Best Friends — 1st place | Stilwell | |
| John Harkey Best Friends — 2nd place | Meeker and Eufaula (tie) | |
| 2017 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Guthrie |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Elgin | |
| 2016 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Claremore |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Stilwell | |
| 2015 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Oklahoma City |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Jay | |
| 2014 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Mustang |
| John Harkey Best Friends | ||
| 2013 | Oklahoma Best Friends — 1st place | Duncan |
| John Harkey Best Friends — 1st place | Wister | |
| 2012 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Eufaula |
| John Harkey Best Friends — 1st place | Alva | |
| John Harkey Best Friends — 2nd place | Meeker | |
| 2011 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Duncan |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Stilwell | |
| 2010 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Mustang |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Tecumseh | |
| 2009 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Claremore |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Stilwell | |
| 2008 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Mustang |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Cherokee | |
| 2007 | Oklahoma Best Friends | McAlester |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Meeker | |
| 2006 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Mustang |
| John Harkey Best Friends | Prague | |
| 2005 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Mustang |
| John Harkey Best Friends | McLoud | |
| 2004 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Ponca City |
| 2003 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Mustang |
| 2002 | Oklahoma Best Friends | Muldrow |
| Eastern Sequoyah County Friends of the Library ($500) | ||
| 2001 | First Place | Cleveland Friends of the Library |
| Second Place | Hulbert Friends | |
History
FOLIO presents an annual award to Oklahoma’s Best Friends. This began as one $500 award to a Friends group that has shown exemplary performance during the previous year. Since 2005, there have been two Best Friends awards given. One is the Oklahoma Best Friends Award, given to a Friends group in a city with a population of more than 10,000. The other is the John Harkey Best Friends Award, given to a Friends group in a community with population of less than 10,000. Award presentations are made during the FOLIO Annual Awards Luncheon in conjunction with the Oklahoma Library Association Annual Conference.