OU Health is projected to receive more than $1 million to participate in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative to better understand the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. Enrollment in the study begins soon, and researchers will follow participants for up to four years.
The NIH launched the RECOVER (Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery) Initiative to learn why some people have prolonged symptoms (often referred to as “long COVID”) or develop new or returning symptoms after the acute phase of infection from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The most common symptoms include pain, headaches, fatigue, “brain fog,” shortness of breath, anxiety, depression, fever, chronic cough and sleep problems.
“This is a unique opportunity to be part of a nationwide study that investigates the impact of post-acute sequelae from SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), which includes long COVID. In other viral infections, you rarely see long-term symptoms at the rate we have seen with COVID-19. If we can understand the biological underpinning of these symptoms, that may help us to better treat people who continue to have problems for weeks or months after the infection is over,” said Timothy VanWagoner, Ph.D., co-principal investigator of the study for OU Health.
VanWagoner is deputy director of the Oklahoma Clinical and Translational Science Institute (OCTSI) at the OU Health Sciences Center. The OCTSI unites universities, nonprofit organizations, American Indian communities, public agencies and primary care providers in research addressing the health outcomes of Oklahomans. OCTSI’s existing infrastructure will be used to enroll patients from across the state, including those in rural and medically underserved areas. OU Health is among more than 30 academic healthcare institutions across the nation enrolling patients in the study.
OU Health will enroll approximately 80 adults in three different study categories. One group will include individuals with a past COVID-19 infection who continue to have symptoms. Another group will be comprised of people with a recent COVID-19 infection who may or may not continue to have symptoms. To serve as study controls, the final group will feature people who have never had COVID-19. Participants will be asked to undergo laboratory tests and other analyses, depending on the category.
Current data show that 10% to 30% of people who have had a serious COVID-19 infection will continue to experience symptoms for at least one month. Researchers don’t know why symptoms persist long after the infection or why some people have little to no symptoms.
“The RECOVER study is important because researchers around the country will be sharing their findings in real time in an effort to find answers as quickly as possible,” said Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., co-principal investigator of the study for OU Health and director of the OCTSI. “We hope to discover factors that put people at higher risk for ‘long COVID’, as well as protective factors. That information will be critical for preventing and treating the long-term effects of the virus.”
The current study will focus solely on adults; however, a study in children and adolescents will be forthcoming.
For more information about enrolling in the OU Health study, call (405) 271-3490 or email osctr@ouhsc.edu.

by James Coburn, Staff Writer

Lisa Wariboko-Alali, RN, aspired to make a difference in patient’s lives and become a good employer. All Faith Home Care gave her the opportunity to serve the family of mankind as the owner of the company she founded.
Alali earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oklahoma and has been a nurse for 30 years. She began her career working in the post-coronary care unit at Southwest Medical Center before making the transition to home health.
She needed a more flexible schedule when she married and started raising a family. Home health met her needs.
“I fell in love with home health and found my niche,” she said of the business she opened in 1996. “It’s totally enriched my life. I think it’s been my calling. My mother was in the health care profession. As a little girl I watched her care for my sick dad. I watched her care for other families by sacrificing her time. And I think that really inspired me to be a nurse and caregiver.”
Home health is not only a business, but a ministry for Alali as well. Advantage waiver case management was added over a year ago, a program to help seniors stay at home and funded by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
The staff is what makes All Faith Home Care a success, she said.
“I love my staff so much. They are totally committed,” Alali said. “Some of my staff have been here for 15 years, some for 10 years. They are compassionate and caring.”
All Faith Home Care is also a blessing for families in need of knowing their families are secure.
“That’s so rewarding. It helps us to keep going, especially during this time of the COVID pandemic and nursing shortage. It’s a very challenging time to be in health care right now.”
All Faith Home Care wears personal protective equipment to enhance patient care during the pandemic, said Brenda Guthrie, RN, director of Clinical Services, who has been with the company for 10 years.
“With several COVID patients we make sure we go above and beyond what they need. So, it is a calling,” Guthrie said.
She aspired to become a physician when thinking of a career. Guthrie passed all her tests but could not afford medical school. She chose nursing school and has kept going since 1979.
“I get attached to all of my patients and I can’t imagine not seeing them. I took care of Lisa’s mom, and I took care of my husband while he was dying. I will hold someone’s hand if that’s what they want at the end,” Guthrie said.
Guthrie began her nursing career in an intensive care unit for trauma. She went on to be an ER nurse and did flight nursing. Guthrie also has the distinction of having served as the health services administrator for the state of Delaware Prison System. She managed the hospital there for eight years.
“Then I came back to Oklahoma to take care of my parents and here I am,” Guthrie explained.
Alali understands that her staff has family issues, too, and is given the flexibility to take care of that, Guthrie said.
All Faith Home Care will travel beyond its 50-mile service range whenever a doctor notifies them that nobody else will accept a patient, Guthrie said.
Most Medicaid insurers only provide 36 home health visits a year, Michael said. Currently more than 20 clients have exceeded the 36 visits. But All Faith Home Care did not discharge them. Alali ensures that her clients, some in a rural area, will continue being cared for beyond 36 visits.
“When the poor people don’t have anymore visits, we don’t cast them out,” he said.
Guthrie said their clients are their families and will not be deserted when All Faith Home Care will not be paid to see them.
“Time after time we’ve had patients that would not have lived if All Faith Home Care had not stepped in and provided the services,” Alali said. “There’s been several occasions when Brenda has gotten a call from a patient and has ended up saving that patient’s life.”
On many occasions Brenda will be in a home and do CPR on a patient.
“I just don’t know how to describe it, but I know it’s a divine assignment for her. She has left the office on the way to see a patient and she’ll come up on an accident and she’s there just at the right time to save someone’s life,” she said. “And other times, it’s been a family member and not a patient, and she’s gotten there just in time to save their life. That’s the ultimate calling.”
Guthrie said they have walked into homes with an empty refrigerator.
“All I have to do is call Lisa, and she’s calling Michael or one of the nurses and we’re out buying groceries, and we’re getting them set up with food banks,” she said.

For more information visit: http://www.allfaithhc.com/ or call 405-340-5100.

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

In Dale Graham’s short remarks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 25 for the new larger location in Norman for the nonprofit Dale K Graham Veterans Foundation, he made everyone welcome. Speaking at the front doors at 1233 W Lindsey St., the Vietnam Veteran and retired U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal, 74, shared his pride in how far the group’s mission has grown.
“When I first started out helping veterans sign up for their benefits in my garage 30 years ago, I knew a lot of satisfaction in helping other veterans,” Graham said. “Now I know a lot of these great people gathered here today who have helped thousands in that same mission. We are all proud to welcome you to this new location.”
The foundation is named after Graham, who has dedicated his life to encouraging and helping veterans file their benefits claims. They serve more than 300 veterans each week with a 96 percent success rate for claims filed in 2019.
The main speaker, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, told the crowd of 120 he is prefilling a bill aiding veterans for the new legislative session beginning in February. It will further emphasize that Oklahoma is a welcoming state for veterans, retired and separated from the service.
Pugh’s effort this session is Senate Bill 401, a carryover measure from last year, to exempt military retirement from state income taxes. He said this would keep Oklahoma keep in line with the surrounding states.
“According to our research at the legislature, Oklahoma has more per capita veterans than any state in the country,” said Pugh, a former U.S. Air Force Officer of almost eight years. “The legislature needs to do more in making sure our resources like this new Dale Graham Veteran Graham Foundation center are an example of how Oklahoma can be seen as the number one state for veterans.”
Pugh served as an AWACs command and control officer worldwide as an air battle manager as a captain. Before election to the Senate in 2016, he was an executive at Delaware Resource Group. There he oversaw the local aerospace company’s B-1 Bomber program, an extensive program with millions of dollars attached to it, he said.
Those gathered — veterans and their families, volunteers, veteran’s rights advocates, and Norman and Cleveland County officials, then saw Norman Chamber of Commerce dignitaries welcome the new facility and perform a ribbon-cutting ceremony. After the ceremony, 25 veterans waiting to be helped were invited into the new facility for their appointments with volunteers. On January 27, more than 50 veterans were helped. At the intake event on February 1, 150 veterans are expected to receive services.
The new location on west Lindsey is twice the size of the previous office on Interstate Drive in northwest Norman. The new office provides volunteers a training room and the veterans a computer lab where they can get online and scan their documents to complete their claims. The new computer lab has gone from 40 computer workstations in the previous office to more than 80.
Additionally, there is office space for private meetings. The new office means there is room for the volunteers to give the veterans more privacy as they assist them. This has allowed the Graham Foundation to increase the number of veterans they can help each day.
The Graham Foundation has assisted more than 25,000 veterans across all 77 counties in Oklahoma, 50 states, and eight foreign countries in filing claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Many volunteers help veterans fill out forms and submit medical or other documentation supporting their request for service connection to a disability or an increased rating on a pre-existing service-related disability.
Jonathan Foti, Graham Foundation CEO, spoke as master of ceremonies, saying their mission had outgrown their previous office because there are now about 330,000 veterans in Oklahoma.
The Graham Foundation’s seven full-time employees and nearly 100 volunteers help veterans apply for service-connected benefits. To do this, the volunteers have to go through continuing training programs. This ensures they keep current with Dept of Veterans Affairs policies as they change. In addition, the volunteers who are certified Veteran Services Officers have additional training requirements to maintain their certifications.
Most of their volunteers and staff recently attended the Joint Service Officer Training Symposium training from the Muskogee VA Regional Office and the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. The two-day event was held in Norman at the Oklahoma National Guard Training Center.
The Graham Foundation had teamed with numerous other nonprofits and service organizations to provide veterans with additional services, support, and counseling. This means veterans are better able to get the services they need. The VA application process is a dynamic environment that continually changes as rules, laws and federal policy change.
Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Chuck DeBellevue, president of the Graham Foundation Board, said, “Our supporters and volunteers have helped many veterans who never sought help in the past. While only a few World War II veterans still visit us, most of the veterans seen by the Graham Foundation are from the Vietnam War era, with visits from Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans on the increase.
This move will allow us to assist more veterans in more ways. You had to show up in person to receive our services in the past. Now you can get an appointment online and be seen virtually. Jon Foti, our CEO, has continually improved the processes and our efficiency. We are all proud to be a part of this effort to help those who served this great country.”
Veterans register online to start the process and are then contacted to schedule an appointment. Details about the next intake session can be found at Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation | Our mission is to serve military veterans and their families. (dalekgrahamveteransfoundation.org)

by James Coburn – Staff Writer

A patient-friendly hallmark in the health care industry has arrived at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest, said Debbie Pender, RN, chief nursing officer/VP patient care services. SSM Midwest went live with Epic on December 11.
SSM Midwest has brought on board Epic, a leading-edge electronic health records system to streamline all areas of operation.
SSM has utilized the Epic technology platform since 2011 to seamlessly coordinate care without a paper trail.
Epic technology allows patients to have convenient digital access to their health information. Documentation of the patient medical record is stored in the easy to access hospital computer system.
Epic is one of the most preferred platforms to document health records in the nation. The patient’s entire encounter with SSM Midwest is secured, confidential, and easily accessible.
“Different departments can see that medical record,” Pender said. “So, it really helps facilitate quality of care through ensuring continuity of the communication from department to department, even from the in-patient to the out-patient phase when physicians have Epic in their medical offices as well. So, that medical record goes wherever the patient goes in any hospital that has Epic.”
Any patient discharged from SSM Midwest who somehow ends up in another hospital system using Epic will have their SSM record available to that hospital whether in Oklahoma or out of state. That whole record of care will go with that patient as a requirement of the Affordable Care Act. Hospitals for reimbursement purposes must come on board with an electronic medical record allowing portability of health care records from organization to organization.
“A patient’s medical history and all the medications that they take travels with that patient which is very important for safe care,” Pender continued. “There are some safeguards built within Epic that improve our patients’ safety here.”
The electronic medical record has been shown to prevent mistakes being made across the United States. Many elderly adults are known to take multiple medications. A lot of times they forget their medicine list, or they could have several doctors who have prescribed medicines as specialists. To avoid confusion, nurses can see all of a primary care physician’s record from the computer. Physicians using Epic can update a patient’s current medication list. Emergency rooms can easily access Epic records from a physician’s office. The continuation of care is simplified.
“We are very excited to upgrade the technology at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest with Epic,” said Dr. Kevin L. Lewis, President, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest & Regional President of SSM Health Medical Group Oklahoma. “We are committed to Midwest City and providing our patients with exceptional health care services.”
Epic allows for safe IV infusions with medication administration with warnings implemented if guidelines are not followed properly.
“There’s a lot of surveillance ability within Epic that tells us if a patient is having a stroke, if a patient perhaps has sepsis, and a lot of reports that we can get out of Epic that tell us about a patient’s care experience from a quality/safety perspective,” Pender said.
Several of the SSM Midwest nurses have stated that the Epic implementation was the best go-live event they’ve ever experienced. Nurses commented that SSM was well prepared in bringing Epic to SSM Midwest.
“We are enjoying Epic here at Midwest, since it is so user friendly,” said Joy Mathews, RN manager – CCU/PCU. “Documenting on one computer eliminates the need for paper, which is convenient in caring for our critically ill patients in the CCU. Additionally, it will be a huge tool for recruiting high quality nurses to our staff.”
Pender serves as a team builder as the chief nursing officer at SSM Midwest. She has been CNO of SSM Midwest since June, after SSM purchased the hospital from Community Health Systems in April. Her goal has been to enhance the leadership structure from a for-profit hospital to a not-for-profit.
A lot of SSM Midwest nurses have used Epic in previous health care organizations they have worked in. This was helpful in the transition.
“I have not met one person who thinks Epic was a bad thing,” Pender said. “Now it’s change, so they have to learn new work flows and the functionality within Epic, but everybody loves Epic.”
She said it’s nice to see seamless documentation utilized from department to department, all for the betterment of patient care.
“The care isn’t just in a silo wherever you are in the hospital. A physician can see every piece of the record,” Pender said. “It’s been very positive.”
The data analytics made available by Epic is phenomenal when evaluating best practices.
Safe and effective care is what patients deserve from any bedside nurse, Pender said.

Community  •  Quality  •  Convenience

Belmont Cove Retirement Village 

for the 5o+ community

Belmont Cove sits on prime real estate in Yukon, Oklahoma. Our convenient location boasts easy access to I-40, dining and shopping districts, and a medical center. Our retirement village has walking paths and a community center and pool, which are currently under construction.

By Steven Sibley, Medicare Broker

Whether it’s annual enrollment in the fall, open enrollment during the first three months of the year or you’re turning 65, when it’s time to decide about your Medicare plan, where will you go for advice? Joe Namath, Jimmy Walker, or William Shatner? Well, if you’re boldly taking this journey where you’ve never gone before, you may think Captain Kirk would be the right choice. You can also try online at Medicare.gov. But do you really trust that a website can clearly guide you through all your options and answer all your questions? What about an 800 number, where you can speak to someone you don’t know, who doesn’t know you, or who you’ll likely never speak to again? Do any of these seem like great options that will lead to a great decision about your healthcare plan? Also ask yourself, will they be there to support you after your decision?
The truth is your best decision is to develop an ongoing relationship with a Medicare plan agent. First, you’ll want to know if the agent is captive, representing just one company or if they’re a broker, representing numerous companies and options on your behalf. Medicare Plan agents are licensed life and health agents who are required to complete specialized Medicare plan training every year, including certifications from each Medicare plan provider they’re appointed with. They are knowledgeable in all types of Medicare options, including Original Medicare Parts A & B, Medicare Part C Advantage Plans, Part D drug plans and supplements. They can explain how Medicare Savings Plans work for lower income clients and how Medicare Plans and Medicaid work together to provide even more benefits for those who qualify. They can also help veterans understand how Medicare Plans can enhance their VA and Tricare for Life benefits, giving them even more benefits, wellness options and even get their Part B premium reduced.
We’ve found that many people without an agent are unsure of how all the parts of their plan work, how to access all their benefits, or if there is a more affordable plan that will meet their health and wellness needs. If you don’t have an agent, perhaps because you used a website or an 800 number to enroll in a plan, you are not alone, and we can help. At Sibley Insures we’ll guide you through your healthcare plan options and benefits. We’ll show you how to access all the benefits to help meet your health and wellness needs.
We are located here in Oklahoma and our staff is uniquely qualified to serve seniors and retirees in the health insurance industry. We are fully licensed, trained, and appointed with the most recognized Medicare plans in Ok, TX, KS, NM, & AZ. Our staff’s education and experience include a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Studies with an emphasis in gerontology, including 25 years as a hands-on healthcare provider and another holds an MBA with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration, along with 20 years in the Financial Services industry. We believe in one-on-one, ongoing relationships with our clients, plus we’re always available to advise and advocate for them and even those who are not our clients but request our help. If you have questions about your current or new Medicare plan, or know someone turning 65 this year, reach out to us at 405-850-1569. Plus, see our ad below.

For more information, please contact me at: 405-850-1569 or visit: ssibleyinsures@gmail.com

COVID-19 Oklahoma Test Results

*As of 2022-01-27 at 7:00 a.m.

story and photo by James Coburn, Staff Writer

A glowing celebration was held in Guthrie at the recent coronation of Roxanne Parks, Ms. Oklahoma Senior America (MOSA) Queen 2022.
Parks was crowned by MOSA Queen 2021 Kathryn Gordon.
Several former MOSA queens were among the scores of guests who honored Parks at the Old Santa Fe Depot in Guthrie on Saturday, Jan. 22.
“To reign in life means we are filled with confidence in God and in our assignment,” Parks said. “It is that we are able to have peace in chaos. We’re able to have power and peace, regardless of the circumstances. We are able to be free of the grips of sin…”
MOSA is considered the senior version of the Miss America Pageant, said Dove Morgan-Schmidt, MOSA Queen 2016.
At the coronation, Parks presented three requirements of the national pageant. This includes her talent, philosophy of life, and her evening gown presentations.
She shared her original spoken and inspirational work highlighting her YouVersion Bible Plan that has close to 400,000 subscribers, as well as her latest book, “Breathe: 101 Life-Giving Devotionals.”
Parks said every person is created with a purpose in life.
“Each of us are uniquely gifted to serve and to bless others,” she said in her philosophy of life presentation. “I don’t want to miss out on one thing that God has in store for me to accomplish this year on earth. I want to live bold; I want to give bold and, in a world where depression and anxiety abound, I want to be that life-giving breath of fresh air.”
The Ms. Senior America Pageant is the world’s first and foremost pageant to emphasize and give honor to women who have reached the “Age of Elegance.” It is a search for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior Americans, according to the mission statement. The Ms. Senior America philosophy is based on the belief that seniors are the foundation of America, and our most valuable treasure. It is upon their knowledge, experience and resources that the younger generation has the opportunity to build a better society.
An Edmond resident, Parks will represent the state of Oklahoma and its senior community along with state queens from 31 other states this September at the national pageant to be held at the Hershey Lodge and Resort in Hershey, Pa., said Carol Kallenberger, Oklahoma MOSA state administrator.
Parks is a certified life coach at Roxanneparks.com. She has served as president of a large marketing company, and is the founder, president, and CEO at Winter Summit Ministries, Inc. She studied at the University of Oklahoma’s Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering.
She and her husband Brian Parks have been married for 36 years. She is the mother of three adult children and a proud grandmother. Parks believes that families are the foundation of our society. Parks is also corporate chaplain. She appears at conferences and conventions throughout the US. Parks appeared inspired and enthusiastic in her talent presentation as she accompanied herself on the piano. Parks said she gathers her peace of mind with faith in God, and not to news or events.
“There has never been one like you before. There will never be one like you again. And since today is the first day of the rest of our lives, and life is not a dress rehearsal, let’s make today the best day of the rest of our lives,” Parks said. “Even though there are very many noises and choices in our head in the battlefield of our mind, we hear the voice of ourselves as loud as it speaks to you. And then, there is the voice of the enemy who likes to raise doubt and discouragement in our heart. And then, there is the voice of the other — your mother or your neighbor — your boss. And then, there is the voice of truth. Oh, we have ears, but do we hear. Oh, we have eyes, but do we see? The same God that fashioned you and me, assigned us with a thumbprint. He invited us to live a full life. Since today is the first day of the rest of your life, let’s choose today and the rest of your life to be the very best of your life.”
For more information about Ms. Senior America, please visit http://senioramerica.org.
“This is a sisterhood,” said MOSA Queen 2021 Kathryn Gordon. “And, if you’re sitting there thinking, ‘Maybe I might try it,’ just step out of your comfort, take a chance, believe in yourself. It’s a wonderful experience — it will help you grow into being the person that maybe you were supposed to be. And I challenge you to challenge yourself to take a chance and become a part of our 2023 pageant for Ms. Oklahoma Senior America.”

The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation this week welcomed U.S. Reps. Stephanie Bice (OK-05) and Frank Lucas (OK-03) for updates on work at the Oklahoma City-based nonprofit biomedical research institute.
Bice and Lucas met with OMRF President Andrew S. Weyrich, Ph.D., and scientists from three of the foundation’s research programs.
Bice received a briefing on Covid-19 research from OMRF Vice President of Clinical Affairs Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., who leads a team of scientists studying the body’s immune response to Covid-19 and whether the virus may trigger autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. James is also the lead investigator on a nationwide National Institutes of Health-funded trial to assess how to elicit a stronger immune response to the Covid-19 vaccine in people with certain autoimmune diseases who did not respond well to an original vaccine regimen.
“Federal funding for biomedical research is vital,” said Bice, a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. “I’m proud that OMRF is part of my district. The cutting-edge work scientists are doing here is inspiring and impacts not just Oklahomans, but all Americans.”
Lucas met with OMRF researchers Michael Beckstead, Ph.D., who is studying the role of the naturally occurring brain chemical dopamine in opioid addiction, and Courtney Griffin, Ph.D., whose work on blood vessels shows promise for restoring vision in those who have lost eyesight due to diabetes or premature birth.
A champion of ensuring rural students get access to quality science, technology, engineering and math education to bolster their career opportunities, Lucas applauded OMRF’s efforts to train the next generation of scientists through in-state recruitment as well as in the foundation’s Fleming Scholar Program and Langston University Biomedical Research Scholars Program.
“Basic research like what scientists are doing at OMRF is fundamental to advances in human health, but it requires a strong STEM workforce,” said Lucas, the ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. “OMRF plays an important role in making careers in STEM a reality for Oklahomans.”
OMRF, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, has nearly 500 staff members and scientists in more than 50 labs studying cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and diseases of aging. The foundation’s discoveries have yielded hundreds of patents and three life-saving drugs available in hospitals and clinics worldwide. Most recently, Adakveo became the first targeted therapy approved in the U.S. for sickle cell disease, which affects an estimated 100,000 Americans.
“The Oklahoma congressional delegation’s commitment to biomedical research is steadfast and admirable,” said Weyrich. “Their decades of support for OMRF’s scientists and our mission of making discoveries that make a difference has changed and saved lives.”

Story and OU story scans by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

Seniors who prefer books in the world of digital access will descend on the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds for its huge annual free two-day Friends of the Metro Library Booksale 2022 on February 26 and 27. As thousands of book lovers gather in the Oklahoma Expo Hall, 3213 Wichita Walk, the sale provides hundreds of big print books printed with larger point size fonts to make it easier to read if you have weak eyesight and audiobooks.
“We are grateful for the way our Friends Booksale continues to be a fixture in the community for acquiring great, accessible books, supporting libraries and sharing a love of literacy,” said Tatianna Canon, vice president of communications and membership for the Friends. “The Friends Booksale is truly a local institution, and we are thankful for the support we receive to make it successful each year. The Booksale is one of the many ways the Friends organization works diligently to support local libraries and help them thrive.”
The most significant difference this year is customers must be a member of the nonprofit Friends of the Metro Library before the sale to come to the Friday ‘member’s only’ Pre-sale. Memberships and tickets will not be sold at the door this year to cut down on volunteer exposure to the crowd.
Due to the changing public health concerns surrounding COVID-19, the Friends will require all volunteers and guests over age 2 to wear a mask while assisting with and attending the book sale. Capacity requirements will be implemented as well, to keep patrons safe.
Safety updates will be communicated clearly in advance of the sale on Facebook, Twitter, and membership emails leading up to the event. Additionally, with the unexpected nature of the pandemic, the latest announcements and event information can be found at www.supportmls.org/fol/booksale.
The free admission annual sale opens to the public Saturday, Feb 26, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., providing a diverse selection of paperback and hardcover books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and more for every demographic of customers.
This year, the sale’s theme is “Dive into a Good Book with Us.” The books feature a wide range of subjects—including fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, biographies, medical, westerns, romance, children’s, encyclopedias, reference and foreign language books.
In the General Area, hardback books are one dollar each and paperbacks and magazines are 50 cents each. Collectors go for the Items in the Better Books Room, which vary in price, mostly under $5.
The sale raises money to support the Metropolitan Library System (https://supportmls.org/fol/). In its 41-year run, the Friends have given more than $4.9 million in grants to the system.
All of this is due to the tireless efforts of hundreds of volunteers each year. With 800,000 books available, the sale becomes the largest bookstore in Oklahoma for three days ending Sunday, February 27 – 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Customers shop for many reasons. Some are trying to select bestsellers, classics, collectibles and research books needed for school. Others seek to complete personal libraries in certain subjects, while parents strive to enhance their children’s reading exposure.
Selective shoppers are advised to volunteer or join the nonprofit to ensure the best possible purchasing opportunity. Volunteers helping this year will be treated to the best possible selection opportunity available by having access to the sale on Thursday for a special volunteers-only session.
Those who become members for $15 ahead of time can shop a Presale from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25. Held the day before the sale goes public, members are invited to first access. Children 11 and under accompanied by an adult are free.
After 41 years, the sale is well established on the literary sale calendar for customers from all over Oklahoma, surrounding states and region. Book lovers line up all three days awaiting the 9 a.m. opening.
The multi-day event attracts more than 10,000 book lovers. Each year, a quick parking lot survey shows many of those customers are from out of state, coming to Oklahoma for the vast selection.
In some ways, the diverse selection offered represents a snapshot of high-quality current American publishing with the bonus that everything is available for purchase.
The Friends offer a year-round Amazon store to access their selection at Amazon.com. They also provide ‘Buy the Box’ sales where volunteers package and seal books by genre – buy a box of romance, mystery or children’s books – and enjoy the surprises inside.
The shopping is so robust at the sale volunteers offer a dozen checkout points in each of the two sections. And yet, so many customers arrive early a line forms for the first few hours each day.
The shopping is intense, almost competitive, as this is a once-a-year opportunity. Customers quickly buy the best music or audio CDs, gaming systems and video games, eReaders, DVDs and vinyl records.
Shoppers will see every form of wheeled cart pressed into service by other shoppers as they move among the sections of tables laden with thousands of books. Those sections are a broad cross-section of interest, from tables of books by Oklahoma authors to books about Oklahoma.
Some year’s special sections offer brand new books donated when book stores and Oklahoma publishing houses use their donations as a way to balance their inventory.
Many business and industry concerns are well represented when entities going out of business donate their libraries. Retiring attorneys and doctors donate to provide shoppers the chance to buy current-within-four-years law textbooks or books of law statutes and medical textbooks or medical journals at a steep discount.
Volunteer shifts are still open, as the group is still looking for volunteers! To volunteer for Booksale, visit Supportmls.org/Volunteer. Please select an opportunity and complete the online volunteer profile before volunteering, even if volunteering with a group. For additional questions, contact the Friends at 405 606-3763 or
friends@metrolibrary.org.