For months, Tulsa City-County Library had planned to sunset the ongoing book sale at Peggy Helmerich Library, according to records obtained by the Flyer. But, weeks before the Sept. 14 deadline, a change of mind means the book sale is here to stay.
Many Tulsans know about the Friends of Helmerich Library’s annual book sale, which features thousands of discounted books, CDs, DVDs and other media. It’s raised more than $150,000 for Tulsa City-County Library programs since starting in 2004.
But lesser known is the ongoing book sale at the south Tulsa branch near 91st and Yale. For five years, it’s given patrons access to affordable books year-round, running mainly on volunteers and an optional but suggested donation cashbox. The year-round sale has raised more than $15,000 since it began in September 2021.
Tulsa City-County Library management announced the ongoing book sale’s end at the February 2026 Friends of Helmerich Library meeting, citing financial and logistical reasons.
“The ongoing sale provides a fraction of what the yearly big sale generates in income, about $5,000 versus $25,000 in 2025,” Ellen Cummings, chief operating officer of Tulsa City-County Library, said in an Aug. 12 email.
Cummings also said the ongoing book sale was initially meant to be a temporary solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they couldn’t host the annual book sale event.
Members of the Friends of Helmerich Library were upset after February’s meeting, according to a July 31 email from Mike Weibel, Peggy Helmerich library manager, to another regional manager.
“The last time the issue of the Ongoing Book Sale was brought up at a regular meeting, it ended up taking a less-than-productive turn as many members of the group were understandably upset to hear the news that there were plans for the sale to end, which resulted in a somewhat heated atmosphere during the meeting,” Weibel said.
So a month later, in March, the Friends of Helmerich Library submitted a proposal to Cummings and Kelly Bayles, Hardesty Regional Library manager, for continuing the ongoing book sale.
They said the book sale’s revenue resulted in more grant funding for all 24 library branches, including $750 per branch last year. On top of that, many patrons visited Peggy Helmerich Library after hearing about the ongoing sale, and it helped raise awareness for its big annual event. They also suggested adjustments to the ongoing sale in the proposal.
Neither Wiebel nor the Friends of Helmerich Library heard back from Cummings or Bayles for five months, according to an Aug. 10 email. This email followed a request in June for Cummings to attend the next Friends of Helmerich Library meeting.
Instead, the Friends of Helmerich Library asked to meet ahead of its next regular meeting on Sept. 9, so that just a few members of the board could discuss the plans for the ongoing book sale with library management. Wiebel said in the email this would ideally happen in August.
Cummings responded by sending an Aug. 12 email to Friends of Helmerich Library President Debra Barlow confirming that the ongoing book sale would end.
“Again, we are grateful for all your support, and we want to support your group with the annual book sale, but the deadline will be September 14th for the end of the daily sale within the library,” Cummings said in the email.
Two days later, the Flyer filed an open records request for email exchanges from library management about the Friends of Helmerich Library’s ongoing book sale up to Aug. 13. No records or correspondence with library staff indicated potential reversal of a decision.
At its Sept. 9 meeting, the Friends of Helmerich Library told the Flyer the ongoing book sale would continue; they had reached an agreement with library management, and the board approved the decision.
“We met with TCCL leadership on August 21st and helped them understand the importance the ongoing sale has to the community,” Kelly James, Friends of Helmerich Library vice president, said in an email to the Flyer. “We have many patrons who enjoy year-round access to affordable used books and are happy that the ongoing sale will continue to operate at Helmerich.”
Tulsa City-County Library officials did not respond to requests for comment.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
