Oklahoma State University (Edmon Low Library)

The Oklahoma State University Library will collect, preserve, manage, and interpret documentary sources representing all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic experience through a yearlong oral history project. The library’s Oklahoma Oral History Research Program will capture impressions, recollections, and analytical reflections of people impacted by the pandemic through their official employment or community roles, including a diverse representation of Oklahomans across racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and job-related categories. An online portal will spotlight twenty-five interviews (approximating fifty hours of digital audio and video) and transcripts. These efforts will support pandemic recovery and generate positive societal impact by spotlighting underserved communities’ concerns, helping government leaders reflect on the impacts of the recent pandemic response, building empathy for individuals in different situations, and generating important primary source material for future researchers.