Oral History Preservation

Oral history is a method of historical documentation, using interviews with living survivors of the time being investigated. Oral history is an account of something passed down by word of mouth from one generation to another. ...

Oral history preservation is the field that deals with the care and upkeep of these materials, whatever format they may be.

Collecting oral history

The earliest method of collecting oral history was through memory. (see: oral tradition) With the loss of elders who were willing to preserve and pass along these histories, cultural memories began to vanish. Oral tradition or oral culture is a way of transmitting history, literature or law from one generation to the next in a civilization without a writing system. ...

With the advent of the written word, it became possible for cultures to preserve their history without the memory of a select few. Spoken word was transcribed, and the eyewitness accounts of those who lived through both significant and everyday events were able to be saved for future generations to study. This method of historical preservation was augmented with the invention of different methods to record sound. Spoken word can now be recorded on audio or video tape, or through newer digital methods.

While new media allows for richer histories to be saved, it also comes with greater issues for preservationists.

Medium

Past ways of saving oral histories

Early methods of recording sound included phonograph cylinders (a stylus would draw wax grooves on the outside of a cylinder), gramophone records (grooves on the flat side of a disk) and magnetic recordings. The earliest method of recording and reproducing sound was on phonograph cylinders. ... It has been suggested that Childrens gramophone records be merged into this article or section. ...

Current way to save oral histories

While reel-to-reel audio tape recordings are still popular, video recordings have become standard. This allows the researcher to take body language and facial expressions (both important means of communication in themselves) into account. A reel-to-reel tape recorder (Sony TC-630), typical of those which were once common audiophile objects. ...

Basic preservation of the collection

The basic preservation rule for oral histories is that the repository must make three copies each of the oral history, of the transcript, and of all accompanying paperwork (summaries and copyright statements).

• One copy will be the original item

• One copy will be the duplicating master

• One copy will be the access (public use) copy

There are a few basic rules for paper (transcript) preservation of your oral history collection:

• Make sure transcriptions are created on acid-free paper.

• Save original transcript, and make copies for public use. Do not loan out original.

• Store paper copies of transcriptions in archival-quality, acid free boxes.

There are a few basic rules for magnetic recording preservation of your oral history collection: Acid-free paper is paper that has a neutral or basic pH (7 or greater), although paper having a pH between 6 and 7 is often also considered acid-free. ... Magnetic storage is a term from engineering referring to the storage of data on a magnetised medium. ...

• Save the original tape as well as the transcript of the interview

• Make an audio copy for public use, do not allow your original to be used

• Store your tapes away from magnetic fields

• Discourage users from fast forwarding and rewinding the audio tapes, this adds unnecessary wear and tear

• Remember that master copies must be played every once and a while to ensure they are still viable

• Keep your tapes in an environment that will maintain a temperature between 50-70 degrees fahrenheit. The environment must also maintain a humidity level between 40-50% relative humidity (RH).

There are many different digital preservation strategies out there, but no one strategy has been agreed upon as appropriate for all data types or institutions. For information on proposed digital preservation strategies, check out the Cornell tutorial on digital preservation management: Cornell Digital Preservation It has been suggested that Digital obsolescence be merged into this article or section. ...

Bibliography

• Baranowski, Richard, and Teresa Calderone. "Reconnecting the Past through Oral History." Public Libraries 43.2 (2004): 109-12.

• Bulger, Peggy. "Preserving the Past Through America's Voices: Oral History at the American Folklife Center." Library of Congress Information Bulletin 64.6/7/8 (2006): 140-1, 153.

• Gregg, Alison. "Planning and managing an oral history collection." Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services 13.4 (2000): 173-9.

• Hall, Wendy. "Oral history fast forward: from audiocassette to digital archive." Colorado Libraries 26.4 (2000): 9-10.

• Pinnell-Stephens, June. "Saving the Stories: Alaska libraries rescue two Native oral history resources." American Libraries 36.11 (2005): 46-7.

External links

Oral History Society

Digital Australia: Preserving Oral History Recordings

Oral History at MIT

National Film and Sound Archives

Preserving my Heritage: Sound Recordings