Introduction to Oral History, online
This online session provides insight into what oral history is, how it can be used and what the benefits of collecting personal stories are for archives and collections. Learn how to prepare for interviews, including how best to write a discussion guide, as well as the etiquette of conducting oral history interviews. Guidance on preparing participation and recording agreements will be provided, along with discussions on how to address any challenges you may encounter during the interview process. The session will end with tips on writing summaries and transcripts, and what you need to consider when adding audio recordings to your collection.
The session is led by Jen Kavanagh, a freelance oral historian and curator. Jen has conducted hundreds of oral history interviews and trained dozens of organisations. Her work includes interviewing 40 people who worked on the building of the Elizabeth Line for London Transport Museum, tattoo artists for London Museum, former telephone exchange operators at the Science Museum, and people with lived experience of disability for Kingston Centre for Independent Living. More information about her work can be found on her website.
Places are limited to 2 per organisation.