This article explains how to conduct an oral history interview and features links to helpful online resources, as well as connecting readers to the Oral History and Podcasting Kit, opens a new window, part of CRRL's popular Tech on the Go, opens a new window collection.
How do we preserve the experiences and memories from a person’s distinct life, giving them a chance to tell their own story? One of the best ways of doing this is through an oral history interview. An oral history interview is a formal, recorded talk with another person about events they lived through and their perspectives and memories. These interviews preserve a firsthand understanding of past events and allow for a broader perspective on history by recording marginalized voices, while building community and personal connections.
For decades, your library has conducted oral history interviews,, opens a new window both in cooperation with local historical organizations and through the CRRL Presents, opens a new window video series. Both can be great examples to study while you prepare to conduct your own interviews.
Tips for Conducting an Interview
There are several steps that will help ensure that your interview is successful.
Pre-Interview Planning
- Schedule your interview with your interviewee’s needs in mind. Choose the time, place, and format they are most comfortable with.
- Organize and test all your equipment in advance of the interview.
- Gather all supplies (journals, pictures, etc.) and use them to help plan out the interview.
Interview Format
- Plan breaks during the interview so the interviewee will be comfortable.
- Begin with easy questions (example: “Where were you born?”) to ease the interviewee into the conversation.
- Start with relatively broad questions that lead into more focused questions.
- Use open-ended questions (examples: “How was...?” “Where was...?”) vs leading ones (“Didn’t you...?” “Wasn’t it...?”)
Details and Structure
- Have a format planned out, but let the interviewee’s memories and focus guide the conversation.
- Clarify any information that a listener might not understand by repeating back the material and adding missing context
- Take note of information you may want to revisit later in the interview, especially if the interviewee says something unexpected.
- Cover all important genealogical information (relatives, spouses, etc.). Include names of both living and deceased.
Mindset and Focus
- Steady your mind. Any issue that may cause the interview to go awry (tech problem, forgetfulness, fatigue) can be dealt with by trying the interview again later.
- Enjoy the conversation as much as possible, and feel free to laugh and occasionally go to unexpected places during it.
- In the last 10-15 minutes of the interview, go back over anything you may have taken note of earlier. Also ask the interviewee a reflective question i.e. “What advice do you have for me?” “How do you feel about your achievements?”
Guides to Interviewing
Several websites provide guidance on how to conduct a well-planned oral history interview. The nonprofit StoryCorps®, opens a new window has guides to conducting a successful interview, including questions, opens a new window to ask and tips, opens a new window for how to hold conversations. The Smithsonian Institution, opens a new window has a detailed guide with step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for an interview, methods for asking questions, and questions you may ask. Other helpful guides to oral history interviews can be found at Baylor University, opens a new window, the Oral History Association, opens a new window, the Society for American Archivists, opens a new window, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, opens a new window.
Local Resources for Oral History
With the advent of Fredericksburg 250, opens a new window, many local institutions have become interested in or renewed their interest in oral history and are providing either resources for the task or ways to submit oral history interviews.
CRRL offers a wide range of Tech on the Go, opens a new window resources to borrow, including an Oral History and Podcasting Kit, opens a new window. With this kit, you can record an interview at any location you like. When you reserve the kit, it will be available to you for 7 days, with the option to renew it for another 7 if no one else is waiting. You can only have 14 days maximum with the kit once you’ve chosen a start date in the reservation form, so consider discussing the interview date with your interviewee before making the reservation.
After you’ve completed an oral history interview using our kit or your own equipment, you can submit the interview to one of several organizations. The Fredericksburg Area Museum, opens a new window has an Oral History page, opens a new window that allows for submission of interview audio files and a form for you to arrange a meeting with their curator, if necessary.
StoryCorps®, opens a new window is a nonprofit that collects audio interviews and provides access to them via the internet and the Library of Congress., opens a new window Through the Participate, opens a new window page, you can look at StoryCorps’ current projects and read over a guide to recording a StoryCorps interview.
Since 2000, the Library of Congress (LOC) has sought new interviews for its Veterans History Project, opens a new window. You can search their interview collection online and learn how to produce an oral history interview for the project using the LOC’s instructions, opens a new window.
Oral History Interviews: A Rewarding Challenge
The keys to a successful oral history interview lie in preparation and understanding. You’ll have to coordinate a time and place with your interviewee, make them feel at ease, and focus on the task at hand, remembering what you want to cover during the time allotted. In exchange for all your preparation and work, you can preserve the memories and knowledge of a lifetime for generations to come.
