HOW TO CAPTURE AND PRESERVE YOUR OWN ORAL HISTORIES

How to capture oral histories

We recommend you use a digital video camera that records in HD format in order to create a crystal clear recording. 

How to collect oral histories

Start by gathering biographical data and preliminary information about the narrator’s life. Here are some templates you are free to use:

We reccommend you use these as a springboard to create more detailed, personal questions relevant to each narrator.

How to preserve oral histories

Preserving oral histories is unique as they are digital content.

Unlike paper-based documents, for which there is a consensus on preservation practices, digital content is more fragile and challenging.

Step 1 Make copies

The rule of thumb when preserving digital content is that the highest resolution copy is the ‘preservation copy’.

Once you are finished with your recording, start by saving your HD movie file onto an external hard drive as a 1920x1080 HD resolution .MP4 file

Next, make a low-resolution access copy on the external hard drive or uploaded to an unlisted, password protected Web site. This way you can easily share the video.

Then, save another copy on a cloud-based platform (such as iCloud or Google Drive).

Step 2 Make a preservation copy

When you are done making copies, save any digital biographical data onto the same hard drive. Gather any accompanying metadata, and keep it with the external hard drive in a safe place. This is your preservation copy, a high-resolution digital master that you should revisit every few years to make sure it’s still accessible. You should end up with 3 copies: a private access online link, a cloud platform copy, and the preservation copy (large format on external hard drive)