1. Establishing a Digital Oral History Program Karen Kruse Thomas, Ph.D. Associate Director Reichelt Oral History Program

2. I. The ROHP experience with digital oral history

3. Why go digital? Preservation Access Versatile editing Publishing/multimedia Fosters collaborative relationships

4. Assessing needs Target audience –researchers, educators, students, community outreach, general public Current and projected resources –staff, equipment, space

5. Major ROHP needs Repository relationship –Preserve and catalog existing and future interview collections Increase access to collections –Searchable finding aid, transcripts, and audio excerpts available via Internet

6. Launching a pilot project Medical education at FSU –In 2000, FSU founded 1 st new U.S. medical school in 30 years –Significance to university, state, and nation –Generate initial interviewee list, 30 interviews –Foundational/demonstration interviews

7. Grant funding FL Office of Cultural & Historical Programs –Fostered new collaborations on and off campus –Learned granting process –Unsuccessful on first try

8. Grant funding FL Office of Cultural & Historical Programs –Florida Medical Association will feature interviews in its Florida Museum of Medicine and Public Health in Jacksonville, now in development. –Raised profile of ROHP on and off campus

9. Grant funding State Library and Archives (LSTA grant) –Digital preservation agreement with FCLA –FSU provided 40 interviews for Florida Electronic Library oral history pilot group

10. II. Oral History How-tos

11. Equipment selection Marantz PMD 660 and 670 Good omnidirectional microphone

12. Sound quality 1.Recorder (preamp is important) 2.Digital CD-quality audio: 44.1 KHz, 16-bit sample rate 3.Recording Media (type of tape, CF card) 4.Microphone (condenser/dynamic, omni/cardioid, etc.) and cabling 5.Power supply 6.Environment

13. Sound quality examples 1.Analog tape recorded on Sanyo dictaphone/transcriber with Radio Shack microphone 2.Marantz PMD 670 with internal microphone, low bitrate, MP3 file format 3.Marantz PMD 670 with internal microphone, CD- quality audio in.wav file format 4.Marantz PMD 670 with quality microphone and CD- quality audio in.wav file format

14. Interviewing Techniques Do background research Prepare list of questions but be flexible Establish rapport with interviewee Demonstrate equipment, explain structure of interview Assure interviewee that they are controlling the interview (“60 Minutes” caveat)

15. Interviewing Techniques Practice and get familiar with your equipment before using it in the field! Minimize environmental noise –Turn off radios, computers, cell and telephones, heat/air fans –Close doors, ensure no interruptions Sound check –Microphone placement, recording levels –Analog tape as back-up –Monitor with earbud phone

16. Interviewing Techniques Begin with easy, non-threatening questions Use short, open-ended questions May use documents and photos as catalyst for memory

17. Interviewing Techniques Guide but do not dominate interview (two- way process) Guard against inserting too much of yourself Ask follow-up questions

18. Types of questions Biographical Big picture (e.g. where were you when?) Tell me the story of... Do you remember when you first met... What was your role in...

19. After the Interview Next steps –Receive transcript, review for accuracy, sign release form, will receive/can request copy of transcript and/or recording Rights of interviewee –Can refuse to release or restrict access Potential uses of interview –Research, publications, websites Send written thank-you

20. Responsibilities of Interviewers Respect/sensitivity to identity, beliefs and perspective of interviewee Professionalism and technical competency (best possible recording) Protect interview against misuse

21. Legal Issues Release forms Defamation/sensitive issues Maintain sealed interviews Copyright