Oral History Resources

On this page: General best practices and resources | Ethics | Technical considerations | Interviewing techniques | UTARMS' oral history collections

Oral history is a method of inquiry that documents memories and personal experiences of past events through captured dialogue. It is valuable tool in building nuanced understandings of shared histories in a format that is self-directed by participants. While oral histories are created by a range of different practitioners, archives are often responsible for their long-term preservation, enabling access to the interviews, and providing critical context through a project’s surrounding documentation. For more information on archival considerations for oral history, please see the Oral History Association’s (OHA) Archiving Oral History: Manual of Best Practices. The intimate nature of oral history interviews requires transparency, collaboration, and consideration of the various stages and aspects of a project at the outset. Below are some key resources in developing an oral history project:

General best practices and resources

• OHA Core Principles
• Oral History in the Digital Age's Best Practices Wiki
• UC Santa Cruz's Oral History Bibliography
• University of Florida’s Oral History Tutorial in Eight Steps

Ethics

• Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling (COHDS-CHORN)
• OHA’s Statement on Ethics

Technical considerations

• New York Heritage's Recording Oral Histories - Audio Recording Procedures
• Matrix Center for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Michigan's Tutorial on Audio Techniques
• OHA’s Remote Interviewing Resources
• Baylor University’s Transcription Style Guide

Interviewing techniques

• U.C. Berkeley Oral History Centre’s Oral History Tips

UTARMS holds a number of oral history collections that have been acquired as part of our mandate. These include:

• University of Toronto Library Oral History Programme
• The Hannah Institute of Medicine oral histories
• Women in Medicine and the Biomedical Sciences in Canada Oral History Project
• School of Hygiene oral histories
• UTARMS’ Oral History Collection on Student Activism

We continue to evaluate and accept oral history projects that enrich our understanding of the University of Toronto and its history. If you are considering conducting an oral history project with the intent of donating it to UTARMS, we ask that you contact us at the outset your project. This allows us to assess whether it complements our holdings and fits our collections mandate. Prior to contacting us, please also review the resources provided on this page.