Family Oral History Using Digital Tools

How it began: my 99-year old grandpa.
Why doing oral history makes me glad.
News/blog archive highlights: Interviewing, Audio equipment, Oral History Projects.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

My (our) StoryCorps Adventure

Last Saturday I finally did what I’d wanted to do for two years — experience what it’s like to conduct a StoryCorps in-booth interview. I wanted to sit in one of those cool AirStream trailers, complete with the facilitator and the two microphones, sit across from someone whose stories I want to hear, and leave with one of the two audio CDs that are created during that time (the other CD goes to the Library of Congress).

Mix one part logistics (or how to find the StoryCorps booth and why you should arrive extra-extra early) with one part Los Angeles Parks department malaise, with another part tech geekery, with two parts interviews, and another part Olvera Street visit (first time in 50 years!), and a ton of pictures, and you’ve got our day.

Alternate titles for this story could be: “The Kitchens Family’s Excellent Adventure,” or “The Out of Towners,” or “No country Recreation Department building for old men…or young boys.” More

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