Creating Access to Oral Histories in Academic Libraries

Abstract

Oral histories, a common form of documenting the past, are found in the collections of many academic libraries. As evidenced by a study of Georgia academic libraries conducted in 2007, no standard procedure exists to coordinate access to these materials. Establishing policies and procedures for collecting, acquiring, managing, and providing access to oral histories can greatly enhance their value and usability. Drawing on examples from the program instituted at Columbus State University (CSU), this article outlines a practical strategy that academic libraries, particularly small or medium-sized libraries, can follow as a guideline to ensure that oral histories are made available to the public. This article also raises awareness of the problems inherent in managing access to oral histories and presents some solutions to these problems in an effort to increase standardization among libraries.