Catching Stories Oral History Institute

The Ohio Humanities Council has opened registration for its 2014 Oral History Institute, which will take place June 3-5 at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.  The program trains participants in planning and conducting successful oral history projects.  Volunteers or staff from local history organizations, libraries, schools, and colleges are encouraged to apply.  We have also accepted participants from a variety of other backgrounds; including those working in corporate history, park services, medicine/research, and tourism.

Emphasizing hands-on experience, topics covered in the three-day schedule include interviewing techniques, transcribing and archiving, and devising public programs based on oral history. To develop these skills, participants will work on a practice project that encompasses all stages of oral history.  Additional sessions cover using technology in oral history, fundraising, and civic tourism. 

The Institute faculty includes professors of History, Sociology, Archiving, and Journalism, each representing extensive experience conducting oral history projects.  The Institute schedule provides ample time for students to consult with these experts.

Deadline to apply is April 28, 2014.

The Oral History Institute is co-sponsored by the Ohio Humanities Council and The Rural Life Center at Kenyon College.  The Ohio Humanities Council is the state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities – helping Ohioans tell the human story.