Library and Information Science Commons^™

Talking The Talk: Public Library Oral History Projects On The Web, Georgia Westbrook

School of Information Studies - Post-doc and Student Scholarship

This research-in-progress poster considers how oral history projects are, or are not, presented on the websites of public libraries who host them, and attendant issues related to accessibility, privacy, ethics, and community engagement. A study of 38 public library websites revealed several trends, and some surprising non-trends, in the presentation of oral history programs. This poster draws on those patterns to explore three critical questions:

• What are some best practices for sharing oral histories online?
• What are the ethical considerations of sharing oral histories online?
• What accessibility issues exist related to oral histories online and what are public libraries doing …