Oral History Mid-Atlantic Region

in Collaboration with
Library of Congress
Veterans Oral History Project
presents a

Workshop Day

Friday, October 22, 2004

For more information email OHMAR at OHMAROHA@yahoo.com

Schedule

8:30 a.m.                                  Library of Congress opens to the public

8:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.                Registration and continental breakfast, Room LJ119, Thomas Jefferson Building

9:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m.               Morning workshops (pre-registration required for sequences A, B, or C)

12:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.              Lunch: Room LJ119, Thomas Jefferson Building (Lunch provided with registration)

1:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.                Afternoon workshops (pre-registration required for sequences A, B, or C)

Sequence A

9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.    An Introduction to Oral History

Presenter: Laura Kamoie (American University)

This workshop will cover the basics of oral history, offering step-by-step how-to instruction.  Topics will include planning and coordinating a project, effective interview techniques, equipment needs, legal and ethical concerns, and processing strategies.  The format will be interactive and will include discussions about oral history methodology.

 1:45 - 4:45 p.m.           Doing Videohistory

Presenters: Brien Williams (American Red Cross), Jan K. Herman (Navy Bureau of Medicine)

This half-day session will contrast audio and video recording techniques and values.  It will provide advice on setting up and conducting video interviews.  It will cover archiving and other post-production issues, including use of recordings in edited programs.  The presenters will show and discuss examples from their own works.  As time and availability of equipment permit, hands-on exercises will be included.

Sequence B

9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m     Copyright and Oral History

Presenters: Erica Crago, Peter Vankevich (U.S. Copyright Office)

Ms. Crago and Mr. Vankevich of the U.S. Copyright Office will present an overview of copyright law and procedures. The presentation will lay out the office’s mission, responsibility, history and organization. The speakers will present copyright law fundamentals – including registration and recordable procedures – and issues of specific interest to oral historians, including fact-gathering, the expression/ideas dichotomy, work-for-hire relationships, transfers of interests, and fair use.

1:45 - 4:45 p.m.           Doing Videohistory (Optional)

Presenters: Brien Williams (American Red Cross), Jan K. Herman (Navy Medical Department)

This half-day session will contrast audio and video recording techniques and values.  It will provide advice on setting up and conducting video interviews.  It will cover archiving and other post-production issues, including use of recordings in edited programs.  The presenters will show and discuss examples from their own works.  As time and availability of equipment permit, hands-on exercises will be included.

Sequence C

9:15 a.m - 4:45 p.m.     Writing Oral History (Limited to 20 participants)

Presenters: Linda Shopes (Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission), Deborah Gershenowitz.(New York University Press)

In this all-day, hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to turn oral history transcripts into material suitable for publication in a book.  Participants are required to read “Preparing Interview Transcripts for Documentary Publication” by Michael Frisch (from his book A Shared Authority: Essays on the Craft and Meaning of Oral and Public History, SUNY Press, 1990).  In addition, by September 15 participants are required to submit to Linda Shopes ( Historian, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Commonwealth Keystone Building -PL, 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0053) 22 copies of 5-10 pages of work in progress, ranging from transcript to polished manuscript, for prior circulation to all registrants.  Please include an address where the workshop materials can be sent.  In the morning session be prepared to discuss what you are working on and why. There will be a presentation by Linda Shopes on transforming interviews into publishable texts. Topics include the importance of historical context, turning one's subject into an historical figure, and writing/thinking as an author, as opposed to an interviewer.  Debbie Gershenowitz's  presentation on the publishing industry will cover choosing a publisher, writing and submitting a book proposal, how publishers assess proposals, and the relationship between editors and authors.  In the afternoon participants will review their own and others' work in light of the morning session and discuss the Michael Frisch reading.  The work will be circulated to participants in advance of the workshop

Directions: Enter the Library of Congress at the Thomas Jefferson Building, 1^st Street and Independence at the 1^st street visitor’s entrance. Allow time to pass through security. Go to LJ 119 to obtain registration materials. The nearest Metro stop is Capitol South (Blue and Orange lines). Parking is very limited so we advise using public transportation.