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Oral History Research and Resources

This guide provides resources on doing oral history research, locating oral histories in the UCSC Library and other libraries and institutions on the Central Coast of California and beyond, and oral history as a field.

What is Oral History?

Oral history is a method of conducting historical research through recorded interviews between a narrator with personal experience of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of adding to the historical record. Because it is a primary source, an oral history is not intended to present a final, verified, or "objective" narrative of events, or a comprehensive history of a place, such as the UCSC campus. It is a spoken account, reflects personal opinion offered by the narrator, and as such it is subjective. Oral histories may be used together with other primary sources as well as secondary sources to gain understanding and insight into history.

Principles and Best Practices

Organizations

Journals

Oral History Research Guide

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Regional History
Contact:
McHenry Library, Special Collections and Archives

831-459-2547
Website
Subjects: Oral History

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