After the Interview
Preserving for Posterity
People who are new to the oral history are surprised to find that at least a third of the process takes place after the interview. For others to be able to access and use the interview, you still have work to do!
- Write Interview Notes: Because you were present for the interview, things that you hear on the tape will make more sense to you than they would for other listeners. For this reason, it is important for you to write notes that provide listeners with contextual and background information. Memories fade very quickly, so write up your notes as soon as you can after the interview. If you are unsure about what to write in your notes, use the following questions as prompts:
- What was the setting in which the interview took place? Provide listeners with a visual description so that they can imagine the surroundings and tone of the interview.
- Was there anything that might have adversely or positively influenced the interview? If the interviewee was recovering from a cold, that might affect the sound of the person's voice or the energy the person could devote to the conversation. Conversely, if the interviewee had just received good news that is directly related to the interview topic, that certainly would also influence the session.
- What happened during the interview that might not be recorded on the tape? Were there interruptions? Did the interviewee make references to photos or other items in the room?
- What thoughts and observations do you have about the interview experience and the topics discussed? If all goes well, the focus of the recorded interview will be on the interviewee. Interview notes provide an opportunity for you to share your thoughts with future readers.
- Organize and Label The Recordings and Other Interview-Related Materials: Make sure that all your interview materials are clearly labeled and well organized. Labels should include the date, place, interviewee name, and interviewer name. If there is more than one tape associated with the interview, indicate the number of each in relationship to the total number (e.g., tape 1 of 3). If your interview includes images, print copies and provide annotations according to file name in addition to including a digital copy of the images in your collection. Complete the labeling as soon as possible after the interview, before you have time to forget the details.
- Send a Thank You Note: Within two days after the interview, write or email a thank you letter to your interviewee. In the thank you message, indicate that you will be sending a transcript of the interview for review.
- Transcribe The Interview: Transcription is an essential step in the oral history process because it allows readers to search and scan the full text of an interview. It is important to share the transcription with your interviewee so that errors can be corrected before the interview materials are archived. Before you begin, read Transcribing SLA Interviews: Guidelines and Frequent Questions and the Library of Congress Veterans History Project web page on Indexing and Transcribing Your Interviews.
Note: Be forewarned that the transcription process is time consuming. It can take 4-6 hours to transcribe a one hour interview. If you have the financial resources to pay for a professional transcription service, that is a viable option. Send a copy of the recording to the service, not your original, just in case the file or tape becomes lost in transmission.
Professional transcriptionists are very skilled at deciphering recordings, but there is no substitute for having been present at the time of recording. When you get the transcription back fron the transcriber, be sure to compare the text with the actual recording so that you can correct gaps or errors before you share the transcript with your interviewee.
- Send A Copy of the Transcription to the Interviewee and Solicit Feedback: When you are done with your transcription, send a copy to the interviewee. Be clear, up front, about the types of feedback that you wish to receive. The spoken word is different from the written word, and some interviewees may want to make editorial changes. The goal is to only correct errors in the transcription, such as name misspellings and incorrect words, not to rewrite the interview. It is important for the transcription to be a faithful rendering of the recording; if the two differ, the transcription will be of limited use to researchers who scan transcriptions to decide what portions of a recording to play.
Send Your Interview Materials to the SLA: Send the unedited interview recordings, related materials, and transcription/notes in digital format to the address below, including printed copies of the signed release forms. You are welcome to keep copies of the interview materials, but we request that you send the originals for archiving purposes.
Carolyn Sosnowski
Information Center and E-Learning Manager
Special Libraries Association
331 South Patrick Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3501 USA
Telephone: +1.703.647.4900
Please remember to also send the material to the division, chapter, or caucus archives.
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