Usage

Further Information on Oral History Usage

• Any oral history interview can be listened to in our Reading Room at any time, provided there are no restrictions placed on the recording. For more on this, see Access Page. All interviews are now digitized, and most have CD copies. There should be little or no wait time for interested patrons. They are welcome to take notes as they listen to the recording. (See below for citation information.)

• Oral histories without releases can only be listened to in our Reading Room. No physical duplication can be provided to researchers.

• The only exception is family members. Upon completing a duplication form and specifying the familial relationship to the interviewee, an Audio CD copy can purchased. There is no limit on the number of discs requested.

• When non-family members request oral histories with releases (especially the case for museums or libraries outside of the Texas Tech system), we typically ask if a transcript would suffice. A/V Department staff then ensures a transcript is put on dspace in a timely manner so that any interested parties can have access.

• Further, if non-family members are adamant about purchasing a copy of an interview that does not have a release, we encourage them to seek out next of kin if they are at all familiar with the family. The interested researcher can provide us with an address, and we send out next-of-kin release form paperwork. We then traditionally add the interview to our transcription queue and put the transcript on dspace.

• If a non-family member is working on behalf of a family (i.e. genealogist, researcher, counselor, etc.), they may contact the SWC/SCL for more information on an interview, but the family member must contact Reference Staff directly and fill out appropriate paperwork for duplication requests to be fulfilled.

• Full interviews and/or transcripts may not be posted on non-SWC/SCL affiliated websites. Any outside usage of interviews with signed releases is on a case-by-case basis to be determined by SWC Associate Dean and AV Unit Manager.

• Signed releases may contain further restrictions not notated online. Any request for materials goes through the SWC/SCL reference department and the A/V Unit Manager to assess interview's release status. Even interviews with signed releases may not be able to be duplicated due to release restrictions or may require further permissions prior to usage.

Further Citation Stipulations

• Interviews with releases may have quoted passages without any further stipulation. Interviews without releases may be used in quotes of no longer than five sentences. (Multiple quotes can be used within a work, but entire transcripts cannot be published without permission from SWC/SCL Associate Dean and AV Unit Manager).

• Transcripts will state the release status of the interview. But if it is not apparent, researchers should check with Reference Staff, as most interviews prior to 1990 lack a release.

• Abstracts or any other ancillary material should not be cited directly. They are to be used for reference only; researchers should cite the recording instead.

• See also Citing Page for citation formats.