The North Carolina Libraries Centennial Oral History Project

Abstract

Libraries and librarians have been among the chief promoters and supporters of oral history programs. Not only have they collected, preserved, and made accessible the taped interviews conducted by microphone-toting historians, but, in a great many cases, libraries and librarians actually have been the sponsors of oral history projects and programs.  In some notable instances, it has been the librarian wielding the microphone. Over the years, libraries have teamed oral history with everything from bookmobile service to children’s programming, classroom projects, and local history and genealogy activities.