Introduction to Oral History (Online: morning)
This self-contained course, organised jointly by the National Life Stories at the British Library and the Oral History Society, aims to be an informal and practical introduction to oral history interviewing.
The training includes the opportunity discuss some of the issues around oral history, life stories and memory. You will also learn about recording equipment and how to document oral history recordings.
Each course is led by one of the BL/OHS-accredited trainers. Places are limited to 10 per online course and 12 per in-person course, and demand exceeds available places so please apply early. No previous experience of oral history is required.
Please note:
- There will be no refunds for cancelled places.
- Due to high demand and in order to ensure that each course has attendees with a variety of interests and backgrounds, a maximum of two people from any one institution may book to attend each course.
- There are two methods of payment. You can pay online via PayPal, debit or credit card or you can make an offline payment where an invoice will be sent to your organisation. Please select the appropriate option in the booking form.
- If you choose to pay by invoice please note that payments for training courses will be made to National Life Stories (NLS), and the invoice will be sent by email from NLS within a week of your booking. Contact the Training Coordinator if you require further details for your purchase order number.
- In booking this training course you agree to follow the OHS Code of Conduct.
Please contact the Training Coordinator if you would like to be notified of future dates.
Course schedule
This online training course is delivered over Zoom video call. The course takes place over two consecutive morning sessions: 9.30am – 1.15pm. The programme for the course is as follows (please note this is a sample structure and may differ on the day).
Timezone: London, UK.
Hourly Schedule
Day 1
- 09:30 - 10:00
- Welcome and introductions
- 10:00 - 11:00
- What is Oral History?
- Understanding memory
- 11:00 - 11:15
- Break
- 11:15 - 12:30
- Getting started
- Aims and objectives, who to interview, question approaches, setting up the interview, interview skills
- 12:30 - 12:35
- Short break
- 12:35 - 13:15
- Getting started (continued)
Day 2
- 09:30 - 09:50
- Getting started (continued)
- 09:50 - 11:00
- Documentation
- Summarising, transcription, copyright, archiving
- 11:00 - 11:15
- Break
- 11:15 - 12:00
- An introduction to choosing your recording equipment
- 12:00 - 12:05
- Short break
- 12:05 - 13:00
- Practice interview and evaluation
- 13:00 - 13:15
- Review of the day, Q&A and feedback
- 02 - 03 Nov 2026
- 9:30 am - 1:15 pm
- Zoom call Time zone: London, United Kingdom GB
Organizer
-
Camille Johnston
-
Email
[email protected] Oral History Training Administrator
Speaker
-
Alison ChandBL/OHS Trainer; OHS Regional AdviserI’m a regional adviser for Scotland for the OHS and a BL/OHS accredited oral history trainer. In addition, I deliver training for the Scottish Oral History Centre at the University of Strathclyde, where I am a research associate and teach on various undergraduate and postgraduate history modules, including the ‘Oral History Theory and Practice’ and ‘Work and Community Placement in Oral History’ modules. I am also a part-time lecturer with the Centre for History at the University of the Highlands and Islands and undertake freelance work as an oral historian, proofreader and copy-editor. I actively undertake oral history research, and am currently working on a BA/Leverhulme-funded project entitled ‘Rainbows in the Windows: An Oral History of Young Families in Britain in the COVID-19 Pandemic’. Please do get in touch if you are in Scotland and would like any advice on oral history.
