I'd recommend reading DOING ORAL HISTORIES by Donald A. Ritchie for basic
legal guidelines.  Ritchie makes a case for having transparent
communications in policy statements on how the oral histories will be used
as well providing the standard legal release forms.  The book is Twayne Oral
History Series No. 15, ISBN 0-8057-9128-0 for the paperback.


Keep track of your tax dollars at work:  http://www.legis.state.ia.us/

Cynthia D. Nieb

Senior Outreach, Volunteers, & SHSI Grants

600 East Locust Street

Des Moines, Iowa  50319

515-281-8754

FAX:  515-242-6498

e-mail:  [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>

AGE EXCHANGE IS COMING!




-----Original Message-----
From: Lynne Ranieri [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 8:56 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Oral History Legalities


Hello,
    Lisa Mason-Chaney's inquiry about activities for an oral history day
caught my eye because of one comment in particular: " I know about the
legalities of doing oral histories, release forms, etc."
    Our small historical society would like to resurrect a corps of
volunteers to do oral histories and I would like to know more about those
legalities before we begin. I also often include in our newsletter innocuous
excerpts from old oral histories. Every time I type those excerpts, though,
I wonder whether the interviewee gave permission to use the substance of the
interview in any way we choose.
   If any of you can shed some light on what we should be doing before we
start another round of interviews, or if you have release forms that you
could share, could you kindly help us out?
   Many thanks
Lynne Ranieri
Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society
Short Hills NJ
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