Jules, hi. I'd recommend an easy-to-use digital recorder (the Tascam DR-05) and mini fold-up tripod. I've been using this recorder for our audio memoir business and our Historical Museum for the past 6 years or so, and also sent out volunteers to interview WWII vets and others. It's small, easy to use and captures great audio quality. It costs just under $100. Here's a blog post about using it which has links to technical details and a simple YouTube video about how to use it. I like it because it can just be in a drawer, and if someone visits the museum and starts talking about "the old days," I can say, hold on just a minute and go grab it. In those situations, I don't bother with the tripod, but you just need to keep your hand still while people are talking so you don't get mic noise. https://wordspicturesstories.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/recorder-recommendation-redux/ Good luck! best, --Kathie Kathie Gow Curator, Hatfield Historical Museum hatfieldhistory at weebly Oral History Producer words pictures stories On Thu, Apr 13, 2017 at 6:36 PM, McKnight, Jules < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hello fellow museum professionals! > > I work at the Presidio Officers’ Club museum, which as the name > states, used to be an officers’ club for the army. Every day we have > visitors come in who used to serve in the Presidio when it was a military > base, used to live here, had been to the Officers’ Club in their youth, > etc. and really want to share their story with us. We are wondering if > anyone has a way of capturing these stories in an audio or video style way > that is easy and not too intimidating for the visitor. Or if anyone has > best practices for this process, we’d love to hear that too. We have done > StoryCorps before, but that is a very arranged and indepth process (and > wonderful!), but we want to be able to collect the stories of the everyday > visitor in a recorded manner other than paper. Thanks for any suggestions! > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Jules McKnight > > Cultural Education Specialist > > Presidio Trust > > > > 49 Moraga Avenue, P.O. Box 29052 > San Francisco, CA 94129 > *T *(415) 561-4163 > *C *(415) 589-0771 > www.presidio.gov > Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/presidiosf> | Twitter > <http://www.twitter.com/presidiosf> > > > > Presidio Officers’ Club | El Presidio | Presidio Archaeology Lab > > www.presidio.gov/officers-club | [log in to unmask] > > Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: > http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 > ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).