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
>
>
>
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