Co-creating a “usable past” for LGBTQ+ people in the present.
Resources
A collection of guides and literature on strategies, methods, and technologies for doing digital oral histories, gathered from accross the web.
COLLABORATORY GUIDES
OTHER RESOURCES
Collaboratory Guides
TRANS COLLECTIONS GUIDE
Prepared by the LGBTQ Oral History Digital Collaboratory with The ArQuives. The 70-page Trans Collections Guide is designed to assist researchers and community members interested in exploring trans histories at The ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives.
It provides a general overview of relevant materials in The ArQuives’ holdings, including the collections of Canadian artists, activists, and intellectuals like Mirha-Soleil Ross, Rupert Raj, and Anton Wagner. It also includes detailed information about how to request and access these materials. This guide also identifies common challenges that researchers face when exploring trans histories both at The ArQuives and more generally in collections predominately focused on gay and lesbian histories.
RUPERT RAJ FONDS FINDING AID
Between 2013-2015 Elspeth Brown organized the papers of trans activist Rupert Raj, held at what was then called the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, and created a detailed Finding Aid for these important papers. In the process, she also conducted four oral history interviews with Rupert, and wrote his Wikipedia page.
Rupert is a Polish/Indian/Canadian pansexual trans activist who came out in 1971, and who provided unparalleled support for other trans people between 1971-1990. He founded several trans organizations, including: 1) Foundation for the Advancement of Canadian Transsexuals (FACT); 2) Metamorphosis Medical Research Foundation (MMRF Dec. 1981-May 1988); and 3) Gender Worker (1987, which changed its name in 1989 to Gender Consultants).
He also founded three trans publications: 1) Gender Review: the FACTual Journal (1978-81, Calgary/Toronto); 2) Metamorphosis Newsletter/Metamorphosis Magazine (1982-88, Toronto); and 3) Gender NetWorker (2 issues, Toronto, 1988, directed towards helping professionals and resource providers).
Highlights of this collection include materials relating to the three trans-related publications Raj founded and edited in the 1980s; correspondence with other trans people, medical professionals, and activists; research on phalloplasty and other trans issues; personal scrapbooks and photographs; and AV materials. To access the archival materials, contact The ArQuives or explore their online search portal. However, most materials are not digitized, and researchers will need to make an appointment and view in person.
DIGITIZATION GUIDES
AUDIO TAPE DIGITIZATION GUIDE
This guide provides support for community archives designing digitization technologies and workflow for audio-tapes. Prepared by Cait McKinney and Al-Stanton Hagan.
VHS DIGITIZATION GUIDE
This guide provides support for community archives designing digitization technologies and workflow for video tapes. Prepared by Cait McKinney and Jordon Colosi.
Other Resources
AUDIO PRESERVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) Guide to Audio Preservation
A comprehensive yet practical introduction to caring for and preserving audio collections.
AVPreserve Guide to Developing a Request for Proposal for the Digitization of Audio
A starting point for developing a project-specific, audio preservation RFP.
Indigitization Toolkit
A collection of resources to support and guide digitization projects in Indigenous communities.
Digital Omnium
Information on useful software and technology for conducting, archiving, and preserving oral histories.
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
Selected Bibliography on Oral History
University of California at Santa Cruz. Prepared by Irene Reti.
CASE STUDIES AND METHODS
Bodies of Evidence: The Pracice of Queer Oral History
Nan Alamilla Boyd and Horacio N. Roque Ramirez (Eds.) (2012)
“Who Is the Subject? Queer Theory Meets Oral History”
Nan Alamilla Boyd. Journal of the History of Sexuality 17(2) (2008): 177–189
“Large Scale Digitization of Oral History”
University of Kentucky case study
Oral History in the Digital Age
A special issue of the Oral History Review 40 (1) (2013)
Oral History in the Digital Age
Best Practices Wiki
“Telling Our Truths: Oral History, Social Justice, and Queer Refugees”
Katherine Fobear. Oral History Forum d’histoire orale 34 (2014)
METADATA
The Oral History Metadata Synchronizer System (OHMS)
OHMS: Enhancing Access to Oral History for Free
Doug Boyd. Oral History Review (2013) 40(1): 95–106