Upcoming Events
Ask An Oral Historian: Year in Review
Virtual
Ask An Oral Historian consultation hours are your chance to dive into the intricacies of oral history and learn alongside fellow storytellers. Whether you’re wrestling with a current project or just curious about the craft, these monthly 60-minute working sessions are your space to grow and ask questions in an intimate, small-group setting.
In December, we’re reflecting on the year in oral history! It’s been a year of learning, challenges, and growth—and this session is your chance to process it all. Together, we’ll look back at the oral history landscape of 2025, discuss what worked (and what didn’t) in your projects, and explore emerging questions and trends that shaped our field. Whether you’re reflecting on a year of practice or just beginning your journey as an oral historian, you’ll walk away with clarity on lessons learned, fresh perspective on current conversations in the field, and momentum to carry into 2026 with renewed intention and confidence.
Ask An Oral Historian: Informed Consent and AI
Virtual
Ask An Oral Historian consultation hours are your chance to dive into the intricacies of oral history and learn alongside fellow storytellers. Whether you’re wrestling with a current project or just curious about the craft, these monthly 60-minute working sessions are your space to grow and ask questions in an intimate, small-group setting.
In January, we’re tackling informed consent in the age of AI! It’s essential, it’s evolving, and it’s what can help narrators make informed choices in a landscape where their stories face new risks. For this session, Fanny García will lead a short conversation with Doug Boyd, a leading authority on oral history and technology who serves as the Director of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History at the University of Kentucky Libraries.
Together, we’ll examine what narrators need to know about AI—from data scraping to voice cloning—and how to build consent processes that address these realities without overwhelming or alarming them. Participants will walk away with practical language for consent forms, strategies for having clear and compassionate conversations about AI with narrators, and the confidence to adapt your consent practices as technology continues to change.
Ask An Oral Historian: Book Publication
Virtual
Ask An Oral Historian consultation hours are your chance to dive into the intricacies of oral history and learn alongside fellow storytellers. Whether you’re wrestling with a current project or just curious about the craft, these monthly 60-minute working sessions are your space to grow and ask questions in an intimate, small-group setting.
In February, we’re tackling book publishing from oral histories! It’s ambitious, it’s achievable, and it’s how your interviews can reach readers far beyond academic circles. For this session, Fanny García will lead a conversation with Đào X. Trần, managing editor at Haymarket Books and a twenty-plus year veteran of bringing compelling manuscripts to life.
Together, we’ll examine what makes literary oral history compelling to readers and publishers, how to craft a strong manuscript and book proposal, and strategies for pitching your project to publishing houses. Participants will walk away with practical tools for transforming oral history into narrative that captivates, clear guidance on what publishers look for in proposals, and the confidence to position your project for success in a competitive market.
