Remote Oral History Interviews

SOHA received this list of Remote Oral History Tips from the Oral History Association Archives Interest Group. We hope we can share information with our members on best practices during these challenging times. We will continue to update this webpage with more resources as they are provided to us.

Remote Oral History Tips:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19usx30S-F4k5WVbkOwDdyEysrAr2h6xQlmG0K8n7-yQ/edit?usp=sharing

Remote Interviewing_information and resources : a Google Doc where we can begin listing existing projects, experiences, and other links

Webinar: Oral History at a Distance: Conducting Remote Interviews

Sponsored by Baylor University’s Institute for Oral History and the Oral History Association

Tuesday, March 31, 1pm to 3pm CDT
Followed by an extended Q&A session

This webinar is free for the public, and requires no pre-registration. A recording of the webinar will be posted on the OHA website.

This timely webinar will address the dynamics of conducting remote oral history interviews. It will begin with an analysis of the pros and cons of conducting distance oral history interviews. Stephen Sloan will then address aspects of interviewing in a distance environment, breaking down the interviewer and narrator experience in these exchanges, and offer direction on best approaches for interviewing at a distance. In recording remote interviews, Steven Sielaff will cover best practices for recording archival-quality oral history interviews, then discuss in depth the tools and techniques available to enable the user to follow best practices in a remote setting. Physical equipment and software used for landline, cellular, and web-based video conferencing recording solutions will be discussed. Adrienne Cain will cover the legal and ethical considerations and implications of oral histories conducted via distance interviewing. The information included in this section abides by OHA’s Principles and Best Practices, John Neuenschwander’s Oral History and the Law, as well as other resources applicable to distance interviewing.

Facilitators:

Adrienne Cain
Steven Sielaff
Stephen Sloan

The recording and visual presentation will be made available here: https://www.oralhistory.org/2020/03/26/webinar-oral-history-at-a-distance-conducting-remote-interviews/ 

Visit www.baylor.edu/toha/technology for additional resources.

Check out https://networks.h-net.org/h-oralhist.

SOHA 2020

Dear SOHA Members and Friends:

We are sending this message with some updates and reminders. Please cancel your Embassy Suites Las Vegas hotel reservations under the SOHA 2020 group rate at this time if you have not already done so. We have tentatively postponed the SOHA 2020 conference to September 11-13, 2020, but we must wait to see how developments with COVID-19 unfold before confirming and finalizing hotel negotiations. We plan on gathering at UNLV Lied Library when conditions improve. 

We ask and encourage folks who have already registered for SOHA 2020 to agree to applying their registration for the postponed conference. We request that SOHA 2020 registrants not ask for refunds due to our nonprofit status and financial hit and struggle from these unprecedented events. If you cannot attend the postponed SOHA 2020 conference, please consider donating the paid registration amount to SOHA. Otherwise, if the registrants are under financial strain and have special circumstances, please contact the SOHA office at soha@unlv.edu and we will work with individuals on a case-by-case basis. Thank you for your patience and understanding in these matters.

We wish you all well and please take care during these times. Thank you for being a part of our SOHA family and supporting one another.

With Warmest Regards,

SOHA 2020 Planning Committees

SOHA Program Co-Chairs, Farina King and Ryan Morini

SOHA President, Jennifer Keil

Conference Postponed

IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND ANNOUNCEMENT: SOHA 2020 ANNUAL CONFERENCE HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 2020

Dear SOHA members and conference participants:

We appreciate everyone’s diligent effort and support for the Southwest Oral History Association (SOHA) 2020 Annual Conference. As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and health issues develop, travel bans and freezes on travel funding are affecting and prohibiting our members and conference participants from attending. Our registration and hotel room group rate reservations reflect these pressing circumstances. After having conducted several meetings and voting consensus, SOHA board members and conference organizers have decided to postpone the SOHA 2020 conference from March 27-29, 2020 to September 2020. We had considered offering an online conference, but this isn’t the tradition of our organization.

We will follow up and communicate with conference participants and registrants to move forward on postponing the conference. Individuals who have already registered for the SOHA 2020 conference will have their registration applied to the new dates of the conference in September 2020. For those who already reserved their hotel room at the Embassy Suites in Las Vegas under the SOHA group rate, we will work with the hotel to change the reservation dates to the time of the rescheduled conference. Individuals may also cancel their hotel reservations usually within 72 hours of the check-in date to avoid charge.

If individuals cannot attend the conference in September 2020, please contact and communicate directly with the SOHA office. You can contact the SOHA office regarding any questions and concerns at soha@unlv.edu or at 702-895-5011. As we work through the postponement of the conference, more details and announcements will be communicated as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding, patience, and attention. It is with heavy heart that we must face these choices, but we are so grateful for each of you and our SOHA family. We care for each of you and wish you all to be well and stay well during these difficult times. We hope to see you all at SOHA 2020 conference in September.

SOHA 2020 Postponement Letter PDF

More information will be posted on our website, southwestoralhistory.org.

#SOHA2020 – COVID-19

Please read and share the PDF version.

Dear SOHA Community,

We are preparing for the #SOHA2020 conference at our institutional home at UNLV on March 27-29, 2020. We have amazing committees who have met regularly to create a program, select award recipients, and provide local arrangements for you to enjoy. Our board of directors and conference committees are following UNLV administrative guidelines as our host campus in regard to gathering during the COVID-19. The campus is posting updates on its news site to maintain safety. We encourage you to follow the UNLV Wellness Center reports and Travelers’ Health recommendations. At this time, we are planning on meeting in person based on current recommendations. If we are advised not to meet in person, we will notify you promptly and provide an alternative method to meet virtually as some professional organizations do regularly. 

As we are looking forward to seeing you all soon, we hope that you remain vigilant. We ask that you follow the CDC guidelines and recommendations. Please limit physical contact with attendees and find alternative methods of handshaking. We respect people’s method to maintain healthy conditions. Find latest information at the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and DC Health. Please contact our office if you have specific questions at soha@unlv.edu.

Thank you for your continued support and participation in our annual meeting. Please do proceed with online registration and book your stay at the Embassy Suites Hotel Las Vegas using our group rate until the end of this week. Our leadership has invited leading scholars as our keynote and plenary speakers which include oral historian, teacher, writer, and performance artist J. Patrick Johnson and Alexander Aviña, ASU Associate Professor. We have planned workshops, receptions, sessions, and a new student lighting round to highlight your incredible work. Our goal is to support the UNLV community and are offering these students a discounted conference rate. We look forward to presenting awards to acknowledge your commitments to the field of oral history.

We trust you will have safe travel to UNLV and look forward to seeing you all soon!

Best,

Jennifer L. Keil, SOHA 2019-21 President

2020 Conference Planning Committees

Southwest Oral History Association Office

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

4505 S. Maryland Parkway Box 455020

Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-5020
702-895-5011 | soha@unlv.edu

southwestoralhistory.org | News Blog

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#SOHA2020

We are excited to announce an incredible conference program! We look forward to seeing you all at Welcome Reception on March 27, 2020 from 4:30-6:30pm at UNLV Lied Library in the Goldfield.

Please see the PDF #SOHA2020 draft program and share it with your communities.

We hope you register for our conference online and renew your membership. Please do so here: https://squareup.com/store/southwest-oral-history-association.

Consider staying at the Embassy Suites with our group rate available until the end of this week. Please use this code link: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsecure3.hilton.com%2Fen_US%2Fes%2Freservation%2Fbook.htm%3FinputModule%3DHOTEL%26ctyhocn%3DLASESES%26spec_plan%3DCESSOH%26arrival%3D20200327%26departure%3D20200329%26cid%3DOM%2CWW%2CHILTONLINK%2CEN%2CDirectLink%26fromId%3DHILTONLINKDIRECT&data=02%7C01%7CJUSTIN.KRAMER%40hilton.com%7Cd587a0b45ee24c03e0ee08d7a5d34fb8%7C660292d2cfd54a3db7a7e8f7ee458a0a%7C0%7C0%7C637160199301730567&sdata=7QfnxIvIJd8RbpHC3QjcRwtg2TJ8M9G1CDE3UKLb6k0%3D&reserved=0

#SOHA2020 at UNLV

Postcard from UNLV Special Collections

Join #SOHA2020 at UNLV from March 27-29, 2020 for our annual conference. The conference features a keynote address from Alexander Aviña, ASU Associate Professor on Friday, March 27 and plenary session with oral historian, teacher, writer, and performance artist J. Patrick Johnson on Saturday, March 28. We offer workshops, a documary screening, roundtables, diverse panels, a student lighting round, and a welcome and student reception. You don’t want to miss out on this annual meeting. Register here: https://squareup.com/store/southwest-oral-history-association

See our Local Arrangements guide for places to dine and visit during your stay.

We recommend that you stay at the
Embassy Suites by Hilton Las Vegas
4315 University Center Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada, 89119
USATEL: +1-702-795-2800

We are offering a group rate here:

Booking Link: https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/es/reservation/book.htm?inputModule=HOTEL&ctyhocn=LASESES&spec_plan=CESSOH&arrival=20200327&departure=20200329&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

Student Lightning Round

Share the SOHA 2020 Lightning Round PDF with your community! Visit southwestoralhistoryassociation.org for more information.

Family History: Combining Oral History and Homeland Context

Using examples to illustrate
• the unique role of oral history in family history
• the process including discovering genealogy, interviewing
with family dynamics, integrating the many interviews
across generations with historical and community sources

SOHA 2020 Family History Workshop
Family History: Combining Oral History and Homeland Context
Sign up to reserve a space: Friday, March 27, 9 am-noon, Lied Library, UNLV
Presenters: Mary Contini Gordon, Ed.D. and Farina King, Ph.D.
• oral history in different types of family contexts
• many related interactive workshops between them
• examples from their experiences across different kinds of
families and communities
Multicultural, Multigenerational
Southwest Families Native American Family History
Register via https://squareup.com/store/southwest-oral-history-association/

Family History Workshop, Las Vegas 3–27-20

SOHA Winter 2019-20 Newsletter

Happy Holidays! Thank you to our generous SOHA members and donors! We hope you enjoy our SOHA Winter 2019-20 Newsletter.

SOHA’s Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2020, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Follow #SOHA2020 conference & news updates on social media with @SWoralhistory! You can register today to ensure your early bird rate.

Please see bit.ly/2020panels for sample submissions and to organize a panel. Call for Proposals is due January 6th, 2020.

We appreciate the support of individual new members, renewing members, and donors, especially the Ak-Chin Indian Community and the HL Boyer Charitable Foundation. Your contributions make our oral history education and outreach possible!

Please consider making your year-end donation via our website, southwestoralhistory.org.

SOHA is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and donations are very much appreciated. Such donations are tax deductible in accordance with IRS Tax Code Section 170(c).