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Re: Oral history transcripts on the web



Rob,

The plan to put oral history transcripts on the Web, or even quotes from
them, without clearly stated permission to do so, would concern me.
Troublesome though it is, I would suggest an additional release process.
Perhaps you could limit what you put on the Web to selections, thus only
having to return to those selected interviewees?

This issue reminds me of a controversy that is erupting in the
periodicals publishing world. Journal and magazine publishers have been
putting their whole back issues on the Web without updating the
permissions from the authors of articles. The authors are protesting,
even to the point of some lawsuits, for this unauthorized newer, wider
distribution of their work.

It helps to view the interviewees and interviewers in oral history as
authors of the resulting interview. Also, if we start to include
electronic rights in our release forms, eventually that may become an
ordinary and accepted part of release forms as it is in publishing
contracts. Even in publishing contracts, however, a savvy author may
insist on retaining electronic rights.

Good luck, and thanks for brining up an issue very worthy of discussion!
I appreciate this listserv!

Kathy Sturdevant, historian



On Wed, 19 Jul 2000 09:21:20 -0400 Rob Dishon <rdishon@LAGCC.CUNY.EDU>
writes:
> Dear Listers,
>
> This archives has an extensive oral history collection.  We are
> planning on making our transcripts available via our website.  The
> question has arisen as to whether or not our original agreement with
> the subject is suffucient.  In part our agreement states: Subject
> agrees to assign, convey and transfer to the archives all of his/her
> right, title and interest to the Interview and to any recorded tapes
> or written transcriptions made of such interview as of the date of
> the interview, unless otherwise noted..."
>
> Has anyone had a similiar experience or are contemplating similiar
> actions?   My understanding is that there has been a case or two
> where oral history projects were made available via the web and the
> subjects complained about the general availability of the
> transcripts.
>
> Any and all thoughts will be appreciated.
>
> Rob Dishon
> Archivist
> LaGuardia and Wagner Archives
>
>

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