Library - Oral History Series

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is the OHS?
Answer: The Columbia College Oral History Series is a collection of oral histories recorded largely through Professor Richard Dyer's Oral History courses in the 1970s and 1980s. In addition, the collection includes a number of recordings from the Tuolumne County Historical Society. See our About the OHS page for more information.

Question: What do the different icons mean?
Answer: Quill icons (

) denote interviews that have been transcribed. Document icons ( quill icon

) indicate interviews with supporting documents, such as a table of contents or photographs.

Question: Can I search the full text of an interview?
Answer: Interviews that have been transcribed are automatically searched full text. For interviews that have not yet been transcribed, your search includes the title of the interview, the names of the interviewee and interviewer, and geographic subject headings or notes that are associated with the catalog record of the interview.

Question: Why do some of the transcriptions include red text?
Answer: Red text indicates audio that was unclear to the transcriber.

Question: I've found a mistake in the OHS or I'm having a problem getting part of it to work on my computer.
Answer: Let us know! The OHS is a work in progress and we appreciate your help in improving it for everyone. Contact information is available on the OHS's Contact Us page.

Question: The OHS is a fantastic resource! How can I support this project?
Answer: You can support our efforts by sharing the collection with friends and family interested in Mother Lode history. In addition, we're actively seeking photographs of all the interviewees. If you have suggestions on where we can locate relevant photographs please contact the Library.

Question: What is the Creative Commons license and why did you apply it to the Oral History Series?
Answer: Creative Commons licenses are a popular way to maintain copyright protections while expressly giving permission to certain types of uses that allow others to modify, share and redistribute one's works. In the case of the Oral History Series we allow people to use the collection for non-profit purposes provided that they give us credit and redistribute their work under the same conditions. We made this decision in an effort to foster a sense of community throughout the Mother Lode by encouraging scholarship and discussion about our storied region. More information about Creative Commons is available on their website: http://creativecommons.org/.

Question: How was this project funded?
Answer: Our digitization efforts were funded through the generous financial support of the Wise Family Charitable Trust and the Columbia College Foundation. The database and online interface were created by Jake Beck, Columbia College's Online Services Developer, who was hired through the College's Title III Grant.