The Ascent Archive Podcast features oral histories collected by the University of Utah and produced by the J. Willard Marriott Library. This podcast, focusing on interviews with rock climbers and mountaineers, is an innovative approach to make oral histories more accessible and easier to listen on the go or at faster speeds.
Associate Librarians Rachel Wittmann (left) and Tallie Casucci (right)
Oral histories give “voice to people not included in the usual historical sources, oral history can provide a fuller, more honest picture of the past by answering the hows and whys of human action” [1]. Current oral history practice involves conducting the interview, transcribing the conversation, and then saving the audio file and transcript within the library or museums’ collections. The transcript is typically the focal point for preservation and access. This podcast seeks to advance collection stewardship and access through innovative podcast approaches to digital collection management of oral histories. Does publishing oral histories on podcast platforms increase access to these materials? We’ll use podcast and website analytics to answer this question in the coming year!
The Ascent Archive Podcast includes content from these collections:
- The Rock Climbers Oral History Project collected oral histories with notable rock climbers in the Utah area during 2022-present.
- The Everett L. Cooley Oral History Project is an ongoing oral history program by the American West Center designed to document the history of Utah with an emphasis on the interaction between the University of Utah and the local and regional communities.
Music used in the show is courtesy of Bryan Elias Hull, Librarian at the University of Utah’s Eccles Health Sciences Library. Graphic design is thanks to Leah Donaldson, Web Software Developer at the J. Willard Marriott Library.
We hope you enjoy listening! Feel free to contact Tallie Casucci or Rachel Wittmann with feedback regarding the podcast.
References
1. Mercier, L., & Buckendorf, M. (1992). Using Oral History in Community History Projects (pp ii). Oral History Association.