Library Worker Oral Histories

Funded by the Archie Green Fellowship through the Library of Congress (LOC), the authors collected oral history interviews from Wisconsin Library Workers. The purpose of this project was to share everyday stories about information work from library workers themselves. The use of the term “library worker” rather than “librarian” was deliberate, to include those who may not have an MLIS degree. The authors interviewed 20 library workers across the State of Wisconsin. Trying to gain a broad view of library work, they included workers from academic, public, school, and special libraries. The interview recordings, interview transcripts, and photographs are being added to the LOC’s Occupational Folklife Project, which is part of the American Folklife Center. These oral histories contribute to the larger story of work in America. The authors carefully prepared their materials for additional to the American Folklife Centers’s archive, including creating metadata according to the LOC’s specifications. The authors applied ethical practices such as communicating considerately, fully informing participants about the details of the project, and providing the interview questions to participants in advance. Participants were informed that they could withdraw at any time. Once this project is complete, the authors will use these archived interviews for future research. As the archives are public and digitally available, other researchers may access and use this data as well.