Oral histories can be recorded as video or audio, depending on the needs of the interviewee, the recording location, and the goals of the project. While A/V equipment rental is currently unavailable through the Mardigian Library, there are other free and low-cost options available to researchers on campus.
The CASL Media Production Studio is a full-service TV and audio production studio located in CASL on the UM-Dearborn campus. Researchers can contact the Journalism and Media Production team (Greg Taylor, gtaylor@umich.edu) o inquire about availability for recording interviews at the studio. The studio also has rental equipment available to the UM-Dearborn community by permission (subject to a course fee) and a team of faculty, staff, and students to assist with learning the technology.
Recording a virtual interview using an online video or audio conferencing application is an excellent option when the researcher and interviewee are unable to meet in person. For example, MMETOHP student researcher Muhammad Budair interviewed his sister, Dina Budair, who was living in the United Arab Emirates at the time of recording.
Conferencing software can also be used by researchers in the absence of a camera and/or audio recorder. For instance, MIAOHP student research, Gary Bennett interviewed Sedigheh Sholeh Karimi via Zoom from separate rooms in the same building. Zoom allowed both Bennett and Karimi to appear on camera without requiring additional camera and microphone setups.
All active U-M faculty, staff, and students have access to Zoom. Researchers can record interviews using Zoom's Record function.
here are many high-quality recording devices on the market today, including audio voice recorders and microphones. Online resources like "Ask Doug" from Oral History in the Digital Age (OHDA) can provide additional insight into which recorders and microphones work best for oral histories.
Today, most smartphones and computers have built-in A/V recording capabilities, making it easier to record oral histories.
Past oral history projects at UM-Dearborn have obtained informed consent and release rights from subjects using three forms. However, the process for your project may differ depending on the requirements of your IRB proposal (if applicable), your department's guidelines, and the specific nature of your collection—such as whether it involves sensitive topics or intended uses (e.g., inclusion of full or partial footage or transcripts in written or A/V publications).
This section provides an overview of the consent and intake process used in The 1959 Project: Shared Campus Lives. Key components of the process include requesting interviewees to complete and sign the following forms:
Digital Signature Applications
While interviewees can always complete and sign forms by hand and return them in person, via mail, or by emailing scans, there are several convenient ways to handle this process digitally. Recently, oral history researchers at the University of Michigan-Dearborn have used the application SignNow to send and receive digitally signed forms. As of Fall 2025, the University of Michigan offers SignNow subscriptions for faculty, staff, and students. For instructions on creating a UMich-affiliated SignNow account, please contact U-M ITS.
The first and most important step leading up to an interview is to obtain documentation of the subject’s informed consent. This confirms that the subject understands your intentions as a researcher and agrees to the potential future uses of the materials gathered from the interview.
For several past and ongoing oral history projects at UM-Dearborn, consent can be revoked or modified at any time, providing the interviewee with an important sense of agency. When informing interviewees about this rolling consent process, it is essential to clarify that while you can remove their materials from a digital collection, it may not be possible to eliminate secondary copies or uses of the materials outside the project—such as screen recordings of A/V content or copies of files downloaded by other entities or the public.
Informed Consent and Archive "Deed of Gift" From for The 1959 Project
Informed Consent Form from the Oral History Association
Another key component of the consent and intake process is the A/V release form. While the language may vary depending on the needs of the project or unit, it is essential that the subject fully understands what contributing their story to your project entails, both in the short and long term. This includes clarifying potential uses, such as the dissemination of A/V materials and/or transcripts via digital collections. If you plan to make A/V materials available, it is also good practice to obtain a signed release form that grants consent for future uses, including the inclusion of A/V clips in documentaries or promotional materials.
At this stage, it may be beneficial for interviewees to complete an intake form. This allows them to provide additional information or preferences that may not have been covered in the Informed Consent and Release forms, such as topics or stories they wish to include in their oral history, subjects they prefer not to discuss, and basic details about their life or the specific period your project focuses on. The information gathered through the intake form can help you tailor the interview format and questions to better suit the interviewee.
"Copyright and Oral History Interview." University of Michigan Library: Copyright Services. https://www.lib.umich.edu/research-and-scholarship/copyright-services/forms/copyright-and-oral-history-interviews.
"Copyright Office Guide: Copyright and Oral History Interviews." University of Michigan Copyright Office. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WsPjpu8R9Zq88krV67Rhdpv9FZX_Au1IJWdFUcj11UA/edit?usp=sharing.
Tips coming soon!
