Oral history projects often rely on different kinds of digital tools that perform a range of tasks: audio/video editing/processing/streaming, collection management, exhibit, user experience, and transcription. Find suggested tools by type below followed by further resources.
Example Project
Digital Tools
Audio Capture/Editing/Processing Software
Audacity
Audacity is a free, open-source, cross-platform audio software. This software can help uses record, edit, and export audio for dialogue or music-based projects. Sample projects made using Audacity might include original music, podcasts, voice-overs, etc.
Collection Management, Exhibit, User Experience
Oral History Metadata Synchronizer (OHMS)
Oral History Metadata Synchronizer (OHMS) is a web-based system that provides users word-level search capability and a time-correlated transcript or indexed interview connecting the textual search term to the corresponding moment in the recorded interview online. Created by the Louie B. Nunn Center at the University of Kentucky Libraires
Omeka
Omeka is a free, open source web publishing system for online digital archives. Its main focus/strength is producing websites and online exhibitions.
Get Started
- Omeka Classic User Manual – Comprehensive text documentation of the Omeka platform
- Getting Started with Omeka – YouTube tutorial from the Digital Art History and Visual Culture Research Lab
WordPress
WordPress is a free and open source website builder. Trinity faculty, students, and staff have the ability to create WordPress sites as part of our Domains of One’s Own installation. Please see the tutorials below on how to set up a Domain’s account and how to create a WordPress site.
Get Started
- Tutorials on creating a Website using WordPress– Trinity Domains
- Tutorial on setting up your Domains account (where you can host your WordPress site) – Trinity Domains
Digital Preservation
Exactly
Exactly is a free and open source application that is easy-to-use for remotely and safely transferring any digital data from a sender to a recipient. Exactly allows recipients to create customized metadata templates for senders to fill out before submission. Exactly can send email notifications with transfer data and manifests when files have been delivered to the archive.
MediaInfo
MediaInfo is a convenient unified display of the most relevant technical and tag data for video and audio files.
Transcription
Otter.ai
Otter.ai is a AI-powered transcription service (free transcription available for limited hours of audio)
Trint
Trint is an AI-powered transcription service. Order transcriptions using a Trinity subscription here
Video Editing/Processing/Streaming
Kaltura
Kaltura is a video streaming tool that allows students and faculty to create and share media content from anywhere and any device.
Get Started:
- Get Started With Kaltura – Trinity’s Ed Tech blog
- Video Recording – Logistics and Editing – Trinity’s STA blog
Further Resources
- Wiki of Collected Best Practices Guides – Oral History in the Digital Age – Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
- Provides guidance on audio, video, audio & video, general digitization & digital projects, conducting oral history & transcription guidelines, metadata & searching, access & use, and intellectual property.
- Explore Innovative Oral History Projects – IMLS
- Resources for Oral History Projects – Groundswell: Oral History for Social Change