Russell Library transforms local personal stories into historic gems

Sarah Anne Perry | Posted: Friday, October 12, 2012

The Russell Library for Political Research and Studies usually showcases history in displays and on bookshelves — but with the development of a new oral history project, the library can now record history.

The First Person Project focuses on documenting the experiences of everyday Georgians through recordings of oral narrative. Participants will arrive at the Russell Library on Friday prepared to tell any story — or stories — they want to share.

“The topics we explore, like environment, economy, civil rights, social relations — those are all topics that come up when people have these big stories to tell each other,” said Jan Levinson, outreach archivist at Russell Library.

For Levinson, preserving oral history recognizes the role of ordinary people in creating history.

“Everyone has a story to tell,” she said. “The great thing about oral history is that you get stories and perspectives that you don’t get from a history textbook.”

Christian Lopez, the library’s oral history coordinator, said that oral history also provides listeners with a greater sense of the emotion in history.

“There will be humor. There will be tears. There will be a lot of things that are very difficult to capture just in text,” he said.

The project, which is modeled on StoryCorps and other national projects that encourage oral traditions, will provide researchers with the archived recording which will allow them to experience the past on a more intimate level.

“In the future, people will be able to have a glimpse of earlier 21st century life and 20th century life from this first person perspective,” Lopez said. “It’s very personal, and that’s the advantage of oral history.”

During the summer, library employees participated in a trial run of the First Person Project. Some remarkable stories surfaced, like that of the reporter-turned-librarian who befriended an inmate on death row after covering his story.

The Russell Library staff hopes for the project to continue indefinitely, and designed their new space, which opened in February of 2012, with the project in mind.

Participants in the First Person Project will record their interviews in the Bob Short Oral History Studio, named for the man behind another oral history recording initiative, “Reflections on Georgia Politics.” The studio, which contains top-notch recording equipment and creates a comfortable atmosphere for storytellers, is integrated into the library gallery space.

“That’s the place where we want people to come,” said Levinson. “Now they’re contributing to history, and they’re a part of the exhibitions.”

For more information on the First Person Project, call 706-542-5788.