Image credit: StoryCorps.org
I came across this storytelling site StoryCorps the other day and didn’t get a chance to explore it before The Week in Storytelling post went up. It’s a very interesting idea built around friends, family and story. Here’s how they list their mission: “Our mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.”
They’ve been around since 2003 and have helped over 50,000 people to share their stories. They have a book titled “Listening is an Act of Love.” Seems apropos in this day and age of Social Media and “listening.” They also have a new book “Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps” that will be in bookstores the middle of April.
To record an interview with someone important in your life, you reserve an appointment time and then bring your friend or loved one to be interviewed. They have a great list of questions that you might want to ask as you engage in a storytelling session. Those are available on the site and they take also you through what to expect when you arrive. The storytelling interview process lasts for about 40 minutes and at the end of that time they give you a broadcast quality CD to share and they send a second copy on to the Library of Congress for archival purposes.
They also offer the opportunity to bring StoryCorps to your community. Details for that are on the site as well. All in all it seems like a wonderful way to tell and record a life story and to preserve some cherished memories.
You can also follow them on Twitter. StoryCorps
