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Gathering Our Voice - Terms of Use

Oral histories are intimate conversations between and among people who have generously agreed to share these recordings with current and future community members. Please listen in the spirit with which these were shared. IRIS abides by the General Principles and Best Practices for Oral History as agreed upon by the Oral History Association and expects that use of this material will be done with respect for these professional ethics. https://www.oralhistory.org/best-practices/

Every oral history relies on the memories, views, and opinions of the narrator. Because of the personal nature of oral history, listeners may find some viewpoints or language of the recorded participants to be objectionable. In keeping with its mission of fostering sustainable rural communities by gathering and sharing stories that enhance a sense of belonging, inspire action, and build community, IRIS presents these views as recorded, with appreciation and respect for all contributors. The audio recording should be considered the primary source for each interview. Where provided, transcripts created by IRIS volunteers and transcription services, serve as a guide to the interview. Some of these transcripts are verbatim; others are in a first draft. All together these transcripts contain the natural false starts, verbal stumbles, misspeaks, and repetitions that are common in conversation. The decision to include these was made to honor the auditory voice and also because some researchers find useful information in these verbal patterns. Unless these verbal patterns are germane to your scholarly work, when quoting from this material researchers are encouraged to correct the grammar and make other modifications that maintain the flavor of the narrator’s speech while editing the material for standards of print.

All citations must be attributed using the format suggested on each transcript: Gathering Our Voice, year of interview, Initiative for Rural Innovation & Stewardship, www.irisncw.org These interviews are made available for historical, scholarly, and educational purposes. For information about other kinds of usage and permissions, contact the IRIS office at irisncw@gmail.com