Acceptance of Oral Histories

Policy:

In conducting any oral history interviews for placement in the NMSU Library, ALL interviewers and interviewees must complete and sign a Basic Deed of Gift Form.  This completed form must accompany any oral history to be placed into the NMSU Library, regardless of whether the oral history was completed through a specific class project, work for hire, or acquired through a gift donation.

Oral histories not having the appropriately completed and signed release forms will not be accepted into our collections.

Procedures:

While most oral history interviews may be completed with a Basic Deed of Gift Form, there may be circumstances in which additional forms will need to be completed and submitted.  These include the following:

1. Basic Deed of Gift Form
2. Work Made for Hire Agreement
3. Assignment of Copyright in a Work Intended as a Work for Hire
4. Deed of Gift/ Release for Heir(s) of Interviewee
5. Deed of Gift/Release for Interviewer
6. Special Use Limitations and/or Nonexclusive Copyright License for Interviewee
7. Provision for Control of Access and/or Sealing of Interview

Rationale:

As archivists and librarians, we understand the significance of oral histories as well as their preservation, and accessibility as a primary resource for researchers, scholars, and students.  However, with numerous changes in society and technology, it has been necessary to review our current institutional practices with respect to legal ownership, copyright, and the institutional right to utilize these types of interviews for a variety of activities and services.