ACCESSING AN INTERVIEW

Access via the Internet: Our goal at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is to allow patrons to access an interview in a variety of forms. Each interview will include an abstract, an audio file, and once completed and edited, a transcript. For video interviews, patrons will also be able to watch the video in its entirety, depending on the capabilities of their computer. Interviews will often include photographs and other supporting documents that further illustrate the narrator's life and historic contributions.

Visiting the Library: Patrons are encouraged to visit the library's Audio-Visual Department in Springfield, Illinois. We maintain an oral history file for each of our digital interviews, including all material posted on the internet as well as additional documents, articles, and biographical information.

The Audio-Visual Department also maintains over 2000 other interviews completed before the digital age. (We will be posting only a sampling of these on the site.) There are also rare cases where individuals have requested that their interviews not be posted on the internet. To listen to, or view, these items in person, please contact the Library's Audio-Visual Department to make an appointment.

The Audio-Visual Department also archives broadcast quality digital recordings of both audio and video files. We encourage their use in documentaries, news programs and other media.

The Audio-Visual Department is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; appointments may be made by calling (217) 785-7955 or sending an email to Mary.Michals@illinois.gov.