SD Oral History Center
Transcript & Tape Accessibility
The strong aspect of our collections is the number of readily available and readable transcripts of each interview, particularly the AIRP. The core of the AIRP, 1,100 taped interviews funded by the Doris Duke Foundation (with an additional 700 interviews acquired since the initial funding expired), are transcribed.
Researchers from the United States, Canada and Europe primarily visit the South Dakota Oral History Center not to listen to actual tapes, but to read the transcripts. When listening is preferred, duplicate copies of the aging tapes are reproduced for use.
Our transcripts (over 5,000) are not available on the Web. Almost all of the transcripts were typed on paper using manual typewriters 25 years ago. These transcripts are accessible ONLY on-site here in our offices; however, researchers can pay photocopying costs and have specific interviews sent by mail. Our long-term plan is to scan these materials and convert them to text files; however, this is mainly for preservation. The extent of Internet access to these materials will be extremely limited, so the best way to get a feel for our collections is to search our research database. Then, once you have specific interviews selected, fill out the Transcript Request Form.
Currently, 85 percent of the AIRP has either a final or a rough draft transcript, with only about a quarter of the SDOHP transcribed. In most cases, however, both collections still contain the interviewer's original hand-written field notes which prove particularly valuable if a tape is not transcribed.
Most interviews in the collection range from 30 to 50 typed pages. Photocopying costs for transcripts are $.25 per page.
The Center's 25-to 30-year old tapes are reel-to-reel recordings, and thus they are considered artifacts and their access is limited. Many tapes, by the nature of their content, are considered sacred by the native peoples of this region. Researchers are not permitted to listen to original recordings; copies of tapes may be acquired on a limited basis on cassette for a nominal fee.
It is important to note that tapes and transcripts cannot be sent through the inter-library loan system - only the indexed volumes. The Institute does not fax transcripts or portions of transcripts.
Please Come Visit!
We welcome researcher visits year-round and encourage researchers to arrange on-site visits to the Center, which is open during the week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or evenings and weekends by appointment.
Use of certain published materials and manuscripts is restricted by law, by reason of their origin or by donor agreement. The Institute of American Indian Studies also reserves the right to restrict use of unprocessed materials and documents which are unique and/or exceptionally fragile. Use of all materials is subject to the approval of the director.