OurStoryBridge: Creating Community Through Stories
The OurStoryBridge project has released a free toolkit of resources for libraries to create online, three-to five- minute oral histories.
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Our communities are made up of people and their stories. And what better place is there to help tell, share, and preserve these stories than the library! Sparked by the efforts of the Keene Valley Library in New York, OurStoryBridge is a project which helps libraries capture and share the rich social and cultural history of their communities. The project has released a free toolkit of resources for library staff and volunteers to create online, three-to five- minute oral histories, a format that appeals to young and old today. The toolkit includes everything a library needs to know to start a story project, such as step by step instructions, “how-to” videos, sample documents, and a guide to help teachers engage their students in community stories. Join the creator of OurStoryBridge and staff at two libraries who have implemented the program to hear their experiences with this inspiring and impactful project and learn how your library can participate.
Presented by: Jery Y. Huntley, Founder, OurStoryBridge and Adirondack Community, Keene Valley Library (NY); AJ Gooden, Supervisor, Igiugig Tribal Library (AK); and Debby Carter, Assistant Librarian, Tremonton City Library (UT)
This webinar is hosted in collaboration with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.
Access Recording
- View Webinar Recording (You will be prompted to login to our free Course Catalog.)
Webinar Attachments
- View slides (pdf)
- View chat (xls)
- View captions (txt)
Related Resources and Links
- OurStoryBridge: Connecting the Past and the Present
- OurStoryBridge One-Pager
- Tool Kit with User Guide, How To Videos, Sample Documents and Teacher's Guide including Story Summaries, Story Selection Chart, Sample School Assignment, and a helpful How To Guide with a downloadable School Story Protocol.
- OurStoryBridge on Facebook and Instagram
- In the media and e-newsletters
- "Why" with Testimonials
- Contact OurStoryBridge
- Software used: Memria.org
Media Features
- Voices, The Journal of New York Folklore OurStoryBridge: Engaging Folklore in the Digital Age
- Mountain Lake PBS on OurStoryBridge
- Our Towns Building Bridges Within and Among Communities Through Stories
Story Projects & Sample Stories
- Adirondack Community Keene, NY
- Who Was That??? by Paul Martin
- Olympic Dream Fulfilled by Tommy Biesemeyer
- Our Bear River Valley Stories Tremonton, UT
- Lessons from the Chokecherry by Darren Parry
- Igiugig Story Bridge Igiugig, AK
- A Close Call by Karl Hill
- Alice Zackar by Renea Zackar
- Avv'anissaaq (Alice Zackar) by Renea Zackar (Yup’ik translation)
- North Elba Narratives Lake Placid, NY
- Chairman of Protocol by Jim Rogers
- I AM A STORY Madras, OR
- Finding your Passion! by Davida Plaisted
- Life in the Islands North Hero, NY
- Alive And Interested In Everything by Mary Jane Healy
- Chenango Stories Norwich, NY
- Freedom Story Project, Nationwide Project
- I Am Odd, I Am New by Benjamin Giroux
- Let Intellectual Freedom Prevail! by Ron Kirsop
- Our Community Stories Pittsburg, PA
- The Gift of Nature with Beulah Frey by Celeste Janosko
- ADK Voices Lake George, NY
- My Amazing Career in Wildland and Alpine Stewardship by Kayla White
- Eureka Springs Oral History Project Eureka Springs, AR
- Chautauqua County Voices Sedan, KS
- Sedan Merchant Memories, Part 1 by Kristine & Karen Gilbertson
- Our McLean Story Livermore, KY
- Community Influencers by Angie Smith
- Willsboro Story Bridge Willsboro, NY
- Adirondack Community and Freedom Story Project Podcasts
Date
17 August 2021
Time
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Eastern Daylight Time, North America [UTC -4]
Webinar presenter Jery Huntley
Webinar presenter AJ Gooden
Webinar presenter Debby Carter
Upcoming Webinars
30 July 2025