FAQs | StoryCorps

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Here are some common questions about StoryCorps programming and the interview process. Please click on any subject or question for an answer. We’re here to help!

About StoryCorps:

What makes StoryCorps different from other oral history projects?

Unlike traditional oral history interviews, a StoryCorps interview is done by two people who know each other. We believe that being interviewed by a friend or family member is a powerful experience. It not only captures your memories and stories, but the dynamics of your relationship.

StoryCorps also provides the equipment, space and staff for a broadcast-quality recording. A StoryCorps facilitator guides you through the interview process and operates the recording equipment. At the end of the session, you receive a CD of the recording to pass along to family and friends. With your permission, another copy will be archived at the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress, accessible to future generations.

Selected interviews are edited and produced for broadcast on our website, NPR, and other media outlets. To listen to a sample of these broadcast stories, please visit our listen page.

Where does StoryCorps get its funding?

StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit organization, so we rely on the financial support of individuals like you. Please show your support by making a tax-deductible donation today.

How are you affiliated with NPR?

StoryCorps is proud to produce segments that are broadcast on NPR’s Morning Edition and on the NPR website. These broadcasts reach millions of listeners and NPR is our national broadcast partner.

StoryCorps is, however, a separate nonprofit organization. We raise funds independently in order to help the largest number of people record their stories. If you would like to see StoryCorps in more cities, please consider giving a tax-deductible donation.

If I donate to NPR or my local radio station, does my donation also go to StoryCorps?

No. Because StoryCorps is an independent organization, we raise our own funding. Please make a tax-deductible donation today to help keep StoryCorps open and accessible to all.

How do I subscribe/unsubscribe from your weekly email?

Please use our online form to sign up to receive the latest StoryCorps stories and news by weekly email. To unsubscribe, please email your name and email address to newsletter@storycorps.net and put “unsubscribe” in the subject line.

How do I update my contact information?

Please fill out our online form to update your information so we at StoryCorps can stay in touch with you.

About the National Day of Listening:

What is the connection between StoryCorps and the National Day of Listening?

The National Day of Listening is an effort by StoryCorps to encourage, instruct, and inspire people to record conversations with loved ones. StoryCorps creates and distributes free literature, including the Do-It-Yourself guide available for download on the National Day of Listening website to help people with the interview process that is at the heart of the National Day of Listening.

Whom should I interview for the National Day of Listening?

You can interview a relative, a friend, the guy who makes your coffee each day – anyone you choose. Is there an older family member or close friend who remembers stories from the past? Is there an “angel” in your life who you’d like to honor by listening to their story? Is there someone whose story you’ve always wanted to hear, but never had the opportunity? Take the opportunity now to interview someone important to you – or anyone whose story you would like to hear – and record the conversation and share it with others.

What if the person I want to talk to doesn’t want to be interviewed?

Some people may feel hesitant when asked to talk about themselves, and some may feel uncomfortable being recorded. The best way for you to help people overcome their hesitation is to be honest and emphasize how important their stories are to you and how you think their stories are worth preserving for the future. Remind them that their experiences are unique and let them know you would be honored to record the conversation.

If I don’t have any relatives to interview, can I still participate in the National Day of Listening?

Yes. Take a moment to consider the remarkable variety of life experiences and stories of the people all around you, not just your immediate family and relatives. You will find that there are many questions to ask and words of wisdom to share. Contact a local senior citizen’s center and ask them to recommend someone to interview about his or her life. Visit a food pantry and find out from the staff if there is a client you might honor by listening. You can do your interview on the National Day of Listening, or any other day of the year, for that matter! Many wonderful conversations have been shared between good friends, a mentor and mentee, and even two people who knew each other only from saying “hello” each day on the street.

Should I prepare for my National Day of Listening interview?

Absolutely. It will help you feel relaxed during the interview and greatly improve the quality of your conversation. Before your interview, it’s a good idea to create a list of questions to ask, practice and get familiar with your recording equipment, and prepare a quiet, comfortable recording space. Please download our Do-It-Yourself guide on the Participate page of the National Day of Listening website and use our Great Questions Lists or our online Question Generator to help you prepare for your interview.

What questions should I ask?

The interview is a chance for you to connect with someone you know by asking the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. Think about what you would like to learn from or know about your interview partner. You can even ask your interview partner to recount a favorite story of yours. We’ve found that asking emotion-based questions, like “How did you feel about…” often elicit thoughtful responses. We recommend that you use our Great Questions Lists or our online Question Generator to create a customized list of questions for you to ask your interview partner.

How long will the National Day of Listening Interview take?

We suggest conducting an interview that lasts about 40 minutes. In that case, the whole interview session will take about an hour: 15 minutes for set-up and testing, 40 minutes for your conversation, and about 5 minutes to wrap up the recording. We also suggest that you take around 30 minutes to prepare for the interview, which includes creating a list of questions and finding and testing your recording equipment. You should feel free, of course, to record a longer or shorter interview if it feels more comfortable to you.

Why did you choose the day after Thanksgiving? Can I do this interview on another day?

StoryCorps would like to give new meaning to the day after Thanksgiving, a day many people are at home with family, but also traditionally a day of much rushing around. We would like to encourage people to make a new tradition for this day: sitting down with a loved one and recording a meaningful conversation to preserve for years to come. Our hope is to give people another way to connect with one another and to assist families and communities in creating new and meaningful traditions during the holiday season.

The opportunity to connect with the people around you is not limited to this day or any day. Every day can be your own Day of Listening, and we hope that our free instructional materials will inspire you to conduct interviews throughout the year. We also hope you will take the time not only to spread the word about the National Day of Listening, but also to share your recording experiences with us at any time during the year. Write us at nationaldayoflistening@storycorps.net , or go to the share page of this website to find more ways to spread the word.

What kind of equipment should I use?

You can use your computer, a video camera, or a basic digital recorder. Also possible are minidisc, mini-cassette, and cassette recorders. Visit the StoryCorps Do-It-Yourself page for more technical advice. If you don’t have access to recording equipment, you can use pen and paper to document your conversation.

How should I preserve my National Day of Listening interview?

Make copies on your computer, with a double tape deck, or whatever works best with your recording equipment. Label them clearly and fully – include names, date, and place. Then, store them in a safe place. Try to choose somewhere easy to remember, such as storing them among other mementos or in your bank safety deposit box. You also can start your own collection by preserving the conversations you record. Please download our free Do-It Yourself guide on how to record and preserve your interviews at home, available on the Participate page of the National Day of Listening website .

Will self-recorded National Day of Listening interviews be archived at the Library of Congress?

No. Only interviews recorded with StoryCorps, on StoryCorps’ professional equipment that are logged, tagged for research purposes, with a signed release form, can be archived in the StoryCorps collection at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

We encourage people to safeguard the interviews they record at home, as the recordings are likely to become family heirlooms. We recommend making copies, storing them in safe places, perhaps even a safety deposit box.

Will StoryCorps provide technical support for Do-It-Yourself recordings?

No. We provide tips through our free, downloadable Do-It-Yourself guide on the Participate page of the National Day of Listening website with additional tips about equipment on the StoryCorps Do-It-Yourself page.

How can I help spread the word about National Day of Listening?

Word travels fastest among friends and family, so it would be most helpful if you sent the National Day of Listening website address to your contact list. Let people know about your experience interviewing and listening to a loved one, and encourage them to do the same. We also encourage you to write about your experience of participating in the National Day of Listening on your blog or social networking page.

Another way to help us spread the word about the National Day of Listening is by donating to StoryCorps. Your generosity will enable StoryCorps to succeed in reaching its mission to provide its public service to record the stories of Americans across the country. Your donation will directly support the costs associated with the operation of our StoryCorps booths and related venues and travel expenses we incur in order to deliver this free public service. Make your tax-free contribution online .

What other organizations are involved in the National Day of Listening?

The National Day of Listening is made possible in partnership with NPR, the American Libraries Association, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. StoryCorps is grateful for the support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and listeners and supporters like you. Please make a tax-deductible donation today by visiting our donate page.

Posting and listening to StoryCorps interviews online:

Where can I find my interview online? I heard someones interview online and I want to know where mine is?

People who record do-it-yourself interviews may choose to post their interviews online to a site that is neither private nor protected, and has no guarantees for posterity.

Interviews recorded as part of the StoryCorps project are available in perpetuity by visiting the Library of Congress in person; however, we do not yet have the proper capacity to make them available online. We are working very hard to make that possible in the coming years, and have just recently achieved another key step in being able to go online with the archive. We strongly encourage you to make copies of your interview for your friends and family, but StoryCorps discourages you from uploading your StoryCorps interview to the Internet, since we are not yet able to provide a secure environment that protects your privacy, our copyright, and other concerns, including site stability.

With participants permission, StoryCorps does produce a small number of edited segments of StoryCorps-recorded interviews as StoryCorps stories. These edited segments are broadcast weekly via NPR and public radio stations, posted on StoryCorps’ Listen Pages, and available on the websites of institutional partners such as NPR, the National September 11th Memorial and Museum, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Participating with StoryCorps:

Where can I record my story?

Visit our locations page to see if StoryCorps is near you. Don’t forget to check the upcoming stops on our MobileBooth itineraries.

You can also rent a StoryKit to do your own recording at home using our portable equipment and user’s guide.

How can I get StoryCorps to come to my town?

MobileBooth, StoryBooths, and Door-to-Door bring StoryCorps to you. Learn more here.

MobileBooths are traveling recording studios, designed to visit towns and cities nationwide in partnership with public radio stations. Contact your local public radio station about hosting a StoryCorps MobileBooth for one month or contact us for more information.

Door-to-Door is a fee-based recording service that makes it possible for our trained staff to travel with professional equipment and record stories at the location of your choice for three or more days. Please submit an inquiry and tell us more about your organization and proposed project.

StoryBooths are temporary recording studios installed in a local cultural institution and fully staffed by StoryCorps for one year or more. StoryCorps has limited capacity to open new StoryBooths nationwide; please submit an inquiry to be considered.

How do I make reservations?

Make your reservation for a StoryCorps recording session today. See our reservations and locations page to make a reservation online, or call our reservation line at 800-850-4406 (it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

The booth is full during the time that I wanted to do an interview. What can I do?

The reservation calendar for each booth is always up to date, so you can keep an eye on it for cancellations or add yourself to our waiting lists. All of the reservations calendars can be found by visiting our locations page.

Can I just show up?

You need to make a reservation. We cannot take walk-in appointments except in the rare instance that there is a cancellation

Can I do more than one interview?

If you are coming to one of our permanent StoryBooths (New York City, San Francisco) we encourage you to come back with different family members or friends as many times as you like.

On the MobileBooth Tour, however, we have a limited time in each city. We ask that you limit your time to one interview so that we can accommodate as many voices as possible within the time constraints.

To record additional interviews, you can also rent a StoryKit to be sent to your home.

Does it cost anything to participate?

StoryCorps is a non-profit organization and we ask participants to make a voluntary donation of $25 or more at the time of their interview. Donations from participants help us bring the StoryCorps experience to people in communities throughout the United States. Make a donation today!

How do I cancel my interview?

To change or cancel your reservation up to 24 hours before your appointment, please visit the locations page and click on the location of your interview to go to the online reservation system. In the reservation system, click on “My appointments” to cancel.

You can also change or cancel a reservation by calling 800-850-4406. If you need to cancel less than 24 hours before your appointment, please call 646-723-7027. If you cancel your reservation with less than 24 hours’ notice, a $25 cancellation fee will be charged to your credit card.

Why do you need my credit card information?

Our appointment slots are limited, so we ask to have your e-mail address and credit card number on file to guarantee your reservation. You will not be charged unless you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours’ advance notice, since we will not be able to fill that time slot on such short notice.

What to expect in the interview:

How long is the StoryCorps interview session?

The recorded interview is no more than 40 minutes. The whole process takes about an hour. For more about what to expect, click here.

How early should I arrive?

Please arrive ten to fifteen minutes before your scheduled interview time.

What should I bring? What should I do to prepare?

Learn about what to expect here. Bring a list of questions with you. You can use our Question Generator to help you write out your questions. You may also want to bring a bottle of water.

Can I come alone?

StoryCorps interviews are designed to record conversations between people who are part of one anothers’ lives, so we do ask that you bring a partner. If you do not have a partner, a StoryCorps facilitator will be on-site to help you share your story and ask questions.

How many people can I bring to my interview?

A two-person interview is ideal: you and your storyteller. A trained Facilitator will be in the booth with you as well. It is possible to fit an additional participant in the booth, but interviews between two people tend to work the best.

Will anybody be there to help me with the interview?

There will be a Facilitator there to walk you through the interview process and to handle all of the technical aspects of the recording. Facilitators are all good, thoughtful listeners who come from varied backgrounds, though they are not trained or licensed therapists.

Can I read something during my recording?

If you have something short to read, like a poem, that’s fine, but in general, StoryCorps interviews are designed to be unscripted conversation.

Can I bring my child/grandchild?

We suggest that for interviews you do not bring children younger than ten years of age to the booth.

About StoryCorps recordings:

Can interviews be conducted in any language?

Yes. Interviews can be conducted in any language the participants choose. While StoryCorps does not offer translation services, participants can come to the booth and record their story in any language they prefer.

Where are the interviews stored?

All interviews are archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Some interviews are also stored in smaller collections. Visit the Archive Partners page for more information.

If you would like to access the StoryCorps archive, please visit the Reading Room at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. It is advisable to contact the reference desk at the Reading Room in advance to verify that a particular interview has been processed and transferred to the Library. Please note that the American Folklife Center does not provide copies of the interviews.

Is my interview available online?

No. If you signed one of the StoryCorps release forms, your interview is catalogued at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Only interviews edited for broadcast are on the StoryCorps website. For more information on accessing your interview at the Library of Congress, please submit an inquiry here.

How can I get a transcript of my StoryCorps interview?

We recommend the transcript services provided by The Tape Transcription Center in Boston, MA. If you send them your StoryCorps CD, the entirety of the interview will be transcribed and then returned to you. For pricing and additional questions, visit www.ttctranscriptions.com or call the Tape Transcription Center at 617-423-2151.

Can I order extra copies of my interview?

StoryCorps does not provide extra copies of interview CDs. Please feel free to burn extra copies of the interview yourself, or if you do not have the equipment, Kinko’s will copy CDs for $10 each.

I lost my interview, is there a way to get a copy of the interview I participated in?

StoryCorps requests that participants with lost or damaged CDs submit a formal request by contacting our Brooklyn office at 646-723-7027 or submitting an inquiry online. Submitted inquiries must include the interview day, time, and preferably your Library of Congress catalogue number before proceeding.

Replacement CDs cost $25 and can be paid by credit card or check. This fee covers the cost of retrieving and processing the interview. Retrieval is only possible for interviews where participants have signed release forms. The retrieval process requires administrative time and can take up to 4 weeks. In order to prevent lost interviews, StoryCorps requests that participants create back-up copies of interview CDs.

What happens if I don’t want my CD to go to the archive?

If you do not wish to have the CD archived, you should not sign the release. In turn, we will not keep a copy of your interview CD.

Can I send StoryCorps an interview I recorded with my personal equipment?

No. While StoryCorps encourages people to record one another’s stories, we can only archive interviews recorded through our program. This assures that the recording quality and format of each interview are standardized within the parameters set by StoryCorps and the American Folklife Center.

We offer a StoryKit for rent that includes portable recording equipment and a user’s guide. StoryKit interviews are included in the StoryCorps Archives.

Does StoryCorps have any books?

StoryCorps has released two books to date. Listening Is an Act of Love (Penguin Press), a New York Times bestseller published in 2007, contains 50 of the most remarkable stories selected from the StoryCorps archive. Hardback, paperback or audio CD copies of Listening Is an Act of Love can be puchased at our book page. A follow-up book, Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps (Penguin Press), contains stories recorded by and about mothers in StoryCorps booths across the country. Mom will be available in stores starting April 15, 2010, just in time for Mother’s Day! Pre-order copies can be purchased on Amazon.com.

100 percent of the royalties from all StoryCorps books go to fund our mission of sharing, collecting and preserving the stories of Americans with all background and beliefs.

StoryCorps broadcasts:

How can I get a StoryCorps CD?

Please order the audio version of StoryCorps’ book, Listening is an Act of Love, available online and at bookstores nationwide.

Do you podcast?

StoryCorps began podcasting in 2007. Visit our podcast page for information on how to subscribe.

What is the lead-in music for StoryCorps’ broadcast clips?

The lead-in guitar music for clips broadcast in NPR affiliate stations is from the album Turnstyles and Junkpiles by the group Pullman, and is available for purchase or download at Thrill Jockey.

Does StoryCorps accept previously recorded interviews?

We offer a StoryKit for rent that includes portable recording equipment and a user’s guide. StoryKit interviews are included in the StoryCorps Archives.

I would like to use a broadcasted clip in my classroom. Can I download the clips somewhere?

All of our broadcasted clips are available at our Listen Page. We appreciate teachers incorporating StoryCorps into their curriculum. Please tell us about your program by submitting an inquiry under “Use of SC Material”.

Partnering with StoryCorps

I want to start a branch of StoryCorps where I live. What can I do?

MobileBooth, StoryBooths, and Door-to-Door bring StoryCorps to you. Learn more here.

How can my organization partner with StoryCorps on a project?

We work with local community organizations in order to reach as diverse a pool of participants as possible in our MobileBooth and StoryBooth locations as well as through our grant-funded Initiatives, please visit our inquiries page and submit your information.

If we are unable to partner with you through our grant-funded programs, we do have a fee-based recording service that makes it possible for our trained staff to travel with professional equipment and record stories at the location of your choice. Please submit an inquiry and tell us more about your organization and proposed project.

I am a teacher interested in the idea of StoryCorps. Can I assign StoryCorps interviews to my students?

We provide free resources for educators to bring StoryCorps to their classrooms. Please visit our National Day of Listening website and download the Education Toolkit, a step-by-step instruction guide that will provide you with the resources necessary to teach students how to conduct their own interviews.

How else can I help?

Spread the word about StoryCorps, and join us on Facebook and Twitter
Purchase one of our books–Listening Is an Act of Love or Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps
Become a volunteer
Apply for a job or internship
Sign up for our weekly newsletter