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StoryKit Policies and Procedures

Below is a list of the StoryKit policies and procedures. Please read them carefully before you use our online request form to reserve a StoryKit. Upon confirmation of your rental you are asked to accept these policies and procedures as part of your rental agreement.

Rental Period

StoryKits are available to rent for one week only. That’s a total of 7 days, including the weekends. Shipping time is not taken out of the 7 day rental period. From the day you are scheduled to receive the StoryKit you will have 7 days until it is required to ship the StoryKit back to StoryCorps. (Specific dates will be provided prior to your rental to clarify.)

Delivery and Shipping Information

StoryKits are sent via FedEx Express Saver. Your StoryKit will be delivered three business days after it is shipped. There are no weekend deliveries. A signature is required for delivery and any person at the recipient’s address can sign for delivery. FedEx will attempt delivery for a total of three times before the StoryKit is returned to StoryCorps. Here are the time frames for delivery:

Residential deliveries occur between 12 PM-7 PM*
Business deliveries occur between 8 AM-3 PM*

*Details courtesy of FedEx.

A FedEx shipping confirmation number is emailed to the participant and/or the person who made the reservation the day a StoryKit is sent with information about what day delivery is expected. The person who makes the StoryKit reservation is responsible for ensuring that someone is present at the recipient’s address on the planned delivery date. If delivery is unsuccessful and FedEx is at fault, we will collect the attempted delivery times from FedEx and provide a refund accordingly. If the documented times of attempted delivery fall within FedEx’s time frames of delivery, no refund will be issued for the rental.

Additional charges may apply for shipping outside of the contiguous 48 states.

International Shipping

StoryCorps will not ship StoryKits internationally due to high shipping costs and other potential liabilities.

Return Shipments

StoryKits come with a ready-to-ship FedEx label for returning the StoryKit to StoryCorps. To return the StoryKit, simply place the label inside the Velcro pouch on the front of the case, and call 1-800-GOFEDEX or use fedex.com to schedule a pickup from your home or office, or to find your nearest FedEx Express dropoff location.

Rental Fees

The one week rental fee of $200 includes two Interviews and FedEx Express Standard 3 business day shipment to and from the addressee. Up to two additional interviews may be purchased at a cost of $20 each, for a total of 4 Interviews at a cost of $240. The rental fee is charged and the security hold is authorized the week before shipment.

Security Hold

A $500 security hold is authorized on the credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are accepted) the week before shipping the StoryKit and is refunded upon the return of the StoryKit in its original condition. The credit card holder is responsible for the cost of damages, up to the full cost of the StoryKit equipment, which may exceed $500.

Group requests

StoryKits are only available for rental to individuals. StoryCorps does not have the resources to rent to large groups because of the time required to process a large amount of interviews. If you are from an organization or group interested in participating in StoryCorps, please submit a proposal for the type of StoryCorps service you are seeking at our Inquiries page.

One per family per 6 month rental period

Only one rental is allowed per family during a 6 month rental period without exception. This allows for as many families to participate in the StoryKit program as possible. If you are interested in conducting more than 4 interviews at a time, StoryCorps suggests you learn about our Door to Door service.

Rental Confirmation

A StoryKit rental is not guaranteed until the participant provides credit card information and receives confirmed dates from StoryCorps. Once this information has been provided, you will receive an email confirmation for your records.

Maximum Number of Interviews

A maximum number of four StoryKit interviews are allowed per rental period.

Equipment Requirements

StoryKit interviews can only be recorded on StoryKit rental equipment. Interviews using non-StoryCorps equipment will not be accepted. If StoryCorps discovers that interviews have been submitted using non-StoryCorps equipment, we will not process the interviews.

Length of Interviews

The recommended recording time for each interview is 40 minutes. We cannot process interviews that are over 60 minutes in length.

Paperwork

StoryKit CDs may not be processed if we do not receive all of the necessary paperwork (release forms, keywords, & data sheet). We allow a 4 week grace period to return all necessary paperwork for inclusion of the interview in the archive. After the 4-week period, we return ALL materials to you and your interview(s) will not be submitted into the archive. Please be mindful that processing time takes much longer when paperwork is not submitted with the recording.

Late Charges

If a StoryKit is late*, StoryCorps reserves the right to capture the security hold. The credit card holder will be charged the full security hold of $500 for the first day late. Once the StoryKit is returned, StoryCorps will refund for the days not late, within a five business day period. The refund tiers are as follows:

1 business day late = $450 refund

2 business days late = $350 refund

3 business days late = $250 refund

4 business days late = $150 refund

5 business days late = $50 refund

After 5 business days late, no refund will be issued.

*If the StoryKit package does not arrive within three business days of the shipping return date agreement as indicated on the FedEx shipping receipt and e-mail.

Lost or Missing StoryKit

In the event that a StoryKit has not been returned to a FedEx location within five business days after the security hold has been taken, StoryCorps reserves the right to capture the full cost of the StoryKit, $1000, in addition to the security hold. No exceptions or refunds apply.

Cancellation Policy

If a participant cancels within five business days of the arrival date of the rental, they will be charged a cancellation fee of $75. If the cancellation is within three days of the arrival date, provided the StoryKit hasn’t already shipped, the participant will be charged the full rental fee of $200, but there will not be a security hold placed on the card.

Non-Refundable

All charges are non-refundable unless otherwise determined by a member of StoryCorps staff. It is the sole responsibility of the cardholder to submit a request for refund.

If you have any questions about these policies, please e-mail them to storykit-team@storycorps.org