Your story matters. Help us capture history as it unfolds.
Voices of Princeton is a community-based oral history project that collects, shares, and archives the stories of Princetonians. Everyone is welcome to participate, whether they are a lifelong Princetonian or new to the area.
The oral histories are recorded in an interview format: two people who know each other conduct a guided conversation, with one person serving as the interviewee and the other as the interviewer. No experience is needed to participate, and we help you prepare. After scheduling a session, interviewer/interviewee pairs will be matched with a trained facilitator. The facilitator operates the recording equipment and handles the logistics so the participants can focus on the conversation. Interested in participating? Follow the steps below.
- Choose a friend, family member, colleague, neighbor or other meaningful person in your life. Decide which of you will be the interviewer and which will be the interviewee.
- Email voices@princetonlibrary.org to indicate your interest in conducting an interview, including some available dates and times. (The interview process takes approximately 60–90 minutes.)
- You will receive confirmation of your interview date and time. You will also receive a guide to help you prepare for the interview, as well as a link to a short survey to fill out before the interview.
- Come to the Princeton Public Library at your scheduled time. You will meet the trained volunteer facilitator, who will walk you through the interview process. Once the interview and permission have been completed, the interview will be archived at the Historical Society of Princeton and will be available on this website.