So you're interested in interviewing
veterans in your community
for the Library of Congress
Veterans History Project.
That's great!
VHP is a grassroots
effort and reliant on
voluntary participation
of people around the country
interviewing the veterans in
their lives and communities.
Over the next few minutes
we're going to show you everything
you need to do your own
VHP interview
which will pre preserved for future
generations in the Library
of Congress.

Interviewing veterans for VHP
is a meaningful volunteer activity
and everything you need
to know is right here
in the Field Kit
available at loc
dot gov
slash vets.
In the Field Kit
and in this video
you'll learn the
five steps that will
ensure your VHP interview
is accepted
and provides a
useful primary source
for researchers.

Those steps are
prepare,
participate,
send,
access, and
inquire.

As some veterans may
tell you,
failing to plan is
planning to fail,
so let's get right into
the first and most
important step,
prepping your interview.
Whether you're a veteran
or a volunteer interviewer
preparation is vital.

You significantly increase
the research value
of a collection when
you take the time to
familiarize yourself with
the VHP process.

Conduct a pre-interview
with the veteran
by phone or
in person to review
forms and gather details
about their military
service
so that you may create
personalized questions to
ask during the recorded
interview session
in addition to the
sample questions we
provide.
Consult secondary
sources, and think
of additional interview
questions that are
specific to the
veteran's personal
experience,
war, or conflict,
branch, and
background.
Familiarize yourself with
the recording equipment
and review
VHP's media and
format standards.

Technology changes
frequently, and if you
have any questions
about filetypes
please visit our
website, or contact
the Veterans
History Project

Ensure that the
interviewee is comfortable
Inform them that
the recording will
be publicly accessible
either online
or at the Library
of Congress.
test your equipment
before the interview
begins. Check
your battery levels and
make sure that both
microphones are working.
Even the
best interview will
be ruined if you can't
hear the narrator.
Once you've finished
your prep work,
it's time to create
your veteran's collection.
Most of our
collections are video
or audio interviews
just like
this one.
But that's not the
only way for a
veteran to share their story.
A VHP collection
can consist of
an audio or video
interview, a
collection of original
photographs,
original correspondence,
as well as
diaries or
journals written
by the veteran
during their service.
in short, you're
looking to build a
personal narrative of
the veteran's service and
how it affected
their life.
In addition to veterans
of the armed forces
we accept interviews of
immediate family members,
a parent,
spouse,
sibling or child
of members
of the armed forces
who died as a
result of their
service during a
period of war.
All collections must
follow the 30, 20, 10
rule, which means
a collection must
include at least one
of the following:
a 30 minute or
longer interview,
twenty pages
of written
manuscript, or
ten original
photographs or
letters.
Once you have met
one requirement,
any number of
complimentary materials
can be included.
For example,
if the vet gives
a 30 minute interview
and also wants
to donate 5
photos, that's
acceptable.
Or if they donate
10 photos and
can only do
a 10 minute interview
that's fine as well.
When you're
conducting an interview
there are a few
things to keep in mind.
Test your equipment to make sure
everything is working as
it should.
The veteran's comfort
always comes
first.
choose a
comfortable location
for the interview.
Ideally at the
veteran's own home
or at a common
location like a
public library or
community center.
Pay attention to
the veteran's emotional
state as well,
especially if the veteran
suffers from PTSD
or if you're
discussing difficult
topics like
combat and loss.
It's perfectly
fine to pause
or even end the
interview if the
veteran is no longer
comfortable telling
their story.
Ask open ended
questions that draw
on emotions,
senses, and relationships.
What was the hardest
part of the military
lifestyle for you
to adapt to?
Or, how did
you feel about the
food in the field?
Those are two
examples of
open-ended questions.
loc.gov/vets
has sets of
sample questions
to get
you started.

Practice active
listening, and ask
follow up questions
that expand upon
the story your
veteran is telling.
Consider having
the veteran review
old photographs
during the interview
to prompt memories.
Keep an
eye on the time -
If the interview
isn't at least 30
minutes long, it
won't be accepted.
Take notes
for the required
A/V log form.
It doesn't have
to be a transcript
just a running
description of the
main topics discussed
in the interview.
Once the interview
is complete,
make a copy
for the veteran
if possible, then
it's time to submit
media and forms to
the Veterans History Project.
Make at least
two copies of the
interview prior
to submitting a
collection.
Keep one copy
for yourself, and
give one to
the veteran.
Include any complimentary
materials, such
as original photographs
and manuscripts
and complete the
appropriate forms.
To avoid
damages caused by
our special
security screening,
do not use the
United States
Postal Service.
Package your
forms and
materials,
enclose a cover
letter, and use
a private carrier
for delivery.
Participants can
also hand
deliver VHP
collections at the
Veterans History Project
information center,
located in room
LJG-51 on
the ground floor
of the Thomas
Jefferson building.
The information
center is open
from 9:30am
until 3:30pm
Monday through
Friday.
VHP staff will
review your materials
to ensure they meet
minimum requirements.
Materials that
do not meet
minimum requirements
or do not
represent a
primary source narrative
will be returned to
the contributor within
8-10 weeks.
A summary
record of the
collection will be
published on the VHP
website within 4-6 months.
we cannot guarantee
that your collection
will be digitized,
however, every
collection is
accessible through the
American Folklife Center
reading room.
There's no point
in keeping an
archive if nobody
can access the materials.
VHP strives
to make all of its
collections accessible, and
the easiest way
to do that is
to visit our
website at
www.loc.gov/vets
where you can search
our digitized collections
and our
Experiencing War features
and watch or listen
to the full interviews
of over 40,000
vets. As well
as browse photo
collections, and read
diaries, journals,
and memoirs.
If the collection
you want to see has
not yet been digitized,
just email us
at VOHP@loc.gov,
and we can schedule
an appointment
to view any
collection at the
Library of Congress
here in Washington DC
The Veterans History
Project is
easy to reach.
For more
information about
how to participate
in VHP,
find veterans' stories,
or access interviewers'
tools, contact us
or visit our website.
Connect with
VHP on
social media.
Learn about
collections through
posts and blog
publications and
programming updates.
We hope to
hear from you soon.
It would be
impossible for me
to tell America's stories
without the photographs,
footage, and
firsthand remembrances
that have been
archived by
individuals like you
through the years.
So please volunteer
to interview a veteran
For the Library of Congress
Veterans History Project
and preserve his or
her stories for
future generations.
Download a
how-to
Field Kit, and
a list of interview
questions, at
www.loc.gov/vets.
Help make history.