Generating knowledge for archives, libraries and museums

oral history research methodology in the twenty first century

Abstract

This article focuses on our empirical two-days Pre-Conference Training on Oral History at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) Library. It offers conversation on the significance of oral history research methodology in the generation of knowledge found in archives, libraries, and museums in 21st-century Africa. The rationale for our paper is based on our notes after the training to demonstrate that when oral history is “reduced” into writing, its methodology and methods contribute to the generation of knowledge documented, stored, preserved, presented, and accessed by the users in archives, libraries, and museums. Our article uses selected oral history case studies from the authors’ previous work with oral history methodologies, both in their workplaces in Lesotho and South Africa, and for their MA and PhD dissertations in the interrelated disciplines of history and heritage that they conducted in these countries. The authors share their practical experiences working on oral history research, and their findings are that the oral history research methodology and methods are significant in generating knowledge for the archives, libraries, and museums as institutions charged with storing, documenting, preserving and disseminating knowledge production; and granting access to the users.