Dublin Core
Title
Submission form for written histories for the Traverse Area District Library Lifestory Center, from "Food for Life on Two Peninsulas" oral history program, 30 January 2016
Subject
Oral history.
Description
Submission form for written histories for the Traverse Area District Library Lifestory Center, from "Food for Life on Two Peninsulas" oral history program, 30 January 2016. This was an alternative for people who did not show an interest in recording an oral history of their farming experience, but might be interested in providing a written account for inclusion in the Lifestory Center archives.
Creator
Amy Barritt, 1984-, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City (Mich.)
Source
None.
Publisher
Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City (Mich.)
Date
30 January 2016
Contributor
None.
Rights
CC BY-SA 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Relation
Food for Life on Two Peninsulas: Stories from Old Farm Families, Migrant Workers, and the New "Foodies" of Grand Traverse Bay, An Oral History Collection
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Document
Identifier
food4life-lifestorycentersubmission
Coverage
Michigan, United States
PDF Text
Text
Lifestory Center Submission Information
Traverse Area District Library
Food for Life on Two Peninsulas: Stories from Old Farm Families, Migrant Workers, and the
New “Foodies” of Grand Traverse Bay, An Oral History Collection
January 30, 2016 Recorded at Grand Traverse Resort Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference 2016
What is the Lifestory Center?
The Lifestory Center (LC) is where life stories are kept for use by the public. The purpose of the LC is
to archive, celebrate, and disseminate personal stories of our times and people. Life stories are
snapshots of a time or place… slices of ordinary life as well as memorable moments that shape a life
or a society. The stories submitted to the LC should be stories about our lives and our history from a
personal point of view. The stories that are accepted will be available to the public, as long as the LC
exists.
Who sponsors it?
Traverse Area District Library (TADL) acts as steward for the LC, which is housed in the Woodmere
Branch of the Library. Originally, it was created in cooperation with Northwestern Michigan College’s
Extended Education Services and a grant from Michigan Council for the Humanities in 2000. Since
then, we have partnered with various groups considered subject experts in their field, to grow the
collection.
What does it look like?
The LC includes both written stories and audio recordings. The written stories are preserved in
hardcover notebooks in the Nelson Room on the 2nd Floor of the Woodmere Branch, TADL. The
stories in either format are catalogued in the Library’s primary catalog database.
How do I submit a story?
Audio recordings require equipment available at TADL. For persons interested in that option, please
contact the Reference Department at the Woodmere Branch, TADL for more information.
For written stories, please follow these steps:
1. Pick up a submission form from TADL, Woodmere Branch Reference Desk.
2. Review submission guidelines carefully before submitting.
3. Fill out the Lifestory Submission Form and attach it to two copies your story. Return your
package to the Woodmere Branch Reference Desk. DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR ONLY COPIES!
What happens after I submit?
Your submissions will be reviewed by Library staff, and accepted or returned with ideas about how to
help it fit the LC collecting scope. Generally, if your story is written in the first person point of view as
a personal narrative and follows the formatting and guidelines, it will be accepted. You will be
contacted within a month.
Lifestory Center Submission Guidelines
Traverse Area District Library
What should my life story look like when submitted?
A story should be up to 4,000 words, typed/keyed, doublespaced on standard 8x11” white paper on
one side only. Use a plain, readable font like Times or Arial in 12 pt. Include a title page with your
name, address, phone, email, and title of the piece. Each page after the title page should be
numbered and each page should have your last name and a key word from the title in the upper
righthand corner. Staple or clip the submission form to the top and submit two copies to the LC.
What are the criteria for a life story?
We will accept a variety of stories covering events throughout the last century. These stories should
be written from the first person point of view and written as a personal narrative. The stories should
be something you experienced. Though we are interested in stories that hold historical value (e.g.,
witnessing the inauguration of a president, 9/11), we are also interested in stories of ordinary life
(e.g., your first car or tractor and what happened to it). Your story may be comic or serious, reflective
or objective. Please look at the book,
Looking Over My Shoulder: Reflections on the Twentieth
Century
, for examples. Copies are available at TADL to borrow.
What’s most important about my writing?
Keep in mind the basics of good writing. As a quick test, ask yourself the following:
1. Does my story have an attentiongetting beginning?
2. Have I used good descriptive language, strong verbs, specific concrete language?
3. Have I replaced cliches with fresh language?
4. Did I use dialogue?
5. Does the story have interesting characters?
6. Does it have a beginning, middle, and end?
7. Does it say something interesting and important?
What if I’d like some guidance?
If you’re not sure about your writing, and have already reviewed
Looking Over My Shoulder
for good
models, please speak to a Reference Librarian at TADL, Woodmere Branch. We may have an
experienced writer willing to meet with you. Or, consider taking a course through Northwestern
Michigan College’s Extended Education.
Who can I contact for more information or to submit a story?
Traverse Area District Library
Attn: Lifestory Center, Adult Services
610 Woodmere Ave.
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 9328502
ask@tadl.org
Traverse Area District Library
Food for Life on Two Peninsulas: Stories from Old Farm Families, Migrant Workers, and the
New “Foodies” of Grand Traverse Bay, An Oral History Collection
January 30, 2016 Recorded at Grand Traverse Resort Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference 2016
What is the Lifestory Center?
The Lifestory Center (LC) is where life stories are kept for use by the public. The purpose of the LC is
to archive, celebrate, and disseminate personal stories of our times and people. Life stories are
snapshots of a time or place… slices of ordinary life as well as memorable moments that shape a life
or a society. The stories submitted to the LC should be stories about our lives and our history from a
personal point of view. The stories that are accepted will be available to the public, as long as the LC
exists.
Who sponsors it?
Traverse Area District Library (TADL) acts as steward for the LC, which is housed in the Woodmere
Branch of the Library. Originally, it was created in cooperation with Northwestern Michigan College’s
Extended Education Services and a grant from Michigan Council for the Humanities in 2000. Since
then, we have partnered with various groups considered subject experts in their field, to grow the
collection.
What does it look like?
The LC includes both written stories and audio recordings. The written stories are preserved in
hardcover notebooks in the Nelson Room on the 2nd Floor of the Woodmere Branch, TADL. The
stories in either format are catalogued in the Library’s primary catalog database.
How do I submit a story?
Audio recordings require equipment available at TADL. For persons interested in that option, please
contact the Reference Department at the Woodmere Branch, TADL for more information.
For written stories, please follow these steps:
1. Pick up a submission form from TADL, Woodmere Branch Reference Desk.
2. Review submission guidelines carefully before submitting.
3. Fill out the Lifestory Submission Form and attach it to two copies your story. Return your
package to the Woodmere Branch Reference Desk. DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR ONLY COPIES!
What happens after I submit?
Your submissions will be reviewed by Library staff, and accepted or returned with ideas about how to
help it fit the LC collecting scope. Generally, if your story is written in the first person point of view as
a personal narrative and follows the formatting and guidelines, it will be accepted. You will be
contacted within a month.
Lifestory Center Submission Guidelines
Traverse Area District Library
What should my life story look like when submitted?
A story should be up to 4,000 words, typed/keyed, doublespaced on standard 8x11” white paper on
one side only. Use a plain, readable font like Times or Arial in 12 pt. Include a title page with your
name, address, phone, email, and title of the piece. Each page after the title page should be
numbered and each page should have your last name and a key word from the title in the upper
righthand corner. Staple or clip the submission form to the top and submit two copies to the LC.
What are the criteria for a life story?
We will accept a variety of stories covering events throughout the last century. These stories should
be written from the first person point of view and written as a personal narrative. The stories should
be something you experienced. Though we are interested in stories that hold historical value (e.g.,
witnessing the inauguration of a president, 9/11), we are also interested in stories of ordinary life
(e.g., your first car or tractor and what happened to it). Your story may be comic or serious, reflective
or objective. Please look at the book,
Looking Over My Shoulder: Reflections on the Twentieth
Century
, for examples. Copies are available at TADL to borrow.
What’s most important about my writing?
Keep in mind the basics of good writing. As a quick test, ask yourself the following:
1. Does my story have an attentiongetting beginning?
2. Have I used good descriptive language, strong verbs, specific concrete language?
3. Have I replaced cliches with fresh language?
4. Did I use dialogue?
5. Does the story have interesting characters?
6. Does it have a beginning, middle, and end?
7. Does it say something interesting and important?
What if I’d like some guidance?
If you’re not sure about your writing, and have already reviewed
Looking Over My Shoulder
for good
models, please speak to a Reference Librarian at TADL, Woodmere Branch. We may have an
experienced writer willing to meet with you. Or, consider taking a course through Northwestern
Michigan College’s Extended Education.
Who can I contact for more information or to submit a story?
Traverse Area District Library
Attn: Lifestory Center, Adult Services
610 Woodmere Ave.
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 9328502
ask@tadl.org
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
PDF
Text
OCR text extracted using PDF Text Plugin v. 1.0.1, Omeka v. 2.3
Item Relations
This item has no relations.