COMPACT Story Lab
The COMPACT Story Lab is an innovative digital space that supports transformative social change through the creation and preservation of oral histories (and associated materials), often created in collaborations between Brandeis University students, faculty, staff and community partners. The goal of the Story Lab is to honor the stories and experiences of individuals and groups that have too often been marginalized in mainstream histories and narratives. As well, the COMPACT Story Lab will preserve and celebrate the history of social justice activism and community engagement at Brandeis.
FAQs
Expand All
The following definition is from the Smithsonian Institution Archives:
Oral history is a technique for generating and preserving original, historically interesting information — primary source material — from personal recollections through planned recorded interviews. This method of interviewing is used to preserve the voices, memories and perspectives of people in history.
COMPACT created the Story Lab in collaboration with the Brandeis Library as a way to leverage university resources to meet the needs of our community partners including conducting oral histories and hosting a free, digital space to preserve and celebrate their histories.
Oral histories must meet the following criteria:
- The project reflects the priorities of a community partner organization.
- The project is a collaboration between Brandeis community members and a community partner organization.
- Interviewees have signed a non-exclusive agreement acknowledging their participation with Brandeis in this program (more on this below).
- The work supports transformative social change.
- The materials are accessible.
Still not sure? Please reach out to COMPACT's Associate Director Megan Moran for more information.
COMPACT staff will accept accessible materials including but not limited to:
- Audio files
- Videos
- Written transcripts
- Images
Materials will only be published once we retain signed Authorization and Release forms from participants (more below).
Community partners retain copyright of their interview and all associated media in the COMPACT Story Lab. All participants sign an Authorization and Release form that acknowledges their participation in the COMPACT Story Lab and grants Brandeis a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to reproduce, distribute and use parts or all of their interview and associated media. All materials in our lab are shareable and the content is free to the public.
- Consider enrolling in courses that will include coverage on oral histories, such as CESP 10a: Foundations of Community Engagement, and JOUR 116A: Oral Histories in Journalism: Changemakers in Profile.
- Reach out to COMPACT's Associate Director Megan Moran for more information.
COMPACT is happy to assist you in connecting with community partners. Please reach out to us at compact@brandeis.edu.
Yes! One of COMPACT's signature programs is our Community Engaged Research Fund. We have two grants available through this fund to support recipients in building ethical, reciprocal and sustainable research and creative projects with community partners, which may include oral histories.
- Reach out to COMPACT's Associate Director Megan Moran to set up a preliminary meeting to discuss your project.
- Set up a date for file transfer.
- Meet with our digital marketing specialist Destiny Kluck to discuss your materials and receive support re: metadata and associated media for your project folder in the COMPACT Story Lab.
- Materials are uploaded and approved by library staff.
- Share url link with community partners to their project folder.
Reach back out to COMPACT at with any additions or changes.
