Oral History Memory Lab Group Project
- Melissa Pepe
- Sep 6, 2025
- 16 min read
Sharing Stories was a semester long group effort for LIS 673: Management for Information Professionals to create a mock program. Our group worked together to outline a memory lab to share oral histories.
Chelsea Burk
Shawn Touchine
Rose Wynd
Jazmyn Winzer
Melissa Pepe
LIS 673 Final Project
Part 1
Organization
Description: Home to a community of diverse cultures, the Tucson Community Library provides learning spaces for literacy development and lifelong learning for children, youth, and adults. Through outreach activities and diverse services, the Tucson Community Library’s learning opportunities for the community is known for its creative and innovative approach to understanding the needs of the community and providing access to reading materials and literacy activities.
Services Provided/Intended audiences: There are a wide range of services provided from children’s programming, youth outreach, adult programs to multicultural programs. Children’s programming consists of STEM activities, story time, and food demonstrations. Youth outreach program will highlight book clubs, craft workshops, and adulting 101. Adult programs will range from gardening, tech tutoring, to walking and running clubs. Multicultural programming has increased the community library’s attendance with its Memory Lab/ Sharing stories project.
Audience(s) needs: The needs of the community at the library come from learning about the library patrons, non-patrons, established residents, and new community members through comment and suggestion boxes. Needs have been connecting people to information through books, the internet, databases, and promoting media literacy.
Mission: The mission of the Tucson Community Library is to serve its diverse community by providing support and access to information for knowledge, lifelong learning, and literacy.
Vision: The Tucson Community Library’s vision is a welcoming environment inspiring learning, inclusion, and connecting its members through shared experiences.
Statement of Values:
Access to Information: The library provides free access to information resources from books, the internet, databases, and tech equipment.
Inclusion:The library recognizes users as its primary focus promoting and raising cultural awareness.
Connection: The library promotes community connection of its diverse cultures.
Innovation: The library continually transforms with the ever changing environment serving the community needs.
Part 2
Organization’s Strategic Plan
Tucson Community Library will provide a space to encourage empowerment of voices and sense of community.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
Staff competence
Willingness to try new programming
Trained in customer service
Ability to adapt quickly
Spanish-speaking staff
Library
Established in the community
Increase in patron-use of materials
Surveys show patron interest for increased programming
Memory Lab
Library
Library Collections
Materials available in English, Spanish
Weaknesses:
No staff who speak Southwest Native American languages
Not using staff interests to greatest capacity
Opportunities:
Continued outreach to underserved communities
Expanding relationships with cultural partners
Threats:
Funding and budget cuts
Language barriers
Maintaining technology and staff trained to operate
Environmental Scan
Educational:
Higher education
U of A (Fall 2023): 53,187 enrolled students (University of Arizona, 2024)
Pima Community College (Fall 22): 17,014 (Pima County Community College, 2024)
Public high school
Tucson Unified District: 42,002 students (U.S. News & World Report, 2024)
Student demographics at Tucson Unified District (U.S. News & World Report, 2024)
White: 18.8%
Black: 6.4%
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.5%
Hispanic/Latino: 64.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native: 3.8%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 0.5%
Female: 49%
Male: 51%
Eligible to participate in the federal free and reduced price meal program: 50.9%
English language learners: 9.4%
Demographics
Population of Tucson, Arizona (2024): 546,574 (United States Census Bureau, 2024)
Age (United States Census Bureau, 2024)
Persons under 5 years: 5.4%
Persons under 18 years: 20.2%
Persons 65+ years: 15.2%
Gender (United States Census Bureau, 2024)
Female persons: 50.2%
White alone: 60.9%
Black or African American alone: 4.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 3.2%
Asian alone: 3.2%
Native Hawiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: .2%
Two or more races: 15.8%
Hispanic or Latino: 44.8%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 42.4%
Education (United States Census Bureau, 2024)
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2018-2022: 86.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2018-2022: 29.4%
Civilian Workforce (United States Census Bureau, 2024)
Gender
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2018-2022: 60.8%
Civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2018-2022: 57.6%
Economic/Social/Cultural (United States Census Bureau, 2024)
Median household income (in 2022 dollars), 2018-2022: $52,049
Median gross rent, 2018-2022: $991
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2018-2022: $218,200
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2018-2022: $1,373
Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2018-2022: $479
Households with a computer, percent, 2018-2022: 94.6%
Median household income (in 2022 dollars), 2018-2022: $52,049
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2022 dollars), 2018-2022: $29,009
Persons in poverty, percent: 19.6%
Strong Strategic Goal 1:
In the span of 1 year, we will address the community’s interest in increasing accessibility of digital materials by 20% through the implementation of programming and outreach to better inform the community members and patrons of the digital services and how to access them (made possible by the $3,000 from budget for these efforts).
Objective 1: Create programming/workshops to show patrons/community how to access digital materials
Objective 2. Create videos/tutorials to show patrons/community how to access digital materials
Objective 3. Implement an outreach plan to advertise the digital materials that we have and place them strategically (homepage of library website)
Strong Strategic Goal 2:
In the span of 1 year, we will budget $5,000 of library funds to address the community’s interest in increasing engagement and sense of community by creating and advertising an online platform where patrons and community members can upload materials to contribute to a participatory community archive.
Objective 1. Create a platform for this participatory archive.
Objective 2. Implement a campaign to advertise this archive and encourage participation and engagement.
Objective 3. Create and host workshops about participatory archives to increase interest and to show patrons and community members how to interact with the archives.
Part 3
Project Plan
Memory Lab Presents: Sharing Stories - Oral Histories Program
Who: TCL Library Staff, Volunteers / Interns, Special Collections / Digital Archives, IT department, Tucson community
What: Our project will be to create a patron training program to guide members of the community in collecting oral histories using this memory lab. Three major parts of this program include: in-person workshops, scheduled drop-ins, online tutorials.
When: 3-5 months
Where: Tucson Community Library Memory Lab
Why: Community connection & empowerment. Increased confidence in specialized skills. Connection to local information systems. Encourage more use of the memory lab and its resources.
Scope and expectations during the project
Project tasks:
Complete Grant Acceptance
Review reward guidelines
Sign award contract
Collect funds
Create projects team
Pick project manager
Pick project team members
Begin budgeting process
Create preliminary budget
Begin designing program
Create communication plan
Create in person lessons
Create print materials
Review
Revisit reward guidelines
Report to shareholders
Meet with library users
Revise Programming
Revise budget as needed
Review user statements
Revise program material as needed
Test programming
Train staff
Train volunteers
Build out media room
Purchase materials
Reorganize media room
Finalize program
Revisits reward guidelines
Update shareholders
Finalize program
Program roll out
Create story calendar
Create marketing materials
Create room reservations
Plan sharing stories event
Cost-benefit analysis:
Fulfill budgetary goals dependent on Memory Lab:
Make the most of investments in Memory Lab and higher-cost services by ensuring they have utility and are accessible for patrons.
Use resources that were provided by the Memory Lab Grant Provider ($30,000 budget), and that the library already has procured or has free access to (staff time, software).
Ensure that Memory Lab tools invested in are utilized well - ‘bang for your buck’ rather than ‘expensive bust’ can be determined by user error, and determine what features are of the most use for possible future fiscal adjustments.
Risk factors:
Lack of participation by patrons.
Lack of consistency in training leading to unreliable results.
Training provided may overlook issues that contribute to skewed/unreliable oral histories.
Staff time may not be well-utilized, leading to increase in financial and time commitments by the library.
Project products and deliverables
Setup (7-12 days)
Complete the grant acceptance
Create project team
Create preliminary budget
Draft Training Program (20-21 days)
Communication plan
In person lesson plans
In person lesson content (incl. print materials)
Review /Revise (27-31 days)
Present plans to shareholders
Solicit / analyze shareholder feedback
Revise training program accordingly
Test & Build Out Program (13-20 days)
Train practitioners (staff & volunteers)
Build out media room for sharing stories
Finalize Program (22-23 days)
Update shareholders
Finalize program materials & training
Program Roll Out (3-8 days)
Release story calendar & marketing materials
Room reservations
Sharing Stories Event
Reflection (18-25 days)
Participant survey sent out
Data reviewed for outcomes
Data reviewed for potential program improvements
Assumptions and constraints
IT is able and willing to collaborate with the library to enact proposed changes to the Memory Lab
Some solutions proposed by the library team may not be feasible within the bounds of the IT team’s priorities and abilities and/or the limitations of the website & resources being managed.
Training will require consistent computer and internet access for patrons and facilitators.
Interviews & training will be conducted with the utmost privacy, confidentiality for patron participants.
Project methodology and management
Schedule for project - functionality reviews every 2 weeks
Setup stage (7-12 days)
Draft Training Program (20-21 days)
Review / revise stage (27-31 days)
Test & build out programming (13-20 days)
Finalize programming (22-23 days)
Program Roll Out (3-8 days)
Reflection (8-16 days)
Tools and techniques that will be used to ensure quality
Checks & balances built into training to protect from ethical risks
Bias awareness development
Flexibility in instruction to allow for varied perspectives
Must submit informed consent forms prior to conducting oral history interviews
Must agree to standard memory lab use practices prior to beginning program
Understanding checks & balances build into training process
For facilitators:
Ensuring they understand the material
Ensuring they understand the raining medium(s) and how to troubleshoot
For participants:
Ensuring they understand the content being taught with understanding checks / benchmarks like quizzes, assignment progress submissions
Performance/quality standards
Oral histories created with the program must meet the following criteria:
Informed consent obtained
Contributors properly credited according to their wishes
Instructors must meet the following criteria:
Understand the training content & medium(s)
Trained by the project team
Training will ensure that participants:
Participants understand what oral histories are and how they are made
Participants understand the importance of informed consent of interviewees, and must obtain it to proceed with any project in the lab
Participants create an oral history that can be added to the library’s collection for increased community access, collaboration, and preservation.
Quality management roles
Project team:
Project coordinator - responsible for progress in the setup stage, is involved in each stage by conducting progress reviews and assisting when needed; responsible for ensuring the project aligns with grant guidelines
Training facilitator(s) - staff & volunteers responsible for designing & conducting training per coordinator’s directions.
Data analysis - staff & volunteers responsible for data analysis of stakeholder & participant feedback
Training
Staff & volunteers will be trained in the lesson plans, lesson content, performance standards, and memory lab equipment to ensure successful outcomes
Explanation of effort estimation
Types of staff required - library staff cross-section (admin, technical services, middle management, desk staff), volunteers
Quantity of work each member will need to allocate - 20-40 hours per week for staff, 3-5 hours per week for volunteers
Additional resources (facilities and equipment) required - media room for oral histories - will be covered by grant funds
Communications
The team will meet biweekly to discuss progress in assigned areas and plan next steps.
Other considerations
Work breakdown structure
Stakeholders and contact directory
Appendices
Memory Lab Oral Histories Program Needs Assessment
Purpose: Understand how the community can use the Memory Lab to better connect with each other, learn new skills, connect to local information systems, and create a larger sense of living community collaboration. Explore how an oral history training program may best fit that need.
Identifying patrons & key groups
We serve the Tucson community. Given our environmental scan, it’s clear that key demographic groups are our local hispanic & native american communities. Historically, the perspectives of these key groups have been diminished in local history narratives shared & taught in our educational organizations. Key groups also include students, families, and people experiencing poverty (nearly 20% of our community).
All of these groups’ experiences and stories are central to creating community in Tucson, but their stories are often not the ones told when discussing Tucson’s history. Most often, the patrons who come in with the skills and comfort level with specific equipment in the Memory Lab are our patrons who are not in the key groups identified above. Rather, they are often groups who are already well-represented in community storytelling & history.
We can increase the number of patrons from our key groups by creating a training program centered on enhancing their voice in the community by using Memory Lab tools in sharing their stories. This could encourage more key patrons to attain new skills in the Lab & empower our community.
Planning for data collection
For this project, we will collect data on Memory Lab usage before & after training implementation (demographics, hours of use, records produced, equipment/tools in-demand). We will monitor outreach response (interactions to social media marketing, attendance & interactions at outreach events). We will monitor participants’ progress in the training program, and follow-up after training.
With the help of a kick-off event, outreach, and word-of-mouth, we will guide patrons to this program so they may use our Memory Lab services better, specifically for oral history creation.
Our patrons tend to define success for Memory Lab use as being able to learn about or interact with equipment or tools that they can use for preservation projects of their own. Ideally, this means that they complete a project of their own using the resources in the Lab at some point. In this case, we hope to increase chances for success by providing a clear process for project completion. Our customers value acquiring new skills & being part of their community.
Our customers see new technology coming into their environment, and they may not know how to use it. We can encourage them to become competent in the Lab equipment by getting them comfortable using some starting equipment in a guided oral history project.
Collect data to identify customer needs
A combination of on-site observation, surveys, and interviews are the best ways to reach our key groups. On-site observation of use and training progress will provide crucial data on the impact of a training program on Lab competency & use. Surveys post-training completion will supplement our understanding of how patrons who participated feel the experience went, and what they might want to change. Interviews with stakeholders during development of the training program will help us identify how best to meet the needs of patrons and maintain good training standards.
Some sample survey questions for training participants:
How would you describe the ideal Memory Lab?
How would you describe the ideal Oral Histories training?
Has your project inspired others to come into the Lab? Tell us why or why not.
We will review the observational, survey, and interview data to determine if and how this program meets the need we’ve identified for greater access to tools that help our community share stories.
As we identify data trends, especially areas of improvement, we will need to communicate with stakeholders about potential changes to the program.
Budget
Resource | Funding source | Rate | Cost |
Staff time (project completed alongside regular duties) | Library funds for staff | $28.30/hour (avg staff rate) | $30,111 |
Volunteer time (recruit at least 2 to supplement staff costs) | Free agreement | $0.00/hour (per volunteer agreement) | $0 |
Memory lab equipment | Grant | Variable by equipment | $24,400 |
Training materials and/or medium(s) | Grant | Variable by project team discretion | $1,800 |
Marketing materials & outreach | Grant | Variable by project team discretion | $800 |
Total project cost | 50% library funds 50% grant funds | $14,277/month (avg cost per month) | $57,111 |
Gannt timeline
(see download attachment)
Ethical Risks for the Tucson Community Library
Intellectual property rights (who owns the oral histories):
To mitigate this risk the Tucson Community Library will clause a fair use and rights contract with those who participate in the oral histories to establish the user owns the rights to the creation but agrees to share it with the library catalog.
Privacy and Security Risks (digital enjoinment):
To mitigate this risk, the Tucson Community Library will install anti-virus software, malware, regularly upgrade computers, and all users will agree to standard terms and conditions of computer use.
Consent for interview (making sure parties involved consent and consent is obtained for sharing):
Signed consent forms will be available for users to use when interviewing others for oral history projects
Ethical Advertisement (social media/promotions):
The Tucson Community Library media department will review any social media or advertising promotions to make sure it is within state and ethical guidelines and not falsely advertising anything with intent.
Fair Compensation (volunteer workers):
Volunteers will sign an At Will Agreement noting they know they are not being paid for the work but providing it as a service to the library. Volunteer workers will be treated with respect and courtesy as any employee of the library. Volunteers may cease at any time for any reason with or without notice.
Moral and Ethical respect for different cultures:
The Tucson Community Library will continue to provide an environment open to all cultural backgrounds, options, and voices
Censorship of self-expression (are their restrictions?):
The Tucson Community Library will have some restrictions on content to maintain the guidelines of code of ethics such as not permitting hate speech, promoting violence or other violations. These guidelines will be part of the user agreement to utilize the technologies provided in the Memory Lab. The goal is not to censor but provide a safe space for all to self-express within respectful limitations as these oral histories will be part of the library catalog collection and shared. (possible implementation of content warnings)
OBPE Logic Model Worksheet
Logic Model Worksheet
Name: Rose Wynd, Chelsea Marie Burk, Melissa Joyce Pepe, Shawn Touchine, Jazmyn Winzer | Date: 4/30/2024 |
I. Situation: program partners and stakeholders | |
What is the program’s name? | Memory Lab Presents: Sharing Stories |
What partners are involved? | Library Staff |
Volunteers / Interns | |
Special Collections / Digital Archives | |
IT department | |
Tucson community | |
Who are the program’s stakeholders? | What does each stakeholder want to know? (Be sure to include yourself, your target audience, partners and any other stakeholders.) |
Tucson community | How to use the memory lab for oral histories. Why should they use the memory lab for oral history collection? What they get & give to the community by participating. Are their voices being heard? Are their oral histories being managed as they would want? |
The Tucson Community Library | Are we meeting the needs of the community? Are patrons learning what they need from the program? Are they engaging? Does this drive more patron use? Do we have adequate staff support to make this project happen? What does supporting this look like long-term? |
Memory Lab Grant Provider | How and how much is the memory lab being used? How it’s being advertised. Does it meet community needs? Does it fill the grant’s requirements? |
AZ History Museum | How can we share oral history information for mutual benefit of community, organizations & patrons? |
UA Special Collections | How can we share oral history information for mutual benefit of community, organizations & patrons? |
II. Program planning: connecting needs, solutions, and results | |
Who are the audiences? | The Tucson co/mmunity library patrons and the larger community it supports. Library patrons are 18+ years of age. |
What are the needs of the audience? | A sense of community & representation in their information institutions. Guidance on oral history creation & collection. |
What are some audience considerations? | Most patrons do not have the understanding and experience required to walk in and use the specialized equipment in the memory lab for oral history creation. Most patrons don’t know how to collect or structure oral histories. |
What solution fulfills the needs? | Create a patron training program to guide members of the community in collecting oral histories using this memory lab. Three major parts of this program include: in-person workshops, scheduled drop-ins, online tutorials. |
What will be the desired results? | At least 20% of patrons trained through the program produce oral histories that align with program guidelines. |
III. Logic model summary: program purpose statement | |
We do what? | Our project will be to create a patron training program to guide members of the community in collecting oral histories using this memory lab. Three major parts of this program include: in-person workshops, scheduled drop-ins, online tutorials. |
For whom? | The Tucson community library patrons and the larger community it supports. |
For what outcome/benefit(s)? | Community connection & empowerment. Increased confidence in specialized skills. Connection to local information systems. Encourage more use of the memory lab and its resources. |
IV. Program elements | |
Inputs | Outputs (or counts) |
Technology tools & materials in the Memory Lab | Hours per use; Records produced; Number of users |
Marketing / Outreach (Social media, flyers, etc.) | Number of interactions across all platforms |
Grant money | Number of dollars spent on technology tools in the Memory Lab; Number of dollars spent on personnel |
Activities | Outputs (or counts) |
Hiring volunteers / interns to process materials & service technology tools | Number of hours contributed; Number of records processed |
Training volunteers / interns / library staff to instruct patrons on utilizing the Memory Lab | Number of hours contributed; Number of trainings completed; Number of practitioners trained; Number of practitioners deemed competent |
Analyzing survey of participants responses | Number of positive responses; number of neutral responses; number of negative responses |
Developing the training program for Memory Lab (for users & participants) | Number of hours contributed; Number of training materials / parts in the program |
Services | Outputs (or counts) |
Instruction on conducting oral history interviews | Number of users trained; |
Instruction on using technology tools in the Memory Lab | Number of users trained; Number of returning users |
Memory Lab provided oral history prompts | Number of projects completed; Number of returning users |
V. Outcomes | ||||
Outcome 1: Training participants can describe oral histories and know how to create/collect them. | ||||
Indicator(s) | Applied to | Data Source | Data Interval | Target |
# and % of training participants who can accurately describe how to create/collect oral histories | training participants | Observation / assessment (as part of the training) | At start of training; at end of training | At least 90% increase from first assesment |
Outcome 2: Training participants conduct & collect an oral history interview. | ||||
Indicator(s) | Applied to | Data Source | Data Interval | Target |
# and % of training participants who return for more training | training participants | Organizational records | At the start of each training session following the first | At least 50% of trainees return for additional training |
# and % of oral histories completed per training participant | training participants | Participant projects | End of training program | At least 1 oral history completed per person. |
# and % of training participants who complete oral histories | training participants | Participant projects | End of training program | 70% of training participants complete an oral history. |
Outcome 3: Local community is empowered by participating in their own history. | ||||
Indicator(s) | Applied to | Data Source | Data Interval | Target |
# and % of interviewees whose well-being was improved by sharing their stories | interviewees from the local community | Anecdotes Survey / feedback form | After completion of the oral history interview | 30% of interviewees report sense of well-being improvement |
# and % of training participants whose well-being was improved by collecting local stories | training participants | Observation / assessment (as part of the training) Anecdotes Survey / feedback form | Ongoing | 30% of people report sense of well-being improvement |
Outcome 4: Training participants are effectively supported by the library’s oral history training resources developed. | ||||
Indicator(s) | Applied to | Data Source | Data Interval | Target |
# and % of training participants who rate the library’s oral history training as an effective or highly effective resource for support in creating oral histories using the memory lab. | training participants | Survey / feedback form | End of training program; 2 years after participation | At least 75% of training participants rate as effective |
# and % of training participants who rate the library’s oral history training as an effective or highly effective resource for support in understanding oral histories. | training participants | Survey / feedback form | End of training program; 2 years after participation | At least 75% of training participants rate as effective |
Press Release
Tucson Community Library
PRESS RELEASE
April 20, 2024
For Immediate Release
Jane Doe: (555) 555-5555, janedoe@tcl.org
SHARING STORIES: TUCSON COMMUNITY LIBRARY UNVEILS COMMUNITY ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
The Tucson Community Library is dedicated to empowering our diverse local community. As part of this initiative, The Library’s Memory Lab is kicking off the “Sharing Stories” program with a special event. The “Sharing Stories” program guides community members through the process of creating an oral history, with a special focus on collecting local history.
The special event will take place on May 1st, 2025 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at the Tucson Community Library’s Memory Lab, located at 555 W. 5th Street, Tucson, AZ 85555. This event will feature food trucks, live music, live art, and speakers that reflect the local community. Staff and volunteers will be available to provide more information about the “Sharing Stories” program.
Everyone is invited to attend the event, learn more about the Sharing Stories program, and join in creating a community archive to preserve local history and empower community voices.
For more information about the Sharing Stories program, please visit our website at: tcl.org/sharingstories.
References
Pima Community College. (2024). Quick facts. https://www.pima.edu/about-pima/quick-facts/index.html
U.S. News & World Report. (2024). Tucson unified district. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/arizona/districts/tucson-unified-district-4403-111352
United States Census Bureau. (2024). QuickFacts. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/tucsoncityarizona/PST045222
University of Arizona. (2024). Enrollment. https://uair.arizona.edu/content/enrollment
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