StoryCorps Coming to Camden

The Camden Public Library is pleased to announce that StoryCorps will be coming to the Camden Library on May 9 to record the stories of our community. The project, “Every Story Counts: Everyday Stories for Everyday People” is funded by the Branta Foundation, and is a special one-day outreach to the community. StoryCorps provides people of all backgrounds and beliefs the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives. This is a great opportunity for community members to tell their own stories and to bring someone who is important to them along to listen.

There are six recording time slots available, and the library asks that people interested in participating stop by to pick up an application (or download the application form) and return it as soon as possible. There are three interview questions on the application from which to choose for what you would like to talk about on the day of the interview.

Nikki Maounis, Director of the Camden Library, says, “We are very excited to get StoryCorps here. As evidenced by their work, they are the real deal and we look forward to working with them on this project. After all, libraries are, and always have been, the keeper of the world’s stories! Facilitating the telling of those stories, and making sure they are recorded and preserved, is really just another part of our mission.”

Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 45,000 interviews with nearly 90,000 participants. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, and millions listen to their weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition. StoryCorps will also be in Brunswick, Maine, earlier that same week in May, recording important community stories at the Curtis Memorial Library.