Oral History

Oral Histories

Oral history is a way of recording and preserving people’s memories, experiences, and perspectives in their own words. For centuries, history was shared orally before written records became common, and oral traditions continue to play an important role in many cultures, including te ao Maaori.

Modern recording technology allows these spoken histories to be captured and preserved, creating a rich record of lived experience that complements written sources.

What is oral history?

Oral history recordings capture the human voice, usually supported by a written transcript or summary. At Hamilton City Libraries, we collect both audio and video recordings.

When using oral histories for research, it’s important to understand that they reflect an individual’s memories and perspectives. Different people may recall the same events differently. These perspectives are valuable sources in their own right and provide insight that may not appear in written records.

What is in our Oral History Collection?

Hamilton City Libraries holds over 500 oral history recordings, covering a wide range of topics, including:

• Local architecture

• Immigration and settlement

• Hamilton suburbs

• Farming and rural life

• Hamilton Gardens

We also hold reference material for those interested in recording oral histories themselves. These resources are available on level 3 of Central Library. 

We are working to make more oral histories available through our Heritage Collections online, If you are unable to find what you are looking for, or would like help accessing recordings please contact us using the enquiry form below.

Library staff are happy to assist with research and access.