Fairfield Library has been collecting the Oral Histories of its residents and has now achieved over 200 recordings, from people of backgrounds including, Assyrian, Lao, Polish, Spanish, Vietnamese, Pioneers and old Fairfield families, war veterans, police officers, mayors and members of parliament. The project promotes remote access to the oral history collection, improves digital archiving and brings council to the forefront of technological innovation.

5

 Volunteers and members of many ethnic community groups living in the Fairfield LGA

 -We called on to the community for volunteers

- We recruited and trained volunteers to conduct the interview utilising the SLNSW Oral history Association(OHA) for training and advice

-Select and purchase equipment again consulting OHA for both recording and transcribing. At the time we recorded in audio format

-Brain storming with Volunteers to help us identify community members who will share their memories and contribute to the project

-In 2006 we applied and received funding to digitise what recorded so far and purchase equipment to capture Oral histories in a digital format.

-Consulted our IT department on what equipment, systems and programs to purchase

We trained our volunteers son the new equipment

-We now outsource our transcribing, as monitoring transcriptions done by volunteers was a mammoth job that our existing staff did not have the time to do.

 Oral History Association SLNSW

 We record in wave files and have invested in a high tech microphone

 -Through the local newspapers with an official launch for the product

-Refer customers to the website as a source for capturing the history of the local area

-Link from Library and council's website

-Link from the Western Sydney Local Studies Website

 Digitising and making this collection available online serves the high demand of interest generated in the local community, as well as extending access to the rest of Australia and overseas so that it serves as a model of a successful multicultural community.