War and Remembrance

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Meg McCaffrey -- School Library Journal, 07/01/2003

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The Library of Congress Veterans History Project at the American Folklife Center (www.loc.gov/folklife/vets) features personal accounts from veterans of World War I through the recent war in Iraq. The digitized stories can be heard with the aid of RealPlayer or can simply be read online. These moving narratives include those of a nurse who served in Vietnam, and a veteran of the Persian Gulf War who was stationed in the oil fields. There's also a riveting account of a D-Day veteran who "carried the maps" onto Omaha Beach, and later helped free prisoners of Dachau. The narratives are culled from letters, diaries, and interviews recorded in private homes, retirement communities, VFW halls, and libraries. The sound quality of the recordings is not always superb, but the accounts are moving nonetheless.

"The accounts just give a more personal, intimate, and realistic view of war," says Helen Dalrymple, the library's senior public affairs specialist.

The project is a long-term venture and more personal stories will be added. Libraries, schools, and civic groups are encouraged to get in touch with veterans. "The idea is to get daughters interviewing their dads and neighbors interviewing neighbors," says Dalrymple.

The Web site offers detailed guides to help libraries and schools start their own local projects. It's a nationwide history effort relying on volunteers rather than professional historians to collect stories. The American Library Association is another partner in the project.