Developing Oral History in Chinese Libraries

Compared with oral history in most Western countries, oral history theory and practice in Mainland China lag behind in both study and practice. This paper outlines the experience of oral history work in the Shantou university library, and the types and features of the oral history collected by the library. It examines problems in the development and utilization of oral history in Mainland Chinese libraries and offers suggestions for the development of oral history in libraries in Mainland China, and other developing countries.