What We Offer

Given our modern digital world and its easy access to professional audio, video, and print technologies, as well as our ability to store unlimited amounts of information on personal computers, cloud storage systems, and the world wide web, the possibilities for capturing and sharing oral histories are endless. In short, oral histories come in many shapes, sizes, lengths, and formats.

We begin with a collaborative, guided conversation to help you assess and determine the recording format, topics, length, and budget of your project. A skilled interviewer and researcher then comprehensively gathers and professionally records your unique stories. At the conclusion of your project, you receive both hard copies and a digital oral history archive— beautifully designed to last as a legacy heirloom for generations to come

Our services include, but are not limited to the following. If you do not see what you are looking for, we can probably create it for you.

Your expertise not only in the interviewing part, but in lighting, positioning, was impressive. I felt like a film star being directed by an expert director.

Golda

Philanthropist, California

The preliminary meeting also made me more comfortable so that at the interview itself, I could relax, ignore the camera and just have a pleasant chat, reminiscing with you.

Melvin

Retired Businessman, California

Thank you for sending me my oral history. You certainly do exceedingly professional and interesting work, and I hope your services can continue to be put to good use with respect to many subjects and people!

Judge Richard Cudahy

United States Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit

My parents felt comfortable with you and shared details that might have been lost forever had you not been such an experienced and professional interviewer.

Edith

Editor, Wisconsin

Anita’s work is something we treasure. I have always believed in leaving a record of our family’s history to my children, grandchildren, and beyond, but I had no idea how captivating and meaningful the process would be. Our project soon became multigenerational, with Anita skillfully interviewing my parents, my wife’s parents, and my children as they grew up. Words are inadequate to express how much I treasure the gift these well-written and recorded family stories will be for my family as the future marches on. Anita is the best.

Scott Cook

Founder & CEO, Intuit

As the Archivist of Temple Emanu-El, an historic San Francisco congregation founded in 1850, my association with Ms. Hecht began in 2004 when she and I embarked on a project to digitize a series of decade-old oral histories she conducted in the 1990s. I cannot emphasize enough my respect for Ms. Hecht’s professionalism and for the initiative, creativity, and practicality she brought to our project. Furthermore, as I watched each of the interviews she conducted on behalf of Temple Emanu-El, I was especially struck by the sensitivity with which she guided her subjects. It was readily apparent that her preparation for each interview was extensive and that her ability to gain the trust of each subject and engage him or her in a lively, meaningful conversation was impressive. In addition, the supplementary written materials, which accompanied each interview could not have been more expertly produced.

Paula Freedman

Archivist, Edith S. Green Oral History Project of Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco, CA

I have done several limited oral histories for certain parts of my public life, but yours was more of a complete picture of my role as U.S. Secretary of Education. I am very pleased with the final product. You handled the interview, written biography, and transcript in a professional and effective manner. It would be a pleasure for me to recommend you to others for a very professionally-done oral history.

Richard Riley

Former U.S. Secretary of Education & Governor of South Carolina, States’ Impact on Federal Education Policy Oral History Project

I did not think that I was deserving of being put on tape. [However], this record of my personal history will give me a kind of immortality, touching the minds and hearts of my grandchildren.

Harold

Grandfather, California

I believe that your work will prove therapeutic to some who feel the loneliness of not being able to share memories of their lives. Thank you for your interesting and stimulating presentation.

Jan

Director, Senior Center, California

You conduct the interviews with insight, being inquisitive enough to make it interesting and yet with the discretion to make the person feel comfortable

Ariel Cojuc

Grandmother, Mexico