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Tell VIRL Your Story

It’ll take a few minutes of your time but you’ll be forever part of Canada’s history.
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To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canada, Vancouver Island Regional Library has started an oral history project called “Tell Us Your Story”. (Citizen file)

It’ll take a few minutes of your time but you’ll be forever part of Canada’s history.

The Cowichan Valley’s four Vancouver Island Regional Library branches are participating in an Island-wide initiative in commemoration of Canada’s 150th anniversary and they want your help to make it happen.

“Tell Us Your Story” is designed to celebrate the unique stories of the nation’s ordinary citizens. Odds are the stories are far from ordinary.

“VIRL wants people from all our 39 communities to have the opportunity to have their stories heard so each branch has received a digital recorder,” said a press release issued by VIRL. “Staff are ready for you to come in and tell us your story. The entire process should take only a few minutes: after signing a consent form, you have 150 seconds to share a memory or anecdote related to Canada. This is your chance to be part of history!”

Sounds easy right? It is.

In fact, people have been taking to it so well that the program, originally slated to end in August, will be carried on into September.

“VIRL’s been out collecting recordings across the Island, including at Downtown Duncan Day and the Duncan Farmer’s Market, and this weekend we’ll be soliciting contributions Friday and Saturday while at the Cowichan Exhibition,” said Cowichan branch librarian Jeff Strain.

The end product will be a digital collection of the stories gathered by all the VIRL branches, which will be made available either on or through the main website and available in each branch.

How cool is that? So head on over to your favourite branch, or catch up with them at the exhibition, with your best story and be part of this oral history project.



Sarah Simpson

About the Author: Sarah Simpson

I started my time with Black Press Media as an intern, before joining the Citizen in the summer of 2004.
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