The Cowles Library Oral History Initiative

The scholarly significance of oral history is in documenting people's memories and life experience, which otherwise might never have been recorded. From an educational perspective, oral histories add richness and personal perspective to the historical record and can engage students and scholars in a lively study of history. The voices and reflections of some of the most influential people at Drake University can be found within The Cowles Library Oral History Initiative.

Our Mission

The Cowles Library Oral History Initiative records and preserves oral histories of members of the Drake community, interviewing long-time faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Drake University. The interviews capture unique personal perspectives on Drake's creation, development, and growth. It is our purpose to gather and preserve information, making it available to scholars interested in the history of universities and in the history of Drake University in particular.