Proceedings of the Local Histories Workshops (Brandon, Manitoba, November 23, 1977 and April 26, 1978).

In recent years many Canadian groups have recognized their communities' centennials by undertaking the task of compiling and recording local history. Responding to numerous questions on producing local history books, the Centre staged two workshops to provide amateur historians with the kinds of information they need for such projects. Sessions at the workshops were devoted to five areas: (1) researching, (2) compiling and writing, (3) funding, (4) printing, and (5) distributing. For the research session a panel of speakers discussed such areas as the need for positive attitudes on the part of the researcher, the necessity of scheduling work time, potential local sources of information, and types of materials at the Manitoba Provincial Archives Collection. The sessions devoted to writing and compiling featured five speakers who discussed such topics as format; the need to include such information as maps, photographs, indexes and bibliographies; style; logical organization of a history; and the desirability of a unified, coherent story. One speaker suggested that a series of newspaper articles or slide or videotape shows might be preferable alternatives to a book. Sources of grants were provided in the session on funding, and the printing session speaker outlined eight steps toward a successful community history book. The final session was devoted to pricing, promoting, distributing and selling the finished product. (DS)