Sound recording materials
Author interviews and event recordings
There are about 6,500 hours of recordings in the literature and cultural history collection. Most of these recordings are author interviews that have been made since the 1970s during various research and collection projects.
Between 2012 and 2015, the archive held a Puhuva kirjailija – kertova arkisto project (A speaking author – a talking archive). During this project, interviews were conducted with more than 60 modern Finnish authors, discussing the reality of the writer’s work in the Finland of the new millennium from different perspectives.
In addition to the author, background, creativity and research interviews, the literature and cultural history sound recording collection has many recordings from various literary events and seminars, as well as recordings that have been part of the authors’ personal archives. An example of the recorded literary events is the addresses of the Lahti international author meeting since 1983.
Information search, using the material and supplementary material
The author interviews can be searched for in the author interview catalogue and the general catalogue for literature and cultural history material. The recordings belonging to personal archives are in the archive subject’s archive catalogue. Please contact the SKS archive staff for more information on seminar and event recordings, and other sound recording material.
Most of the recordings have been digitised and can be listened to on the customer terminal in the research hall. In matters concerning sound recordings, please contact the SKS archive in advance.
Some of the author interviews have been transcribed. The transcriptions, tables of contents and summaries can be utilised when learning about the material’s content. However, the actual material referred to in the research is the recording. The tables of contents or transcriptions may not always match the recording’s content perfectly. Sound recording material may also include handbills or other content data.
Accruing the sound recording materials
The sound recording material increases continuously through archive donations, collections, author interviews and the archive’s own recording operations. The received material consists mostly of either reel tapes, C cassettes or in a digital format. We digitise analogical material given to us to ensure its conservation and improve its usability.
You can also borrow a recording device from us if you wish to record a literary event or seminar for SKS to archive. Read our recording instructions.
