Welcome to Life History Services!

You are here because of a story that should not be lost, something precious, worth saving, sharing and learning from. Time marches forward, but we can capture what is meaningful before it slips away. Whether it is a personal history, family history, business, non-profit, or institutional history, Life History Services is here to help.

Since 1997, we have been offering archival-quality oral history interviewing, digital audio & video recordings, and memoir writing services across the nation and the globe. We are glad you found us. Your legacy is a meaningful and priceless heirloom worth capturing and sharing.

We are here to help you start today!

During COVID-19—
Many of us have more time and opportunity to reflect on where we have been, where we are now, and what we would like to pass on to the future. See our Remote Services for options available from the comfort of your own home. Also, please visit our Blog for insights, video and audio clips, and related articles.

Public History

Personal & Family History

Services Overview

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 wanted you to know how meaningful the making of the oral history was for me. You are just a pro.

Fae

Grandmother, California

You know how to make your interviewee comfortable and your questions come at the right time—they do not interrupt thought, but keep the conversation flowing; moreover, they lead to substantive answers.

Louis Heilbron

Attorney-Educator, California

All we can say is that we were overwhelmed! The videos and print biographies were beautifully done, the music was most appropriate and, according to our three children, we looked great! Seeing ourselves on the video and sharing many experiences that we had never shared with our children was beautiful. We wouldn’t want to change anything.

Katy & Shawki Ibrahim

Educator & Engineer, Parents & Grandparents, Indiana

I was pleased beyond any expectations. Anita has the technique and ability to make the interviewee feel comfortable.

Myer

Attorney, California

In oral history as in journalism, accuracy is paramount. As the retired Washington bureau chief of The Milwaukee Journal and its successor, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, I worked with Anita Hecht on the William Proxmire Oral History Project. Throughout the project, Ms. Hecht was thoroughly professional, but most importantly, the end product was impeccably accurate and professionally executed.

Frank Aukofer

Retired Journalist, Washington DC, US Senator William Proxmire Oral History Project of the Wisconsin Historical Society

My siblings and I used your services 16 years ago to record my parents’ life histories as a gift for their 60^th anniversary; however, I have found, particularly in the 4 years since my mother’s death that having this recorded hour with her where she blossoms back to life has been a treasure that I value more than words could adequately express. As a ritual that I now hold sacred, I watch the video twice a year.

Margot Keen

I thank you very much for the interest you placed in this work, based on your intelligent and skillful questions that did not interrupt the flow of the conversation, but were inserted at the appropriate places.

Rina

Daughter, Mexico

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

Your skills as an oral historian are impressive — from start to finish — from researching a hell of a lot of information to careful interviewing to a beautiful final presentation. You were not only informed, but you asked intelligent questions and listened thoughtfully and carefully. I applaud your efforts and I recommend you and your services without hesitation.

Congressman David R. Obey