Densho continues to selectively collect the life histories of Japanese Americans and others who can speak about the World War II incarceration. See "About the Densho Photo and Document Collection" below for more information.

Densho is collecting life stories to represent a wide range of perspectives and experiences from a diverse geographic range. Densho does not have the resources to interview all candidates. We are interested in recording the experiences of individuals whose stories are not well documented.

You may fill out a short interview nomination form and submit it by mail, fax, or email info@densho.org. See Densho's criteria for selecting interviewees (or narrators).

Download Interview Nomination Form [pdf] [word]
Download Densho Criteria for Narrator Selection [pdf]

As a nonprofit organization, Densho relies on grants and donations to support our operating costs. We do not have a policy of producing individuals' interviews for a fee.

Densho works with other nonprofit organizations and volunteer groups who have the resources to preserve their communities' life stories. For more information, contact us at info@densho.org and ask about our Community Partner program.

After reviewing their interview tape, interviewees sign a release form. Densho retains copyright to the video interview and transcript. The video life histories are entered in the online Densho Digital Archive and are made available to registered archive users for educational purposes.

Our Other Resources page, "Oral History Resources" section, provides information about how to conduct oral histories.

The Densho Digital Archive contains diverse historical photographs from institutional and private collections. Photographs date from early immigration in the 1880s to redress in the 1980s and beyond. Subjects are families, businesses, the incarceration camps, military service,

Documents include government reports and communications, paperwork from the incarceration camps, personal letters, diaries, and artwork. Also in the archive are newspapers from all ten War Relocation Authority Camps.

On a selective basis, Densho continues to scan and digitize historical photos and papers that document the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans and related issues.

Densho does not collect physical photographs, documents, or objects. We scan photos and papers, occasionally photograph artifacts, and return the originals to the donor. If you have materials you believe would be appropriate for the Digital Archive, please fill out a short photo and document suggestion form and submit it by mail, fax, or email info@densho.org.

Download Photo and Document Suggestion Form [pdf] [word]

Densho content can only be used for research and educational purposes. Content is only to be used in context. It is also a requirement that users respect the dignity and privacy of interviewees.

Yes. To view examples of citations for different kinds of content from the Archive, see "How To Cite Densho."

It depends. You do not need Densho's permission if you can answer yes to all of the following questions.

• Is the use for either personal or limited use in teaching, scholarship or research?
• Is the portion that uses Densho materials small in relationship to the project?
• Is the use non-commercial?

If you answered "no" to any of the questions above, you need to get permission from Densho to use our materials.

It is free if you are able to download the materials and do not need Densho's permission for use (see above). There are service and handling fees if you need Densho to research, identify, duplicate or send materials to you. There are also licensing fees if you want to publish or distribute Densho materials. Densho's general fee schedule is listed below. For fees not listed, contact Densho at info@densho.org.

• Research costs - $90 per hour (staff time) billed in 30 minute units
• Processing costs - $90 per hour (staff time) billed in 30 minute units, plus material costs
• Postage and Handling - Actual postage plus $10 handling charge
• Licensing and Use
• Image - $25-$100 per image for non-profit use
• Video - $100-$900 per minute for non-profit use

The first step is to fill out and send us a Request for Permission and Materials Form (download below). After we receive a completed request, we will create and send you a Restricted Use Agreement and an invoice. When we receive the signed Restricted Use Agreement and payment, we will send our written permission along with the requested materials.

Please allow 1-2 weeks to process the requested materials.

Download Request for Permission and Materials Form [pdf] [word]
Download Sample Restricted Use Agreement [pdf]

We honor the confidentiality of our interviewees. If you would like to communicate with a particular person in our Digital Archive, you may send your request and contact information to info@densho.org or call 206-320-0095. If possible, we will forward your request to the person, and they can choose to respond.

We encourage researchers to use the topics list and Search function of the Digital Archive to find suitable interview clips and photos. Selected photos and video clips from the Digital Archive can be previewed in Densho website features such as "Sites of Shame." You can then call up the item by searching for the Densho ID number found in captions: for example, denshopd-i150-00091.

Densho does not have a speakers bureau. We cannot send former detainees or other speakers to your group. Depending on where you live, you could contact the regional Japanese American civic or cultural organization or Nisei veterans chapter for potential speakers.

Densho interviewees donated their life stories to Densho for preservation and education. We do not have permission to arrange for interviewing or researching by others. Depending on where you live, you could contact the regional Japanese American civic or cultural organization or Nisei veterans chapter for possible interviewees.

For sites of interest in your area, you could consult your local history museum, historical society, or public library reference desk for suggestions.

Web Browser Software

For the best experience in the Archive, Densho recommends Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Internet Explorer running on either Microsoft Windows 2000/XP or MacOS 10. Although not required, we also recommend XGA (1024x768) or higher screen resolution.

Javascript and Cookies

To use the Archive, you must have Javascript enabled in your browser. You also must have cookies enabled. (A "cookie" is a small data file that Densho places on your machine in order to save some information about your preferences. For more information about cookies and your privacy, see Terms of Use & Privacy Policy.)

Multimedia Software

The Archive uses technologies called "streaming" and "progressive download" to deliver audio and video clips. These technologies allow you to watch or listen to the presentation without having to wait for the entire file (which is usually quite large) to be transferred onto your machine.

There are several different formats popular on the Internet today. In the Densho Digital Archive, we use Adobe's Flash Media format. To view or listen to the clips in the Archive, you must have the Adobe Flash Player. Adobe has a free player version available for Windows and Macintosh machines that you can download using the link below:

If you are not sure whether the player will work on your computer, please read the technical requirements at Adobe's website before downloading.

In addition to streaming video and digitized photos, some of the digital items in the Densho Digital Archive are in Adobe's Portable Document Format, or PDF. To view these documents you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe has a free version available for Windows and Macintosh machines that you can download using the link below:

Internet Connection and Bandwidth

Streaming media technologies deliver the audio and video information to your computer as the media is actually playing, therefore, the speed or "bandwidth" of your connection to the Internet is very important. In order to view Densho videos, you must have "broadband" Internet service (e.g., cable modem, DSL or other >256kbs connection). You can listen to the audio-only versions of Densho media with a regular dial-up modem connection.

Sometimes, even with a high-speed connection, the quality of your experience may not be as you would expect. The video might appear blurry, the audio might skip or the player may stop and report that it is "buffering". Often, these problems are due to network congestion, and may resolve themselves if you simply try back later.

Note to Educators

If you are accessing the Archive from your school, we strongly recommend speaking with the person responsible for information technology (e.g., Instructional Technology Coordinator) before using audio or video clips in a classroom lesson. While the Archive uses standard Internet technologies, your school or district may have set up your software, computers or network connections in a manner that will require special configuration.

No. Registration is completely free thanks to the support of the many organizations, companies, and individuals who generously donate to Densho.

Yes, but please ask your parent or guardian for permission. If you are under 18, you will not be able to sign up for the Densho regular mailing list.

Remember that you should never give information about yourself to anyone without letting your parents know first. To learn more about how to protect yourself on-line, see the US FTC's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) FAQ website.

Yes. We ask that you notify us beforehand, and if you could share some details about how you plan to use the website we'd really appreciate it! We are very interested in hearing about your experience with the materials so that we can serve educators better.

Yes. Your email address serves as the main way for us to contact you.

Some of the foundations and governmental organizations that provide grants to support Densho require us to show that we are serving certain geographic regions. However, we only use this information in aggregate; we do not share any personally-identifying information with our grantors or anyone else. For example, in a grant application, we might say, "Densho has more than 1000 registered users in Whatcom County, Washington." For further details about how Densho collects and uses information related to your account, see our Privacy Policy.

Densho does not sell, rent, swap or otherwise disclose any Personal Information to third parties. If Densho is required to disclose information collected from our members in response to any legal process issued by a court, Densho will comply with the legal process after giving notice to any members affected by it unless a court order prohibits such notice. Our full Privacy Policy and Terms of Use are located here. The Archive Usage Application is available as a downloadable PDF here.

Ordinarily, a Densho staff member will review and approve your application within 1 - 2 business days. If you do not receive a confirmation email within several working days of submitting your application, please contact us. Some email spam filters will incorrectly identify the welcome message as unsolicited email; please check the spam folder or logs in your email program before contacting us.