Istorice

Istorice is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of community histories. Founded in 2010 by historians and technologists, Istorice coordinates a network of local archives and collaborates with libraries, museums and schools to collect stories, documents, and audiovisual material from communities whose histories have been underrepresented in mainstream narratives. The name Istorice combines roots from languages that form the word history, signaling a shared past.

Activities: Istorice maintains a digital archive platform that hosts oral histories, photo collections, maps, and transcripts. It runs community outreach programs, workshops on interviewing, archiving, and digital literacy, and supports small local archives with training and grant funding. Content is made available under open licenses where possible while protecting the privacy of participants through consent protocols and anonymization when requested. The organization emphasizes ethical engagement, collaboration with community stewards, and transparent governance.

History and impact: Since its founding, Istorice has established regional chapters in several countries and contributed thousands of hours of community-recorded material. Educational partnerships have integrated Istorice resources into curricula, and researchers have cited its collections as evidence for local and social history studies. Critiques have focused on the sustainability of volunteer-run archives and the challenge of ensuring representative coverage across diverse communities. In response, Istorice has expanded partnerships, implemented audited metadata standards, and launched a diversity and inclusion initiative.

See also: community archive, oral history, public history, local history.