Jeff Place was interviewed by Jen Page on July 7, 1996. Place was born in Palo Alto, California, in 1956 but grew up in Falls Church, Virginia. He received the M.L.S., specializing in archives, and worked at the Library of Congress Folklife Archives before coming to work at the Smithsonian in 1988. Place is an archivist and runs the Folklife Archives in the Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies (CFPCS). Place has also attended the Festival of American Folklife since 1970, either as a visitor, volunteer, or staff member. This interview discusses the type of work he does; who he works with, notably Stephanie Smith and Tony Seeger; how he came to work at the Smithsonian; his favorite part of the collection; his education; visiting the Smithsonian museums as a child; his first impressions of working at the Smithsonian; working for the Smithsonian in an off Mall facility; comparing the Folklife Archives with the Archives Center at the National Museum of American History; collaborating with other Smithsonian offices; his first day of work; a typical day of work; how his job has changed; his career and plans for the future; favorite projects he has worked on; goals for the Folklife Archives; the Smithsonian as compared to a government agency or private company; challenging aspects of his work; what working at the Smithsonian means to him; visiting the museums when he is not working; and changes at the Smithsonian.

Object Details

See more items in: Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews; Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews / Interviews

Collection Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9594, Smithsonian Memories Project, Festival of American Folklife Oral History Interviews