Frequently Asked
Questions
 Below
we have tried to answer the most common questions visitors may have.
If you find that your question is not answered on this page, please
email us
or call us at 616-248-2706.
What does this cost?
Cost of personal histories varies greatly depending
on whether the stories are preserved in audio, video, or print,
and even varies significantly within each of these media. Audio
is the least expensive and with MI-Stories.com starts at $300
and goes up from there. Because every story is unique, and what
you hope to accomplish may be unique, it’s really best to
discuss what you have in mind in order for us to give an accurate
quote. It could cost as little as a few hundred dollars to have
us preserve your family legacies for you.
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What will I have to
do?
Our CDs are unique in that they don’t require
too much effort on your part, they’re one of the least expensive
forms of personal history, and they preserve the voice. If you
have questions or topics you would like covered in the interview,
we need those beforehand. Then all we need are a variety of photos
to scan for use on the covers and labeling. We’ll provide
you a “proof copy” of the CD for you to listen to
and to check for spelling on the labeling. That’s about
all you have to do.
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Will my mother need
to travel to your office for the interview?
We do the interview wherever it is most comfortable
for the person we’re interviewing, usually in their own
home.
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Do I need to plan
my stories ahead of time?
No. In fact we prefer you don’t think “too”
much about your stories ahead of time. We lead the interview so
that you do not need to have anything prepared or memorized. Prior
to the interview we will ask if there are specific topics we should
cover and will direct the interview questions to cover those topics.
We later edit out our voice as much as possible.
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What if I change my
mind about something I said in the interview?
Before we produce the finished copies of your CDs
or DVDs we will provide you with a copy for your approval. You
will have the opportunity to make changes and corrections to the
content and the packaging without charge. Additions, such as adding
photos or doing more interviews, will cost extra.
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Do you do genealogy?
No. We recommend people interested in doing genealogy
to contact the Local History Department at the Grand Rapids Public
Library at 616 988-5402, ext. 5497.
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What if my relative
is suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia?
This varies with each individual. If your relative
has good days and/or can still remember things from long-term
memory, it’s possible to still capture some of those stories.
We recommend using old photographs or beloved items as memory
triggers and it can help to have a familiar person in the room
as part of the interview.
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Do you do video?
We currently do not record and edit video. If you
are looking specifically for a video product, we have people we
can recommend. We can coordinate video projects if desired.
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Do you take credit
cards?
We currently do not take credit cards, but will
begin accepting them as soon as the demand is consistent enough
to justify the costs involved.
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Who is the person
on your business card and website?
The person on our cards and website is Jennifer’s
grandmother, Gladys, formerly of Ludington, Michigan.
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