The Library of Congress and the Chicago History Museum are collaborating to preserve and catalog thousands of unique and endangered sound recordings.
They come from the museum's Studs Terkel collection and WFMT radio programs.
Terkel amassed a wealth of stories in his more than 50 years as radio host.
In all, 7,000 tape recordings will be digitally preserved. Terkel died in October 2008 at age 96.