2.40 linear feet of textual records; 340 audio tapes; 8 audio CDs

The transcripts contained in this series were originally transferred to the Archives in the form of computer floppy disks. These disks contained transcripts and notes not only for the oral interviews conducted by the project, but also, in small number, transcripts of interviews conducted by Bank staff for their own purposes prior to the involvement of the Brookings Institution. All of the files on these disks were printed off by Bank Archives staff and folders were created according to interviewee name. Assuch, in some cases, transcript files will contain transcripts of either or both project or Bank interview.

Regarding the transcripts of those interviews conducted by the project, in some cases only general notes on the interview were made. In others, neither notes nor transcriptions were produced. Still others were transcribed but the tapes have not been located. None of the transcripts have been reviewed by the Bank Archives (i.e. checking the transcripts against the tapes, spell-checking, etc.) and no deeds of gift have been obtained.

At the first meeting of the project's advisory committee in January, 1990 the authors were advised to undertake a series of interviews. The authors agreed and embarked on an extensive interview program, ultimately talking with 149 persons. The interviews were conducted during the entire life of the project and included discussions with current and former Bank staff and executive directors, persons from related institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank, and prominent external observers of the Bank. Some of the interviews were noted in footnotes in the published volumes of The World Bank: Its First Half Century. Series contains dupicate reference copies of almost all of the original interview tapes.

A series of interviews were conducted during a research trip the authors made to India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines in November, 1991. These interviews were primarily with national leaders and focus particularly on the 1980s.

Some of the persons interviewed by the authors were also interviewed by the Bank's own oral history program; some also were interviewed by Robert Oliver for his biography of Bank president George D. Woods. The series also contains some of the transcripts from these older interviews.

Accruals are not expected.

Both files and tapes are arranged alphabetically by last name of person interviewed. Original and reference tapes are grouped separately.

The World Bank Group Archives is in the process of reviewing transcripts and obtaining deeds of gift for the interviews where needed. As per the deed of gift, audio tapes of interviews are not available for disclosure.

Records are subject to the Copyright Policy of the World Bank Group.

• English

• Spanish

• Records of the Office of the Historian -- World Bank History Project liaison records (WB IBRD/IDA HIST-04).

• See World Bank Group Oral History website.

• Robert W. Oliver collection on George D. Woods (WB IBRD/IDA WOODS).

• See Records of the Officeof the Chief Economist (WB IBRD/IDA DEC).

Internal World Bank Group Archives rules based on ISAD(G).

14 March 2008