Frequently Asked Questions: Veterans History Project

Please allow Veterans History Project (VHP) staff 12 to 18 months from the date of receipt to fully incorporate collection materials into the Library of Congress’s permanent collections. After this time, an online service summary record will appear on our website, showing that the collection has been processed and added to our collections.

Each service summary record includes the veteran’s name, military service details, interviewer’s/donor’s name and affiliation and collection information. The service summary record may not include links to collection material such as the interview. If collection materials have been digitized, they will be immediately accessible from the veteran's item record. Please note that online display of collections is not exhaustive due to the volume of submissions VHP receives.

While we understand it is more convenient to view the full collection online, all of our collections are available for viewing by appointment in the American Folklife Center's Reading Room, located in the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. With the high volume of collections we hold, and limited resources we have for digitization, we cannot accurately predict when and if collections will be made viewable online.

VHP will send veterans and donors acknowledgement postcards within eight to 10 weeks of receipt. The acknowledgment of receipt verifies that your materials have reached VHP and are being reviewed for acquisition (please see the FAQ: “Is there a deadline for submitting materials?” for additional information).

To inquire about the status of your submission, please search for the veterans name in our online database. If your submission does not appear, you may email vohp@loc.gov or call 888-371-5848.

Please note: If you participated in VHP via a volunteer organization, e.g., school, university, DAR, VFW, etc., we will not be able to provide you with the status of your collection until we receive your materials from that organization.