Beginning in Fall 2005 under the direction of Director Dr. Lisa Pruitt, the Albert Gore, Sr, Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University, pursued an initiative to document the experiences of as many Katrina evacuees and first responders living in Middle Tennessee as possible through the medium of oral history. Gore Center staff, students, and volunteers conducted interviews with evacuees; volunteers from churches, the American Red Cross, and students; members of the National Guard; the Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Administration; FEMA veterinary responder; and representatives of the American Association of State and Local History who assessed impact on cultural institutions. Tapes and transcripts of the interviews are a permanent part of the Gore Center's Middle Tennessee Oral History Collection. This collection, "Narrating Katrina Through Oral History," includes 48 audio files of interviews.