The BYU Speeches Website has undergone a complete redesign of its database of text, audio and video of CES firesides, devotionals and forums. BYU Publications and Graphics has worked closely with BYUTV to stream hundreds of talks to the new website, many more becoming available in the coming months.
They have also embraced social media, making talks more accessible in other venues by launching the BYU Speeches Youtube Channel and the BYU Speeches Facebook Page.
The new website's interface has adopted a more sleek and user-friendly feel enabling users to more easily access past CES firesides, talks, devotionals and addresses from prophets, apostles, university professors and presidents, as well as other forum speakers of note.
BYU has been publishing the words of its speakers since 1952 in the days of Brigham Young Academy, with the Extension Services Department and Delta Phi selling pamphlets for 15 cents each.
In the mid-1970s, they began to publish the speeches and addresses in yearly volumes, while also broadcasting speeches on the radio as well as television and widening the reach of these spoken words.
The BYU Speeches Website was launched in the mid-1990s, offering the text versions and some audio versions of speeches free of charge to the public. Since then, hundreds of speeches have been made available and the website has given way to millions of free downloads every year.
The value of the spoken word has always been important in a BYU education, and the new website will continue to make the many addresses available to the public.
“Our mission has always been to make these inspiring messages as widely available as possible,” Gardner said. “The new site and channel will extend their reach even further.”