The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly has made its way all over the globe and into every corner of our lives. Its far-reaching reverberations have drawn comparisons to major historical episodes, such as the 1918 Spanish Influenza and the Great Depression. It is clear that we are living through an historic event that will have long-lasting effects on society, politics, the economy, and simply how we interact with one another.
In recognition of this historic moment, the Aurora Public Library (APL) is launching a city-wide project to encourage the residents of Aurora to document their personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and contribute them to the APL Archive. All members of the community are invited to participate. Your contribution will help us create a rich and diverse collection of experiences to give future researchers a broad and varied perspective of the ways in which Aurorans lived during this historic time period.
The Library is interested in your stories about the shift to remote instruction and learning for teachers, students, and parents; how work has changed for you; the ways you and your friends and family are staying in touch; and any other stories that convey your experience of the pandemic. The method of recording your thoughts during this time is up to you. Some suggestions include writing in a journal, recording voice memos, saving your social media posts, taking photos and/or videos, and creating multimedia works of digital storytelling.
To contribute to the APL Archive, those who live or work in Aurora can tag their photos, videos, and other relevant social media posts with #AuroraCovidArchive. The Library will collect physical materials when it is safe to do so. Please consider keeping a journal during this time to be submitted at a later date. Please note that by submitting your content, you are acknowledging that it is your own original work and you are granting the Library permission to use your content in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our day-to-day lives. Working, shopping, learning, and socializing look very different to many people. Future historians no doubt will study the over-arching impact of the virus on global and national levels. Just as important for future researchers, however, will be the records of how ordinary individuals experienced this extraordinary time. We want to ensure that we collect and preserve those documents of enduring value in Aurora.”
Archives often receive historical documentation years after something has happened. However, this project asks Aurorans to consider their own roles in history and to record their experiences in the moment. This kind of documentation allows primary reactions to be genuine and organic.
For more information, please visit aurorapubliclibrary.org/covid-archive. Alternatively, to view information about this project in Spanish, please visit aurorapubliclibrary.org/archivo-covid. Be sure to follow the Aurora Public Library on social media @APLibraryIL or check out the COVID-19 Archive webpage for updates about this initiative.