We are heartened to see so many libraries, archives and local history organizations collecting materials and stories that document this unique and historic moment, the impact of COVID-19 on lives and communities across Wisconsin. Each project has its own focus; some emphasize a specific geographic location or population while others concentrate on a format such as images, stories or oral histories and artifacts. Likewise, these projects use a variety of methods for rapid and remote collecting including web or Google forms to collect stories, virtual interviews using Zoom or other phone-based technology, or systems that allow users to submit materials directly to an institution or online collection such as Omeka.
Wisconsin-focused COVID-19 projects:
(updated 6/18/2020)
- La Crosse Public Library Archives – Documenting Community Voices
- Marathon County Public Library – Community Writing Project
- Madison Public Library – Madison Living History Project: Stories from a Distance
- Manitowoc County Historical Society – Telling Your Story: Documenting COVID-19
- Marathon County Historical Society – Tell us your stories!
- UW-Eau Claire and Chippewa Valley Museum – Chippewa Valley COVID-19 Archive Project
- Alverno College – Alverno COVID Archives Project
- Lawrence University Archives – COVID-19 Stories
- UW-Parkside Archives – Documenting COVID-19 at UW-Parkside
- UW-River Falls – COVID-19 Stories
- UW-Madison Archives – Documenting COVID-19
- UW-Milwaukee – A Milwaukee County Coronavirus Digital Archive
- Wisconsin Historical Society – COVID-19 Journal Project
Are you contemplating or working on a project to document the impact of COVID-19 on your Wisconsin community? Let us know at info@recollectionwisconsin.org. We’d love to follow and share your work.
The Society of American Archivists’ Documenting in Times of Crisis: A Resource Kit provides templates and documents to assist you in collecting materials amid unprecedented and unanticipated situations.
Stay safe and take care of each other!
