COVID-19 Archival Project

Shortening the Distance Between Us:
COVID-19 Archival Project

A partnership between Clarkson University Libraries & Archives and the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences

Calling all Clarkson community members!

Students, staff, faculty, alumni, we invite you to collect and record stories – via phone – during this time of social distancing and isolation. The people whose stories you collect do not have to have a connection to Clarkson, except through you.

Call your parents, grandparents, children, siblings, friends, neighbors, anyone! Ask them about 1) what it’s like to live in the age of coronavirus, and/or 2) about their lives, and record what they have to say!

What have other Clarkson community members done?

Check out these COVID-19 Interviews conducted by Clarkson students for Laura Ettinger’s History of Public Health in America course.

What Can You Do?

You can help keep a record of this moment in history! Are you journaling or blogging? Would you like to interview friends and family about their experiences? We’d like to archive it!

Why Do This?

Stay connected and reduce social isolation! During this time of social distancing, collecting and telling stories helps to shorten the distance between us and create meaningful connections, especially across the generations.
Make history! Your recorded stories will be placed in Clarkson University’s Archives. People in the future will learn about what it’s like to live in 2020 and 2021 when they listen to the stories you’ve helped to create!
Show our collective strength and resilience! Learn from your loved ones about how they’ve gotten through hard times, such as the Great Depression, the Vietnam War, and 9/11.

Check out this article from The New York Times – Why You Should Start a Corona Virus Diary

Getting Started

For sample interview questions, click here.

For details on submitting to archives, click here.

For suggested technology, click here.

Submit