A new effort by the University of New England Department of Special Collections, UNE Together Apart: A COVID-19 Documentation Project, aims to collect the personal stories of students, faculty, and staff about how they have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The University's administrative response to the pandemic will be documented, but UNE Together Apart hopes to preserve the voices of individual members of the University community during this unprecedented time.
UNE archivist Zachary Enright said those stories are important because they paint a much broader picture of what life is like for people right now.
"This seemed like the natural thing to do. As an archive professional, when something historically significant happens, you start thinking of how you are going to document it and remember it," Enright said. "Of course, the formal response to this is going to get recorded, but it is the personal, individual stories of regular people who aren't normally heard from that are important to document."
Enright said the project will also serve as an educational tool for future UNE students, especially for those who are still young children and may not understand the severity of the pandemic situation.
"The research value of this years from now is obvious, but I think of young children for whom this experience has been and will be so formative," Enright noted. "They will be able to use this collection as UNE students and be able to gain invaluable perspective on an experience they are currently unable to fully process."
All UNE community members are encouraged to participate by submitting materials documenting their experiences. Submissions can include photos, videos, journals, video diaries, social media posts, essays, artwork, and more.
Archivists are particularly interested in submissions outlining people's experiences on campus before spring break, the transition to an online experience, life while away from UNE, and how people are staying connected.
For more information about the project, or to make a submission, please visit the UNE Together Apart website, or contact Zachary Enright at [email protected].
