Several local museums and libraries, including the UNMC McGoogan Library of Medicine, are joining in an effort to collect the stories of how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the lives of Nebraskans. All are seeking to document this time in history through collection of objects, stories, photographs and more.
The eight organizations include:
- The UNMC McGoogan Library of Medicine
- The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Criss Library
- The Douglas County Historical Society
- The Durham Museum
- El Museo Latino
- The Great Plains Black History Museum
- History Nebraska
- The Sarpy County Museum
“In partnership with other local institutions, we are striving to document our ‘present’ history for future residents; our stories of struggle and triumph deserve to be told to future generations,” said Becky Putzer, collection manager at The Durham Museum.
“We tend to hear that this is an ‘unprecedented time,’ but there have been a lot of those times in human history,” said Carrie Meyer, assistant professor and head of special collections and archives at the McGoogan Library. “The only way we know about them is someone decided to write down their thoughts, feelings, and emotions; to create a chronicle of what happened to them and their world. We want to do this for the coronavirus era. Things will not be the same in our world after this. It’ll be a new normal. And it’s our opportunity, responsibility, and privilege to document as much as possible for future generations.”
Submissions can be made at any of the organizations participating. Below is a listing of what each organization is collecting.
UNMC McGoogan Library of Medicine
Launching a campuswide project to encourage UNMC and Nebraska Medicine students, staff, faculty and alumni to document their personal experiences during the COVID-19 outbreak and contribute them to the library archive. Submissions of all physical and digital materials are welcome. Employees with a UNMC ID can make submissions here.
UNO Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections
Seeks to collect photos, journal entries, reflections, interviews, photo essays, drawings, plays, and other creative forms of documenting that reflects your own experience during this time.
Douglas County Historical Society
Seeks to collect photos of life during this time in Omaha, Ralston, Waterloo and Elkhorn. Also collecting interviews with Douglas County residents.
The Durham Museum
Seeks to collect handwritten letters, photos, journals, art and artifacts (objects) related to the local experience in the time of pandemic.
El Museo Latino
Seeks to collect Latino, Latino American and Latino Immigrant experience through digital images, oral history and stories during the COVID-19 pandemic in Omaha.
Great Plains Black History Museum
Seeks to collect artifacts (objects), and digital content to document the African-American community experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Omaha.
History Nebraska
History Nebraska seeks to collect objects, photos, journal entries, and other media to document the views and responses of individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities to COVID-19 in Nebraska.
Sarpy County Museum
Seeks to collect objects related to Sarpy County, its communities and their people. Ideally, the museum would be looking for objects such as signs, masks, receipts, letters/journals or photos, experiences and anything else to help further tell this chapter in history from a local Sarpy County perspective.
See more about each institutions’ contact information and collection plans.