Los Angeles Public Library Seeking Contributions for “Safer at Home Archive”

While we’re living the “Safer at Home” life at the moment, it may be hard to remember at times that no matter how real and immediate the situation is right now, at some point it will quickly shrink and then disappear in our collective rear view mirror.  But the Los Angeles Public Library is already thinking about that…and has launched a call for materials for a new collection to document this unique moment in time.  According to the Library’s website:

The Los Angeles Public Library is inviting Angelenos to contribute materials that document life during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Submissions will be curated and made available in a digital collection accessible through our online special collections portal, TESSA.

Submissions must be in digital form and may include:

• • Photographs
  • Letters, emails, and other correspondence
  • Journal and diary entries
  • Blog posts or social media posts
  • Notices or signs
  • Creative art such as drawings, paintings, and poetry

It is acceptable to scan or take a digital photograph of an item to be submitted. Online content may be captured as a screenshot or printed to PDF. As you prepare materials for submission, think about how they tell the story of COVID-19 and its impact on different facets of your life. How do your materials reflect the changing dynamics or routines in your home, workplace, or community?

Any Angeleno is welcome to contribute. We encourage submissions from diverse perspectives, particularly from communities that are not normally represented in the archive. Whether your materials demonstrate social distancing, the transition to telecommuting, what it is like to be an essential worker, or changes in daily routines, family dynamics, and interactions with others, we want to include them!

Materials can be submitted through a form on the library’s website at https://lapl.org/safer-archive.  When submitting items, you’ll be asked for their description, origin, location, date and other identifying information.  You will also be asked to sign a release saying you are sharing the material freely, without compensation, and allow the library to do the same.

If you have questions, or would like more information, contact [email protected].