Archiving the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Call for Materials

The UTA Libraries need your help documenting the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the community.

We are looking to collect both digital and physical materials and add them to our permanent archival collections to document this historical moment for the benefit of future generations.

Donating Digital Materials

Please consider donating born-digital materials, such as photos, videos, social media posts, born-digital artworks, and digital diaries/journals, that document your experience of the pandemic to the UTA Libraries through this form. Please also be sure to complete the in-form Donation Agreement near the end of the form.

Pandemic Archive Donation Form

Please note that if the file you are trying to upload is too large for this form, please complete and submit the form regardless and then contact Michael Barera (michael.barera@uta.edu) to arrange for transferring your file to UTA Libraries.

Donating Physical Materials

Please also consider donating physical materials, such as diaries/journals and artworks. Before donating them, please fill out the form to provide contextual information about your donation.

Pandemic Archive Donation Form

Please also be sure to download the transfer of title form (attached to the web form), complete it, and upload it using the file upload feature at the very end of the form. You can either bring the physical materials themselves to the UTA Libraries Special Collections after the pandemic or mail them to the following address during the pandemic:

For mail via USPS:

University of Texas at Arlington Libraries
Attn: Special Collections / COVID-19 Project
Box 19497
Arlington, TX 76019

For packages via FedEx or UPS:

University of Texas at Arlington Libraries
Attn: Special Collections / COVID-19 Project
702 Planetarium Place
Arlington, TX 76019

Oral History Interviews

The UTA Libraries are also looking to conduct oral history interviews remotely to better document living in the time of COVID-19. If you are interested in learning more about the oral history project, please complete the form and select the option “Yes, I would like to participate in an oral history interview” to connect with our oral history team and learn more about the project.

Pandemic Archive Donation Form

The oral history project focuses on archiving and sharing the lived experience of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone can participate in this project as an interviewee (to share their story) or an interviewer (to conduct and collect oral histories for the project). An interviewer will remotely conduct an interview (either audio or video) with an interviewee who is willing to participate. The UTA Libraries will assist them with the interview process, including with suggestions such as what questions to include and which tool to employ (such as Microsoft Teams). The resulting audio or video interview will be added to the permanent collection and will ultimately be available online.

The first phase of this project will be focused on the UTA community, including students, alumni, and faculty/staff. The second phase of this project will be expanded to include the broader community, beyond the boundaries of the university.

Frequently Asked Questions

UTA is reaching out to our students, alumni, staff, and faculty for donations, but we are also looking for voices and experiences from people in our community! Residents of Arlington, the DFW metroplex, and North Texas are more than welcome to donate materials to us. Our researchers come from across the metroplex, state, and world, and we want our collections to reflect the diversity of our community! If you are unsure if you should donate, feel free to contact us.

There are so many ways to record your experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Traditional diaries and journals can be sent via mail, but there are a lot of digital options available:

  • Recorded videos (Facebook posts, Tiktoks, Youtube recordings, video messages)
  • Photos
  • Memes
  • Social media posts
  • Emails, texts, and messages (with approval from all parties involved)
  • Creative works (art, poetry, personal writing)

Please keep in mind that you will retain your copyright to the donated materials, and grant the UTA Libraries Special Collections the permission to permanently add your donation to its collections and preserve them and make them available for researchers.

You should share your own experience and perspective. If you are concerned about privacy, we can keep your donation anonymous!

Future researchers will want to know things like:

  • Who are you?
  • What were you doing before the pandemic hit?
  • How did you learn about the pandemic?
  • When did your daily life begin to change?
  • How did you react to the pandemic? Emotionally, physically, etc.?
  • What was your routine during the pandemic?
  • How did your community, family, and friends react to the pandemic?
  • What are the biggest differences in how you see yourself now as compared to before the pandemic?
  •  What are your thoughts and feelings about how you think society will be different going forward?

If you are writing about your experience, keeping as close to a daily writing schedule will be the most helpful to future researchers. However, we do not have any requirements regarding how often you write.

We do not have a preferred type of documentation. You should use whatever form of documentation that works best for what you are wanting to express.

Yes! You can submit materials in multiple formats and send in multiple donation forms if needed. Please contact us if you want to send materials in more than 3 formats.

We are looking for personal experiences with this pandemic. Writing that is general or impersonal will not be as insightful into your experience with this pandemic. We also caution against writing medical information that could violate HIPAA privacy.

Students who are 18 and older can donate materials by filling out the donation form. If a student is under 18, they will need a parent to donate materials. Students will receive a confirmation of their donation that they can use as proof of their donation. If you would like a staff member to present to your class about the archives or answer questions directly, please feel free to reach out to us!

This project is seeking materials from people affiliated with UTA, Arlington, and North Texas. If you do not live in North Texas or are not sure if you should donate materials to us, please reach out to us for a brief consultation. We may also recommend that you donate to other similar projects in different regions.

You can contribute as needed, but we do ask that you contribute completed projects or materials. If you are planning on contributing more than 3 times, please contact us!

Yes! We do have an option for donating anonymously. We will retain your information for our records, but researchers will not be able to access your information. You can also request an embargo, which will seal your donation and will make it inaccessible to any researchers, for 5 years or for a time of your choosing.

An individual must be at least 18 years of age to sign the Donation Agreement or it will not be considered valid. A parent or guardian can donate materials on your behalf.