Each of us has been impacted in different ways by the COVID-19 pandemic. Old, young and in-between, we’ve all experienced big changes in our work home and social lives. Some changes, like losing a job, are difficult. Others – like spending more time with loved ones or doing more to help those in need – are joyful and inspiring.

The California State Library is working with local libraries to collect COVID-19 stories from across the state. We invite you to share your experience – in an essay, poem, letter, photograph, artwork or video – so that we can preserve these memories for future Californians.
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* 1. Tell us about yourself.

Contact information will be maintained confidentially, but your name may be used for a library display or collection. If you prefer, you may provide your first name and last initial, or first and last initials, instead of your full name. For more information see our Privacy Policy.

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* 2. What type of item are you contributing?

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* 3. Tell us your story. You can tell it in an essay, poem, journal entry, blog post or song - however you feel most comfortable expressing yourself. Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas:
  • How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you, your family or your community?
  • What has been the most difficult part of this experience? What inspired you or gave you hope?
  • Have you experienced a significant life event since this began? A birthday, anniversary, birth, death, graduation, wedding? How did quarantine affect that experience?
  • Have you witnessed acts of kindness in your neighborhood like neighbors shopping for the elderly, collective block dance parties, the cheering of First Responders?
  • How do you think life will or will not be the same after we emerge from sheltering in place? What changes will you be making going forward?
Please only submit your own original writing, rather than something from another person.

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* 4. If you'd like to share a document, photograph, artwork or other type of file, you can upload those here. Again, this should be your original work.

Please note that only one file may be submitted at a time. Permitted file formats include PDF, DOC, DOCX, PNG, JPG, JPEG and GIF, with a size limit of 16MB per file.

If you would like to send us a different file format or a larger file, please send it to coviddiaries@library.ca.gov using WeTransfer, a free file sharing service.

PDF, DOC, DOCX, PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF file types only.
Choose File

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* 5. Provide a caption, title or description of this item.

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* 6. When was this item created?

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* 7. Where is this item located, or where was it created?
Include the address, cross streets, and/or neighborhood. Please be as specific as possible, as many place names are similar. For example:“Chinatown, Los Angeles” or “corner of El Camino Real and Embarcadero streets, Palo Alto.”

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* 8. If you would like to submit something that is already online (for example, a blog post), please enter the URL here.

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* 9. Please check here if you are submitting this as a part of California Library Literacy Services (CLLS).

If you'd like to submit a physical item - like original artwork - to the archives, we welcome those as well. Please email us at coviddiaries@library.ca.gov to coordinate.

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* 10. In making this submission, I agree to allow the California State Library to use it under the terms set forth below:

I represent that this writing and/or other item is my own work, and that I am transferring ownership and intellectual property rights to the California State Library for the purposes of developing a historical archive to document the COVID-19 pandemic in California. I understand that my original writing and/or item may be put on display and/or shared on social media accounts, websites, and other digital platforms as part of a library collection that tells the story of COVID-19; and may also be maintained in a permanent library collection for historical purposes, and hereby give my permission for this use.

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* 11. In making this submission, I represent that I am 18 years of age or older. If this submission is on behalf of a minor (under age 18), I represent that I am the parent or legal guardian.

Thank you for your help in recording California's response to this pandemic and ensuring a richer historic record for future scholars. If you have any questions about the California COVID Diaries or would like more resources, please e-mail us at coviddiaries@library.ca.gov.

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