Sonoma County Library Invitation to Document The Pandemic

The Sonoma County Library invites community members to document history through writing, art and other creative expression during the COVID-19, and to donate these items to the library. The materials, representing firsthand experiences by local residents, will become part of a special library collection of primary sources. Once the crisis is resolved and it is safe to bring items to the library, residents will be invited to bring in journals, photos, drawings, letters, scrapbooks and other two-dimensional physical documents that tell the story of life in Sonoma County during this time.

Library staff will catalog a selection of the items into a special collection that can be accessible to future generations of Sonoma County Library visitors.

“Researchers and students will be able to use your work to understand what it was like living in Sonoma County during this challenging time,” said Connie Williams, History Room Librarian at the Petaluma Regional Library. “Your story can be a part of our community’s story.”

As a way to begin, Williams suggests documenting – in writing or in images – your initial reactions to news about the virus and work/school closures, and recording daily experiences, such as what life is like in your neighborhood, how you communicate with others and what has changed.

The library requests that items be no larger than 11” x 17” and can be stored flat. For more information, contact publicservices@sonomalibrary.org .

Sonoma County Library Director Ann Hammond said, “This is a great way to help our community preserve memories of an important event.”