Welcome
While the official response of Northern Illinois University to the COVID-19 crisis is being recorded and preserved in the Regional History Center and University Archives at NIU Libraries, we want to also include your personal experiences and reactions in an effort to better document this unprecedented event. The Regional History Center and University Archives is asking students, faculty, staff, and alumni to share their experiences about how they have been impacted by COVID-19.
We want to know about the impacts on your daily life, the positives and difficulties that you have faced during the crisis. Had to find housing? A new job? Had to self-quarantine? Adjust to virtual classes? Acclimate your pet to you being home all day? Have you felt socially isolated? Not received your stimulus check? Have you set new goals? Taken up a new hobby? Found a new favorite show and binge watched all of the episodes? Are you or do you live with a health care worker or essential personnel? Do you worry about loved ones because they are immunocompromised? Please, tell us about it.
How you share your story is up to you. One way is by answering our questionnaire.
We are also accepting materials such as:
- narratives and poems, whether written or spoken
- correspondence, including emails and written letters
- social media posts (as screenshots)
- photographs and videos
- diaries and journals
- oral histories
- scrapbooks
- artworks, any medium
- flyers, brochures, and other ephemera
- artifacts and objects
NIU faculty and staff are encouraged to submit materials that document changes in daily work routines such as policies and procedures updates, notices and announcements, memos, etc. Faculty are encouraged to submit pre- and post-crisis syllabi to show the impact that COVID-19 has had on instruction and course objectives.
Digital files can be submitted through our submit your story page. Physical materials are also accepted. Please send these materials with a completed deed of gift to:
Founders Library
Northern Illinois University
217 Normal Road
DeKalb, IL 60115
There is no deadline for submissions. You may only submit original material created by you. Co-created works requires the approval of all creators before you can submit materials. You will be asked to provide contact information and the circumstances of how you came to have the materials in the donation form. Co-creator(s) should also complete a donation form; files do not need to be uploaded. Personal health information and other confidential information will not be accepted. The University Archives is not obligated to include and preserve all submissions and reserves the right to not collect submissions that it deems out of scope, inappropriate, or duplicative.
The Regional History Center and University Archives is building the COVID-19 at Northern Illinois University Collection, which will be permanently preserved within the University Archives. The collection will become available to the general public once processed by staff. Submissions to the online portal will be available through the University Libraries Digital Exhibits once entries have been reviewed and approved by Archives staff.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at rhcua@niu.edu.