Library of Congress: Inclusion of Community Conversations: Pandemic Perspectives

Community Conversations: Pandemic Perspectives, NJ’s COVID-19 Storytelling was included in a research guide at the Library of Congress, titled “Stories from the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Resource Guide.” The digital archive of New Jersey stories, housed at the New Jersey State Library, now accompanies collections from across the United States that offer a glimpse into how individuals experienced the COVID-19 pandemic through oral history, art, and other forms of storytelling.

The Library of Congress describes these national and regional collections as “a living archive of COVID-19 stories and an opportunity to look deeply at how individuals experienced COVID-19 differently. These materials elucidate the lived experiences of medical workers, teachers, musicians, and other Americans whose lives were affected by COVID-19. Some also highlight the experiences of specific communities—such as African Americans in the Deep South or the Chinese diaspora in the United States.”

Community Conversations: Pandemic Perspectives, New Jersey’s COVID-19 Storytelling Project is a collaboration between the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, the New Jersey Department of Health, and Healthy NJ 2030. Community Conversations: Pandemic Perspectives aims to portray COVID’s mostly painful and sometimes hopeful cadences by integrating interviews, focus groups, and creative works. The project was requested for inclusion in the guide by the New Jersey State Library on behalf of the NJ YMCA State Alliance.

View the Collection on the Library of Congress website here.