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1. What kinds of things are you looking for?

You can document any aspects of your life during this time, especially with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, that you feel comfortable sharing. Our form allows you to remain anonymous. You can also keep a journal, write poems or stories, create art, write or record music, create video or audio recordings, or take photographs. We’re interested in almost anything that helps to document the Amherst community during these times. If you email or mail us your responses and wish to remain anonymous, please make your choice clear. Don’t worry - we are not going to judge anyone on spelling or grammar!

Note: Please do not include any identifiable medical information about yourself or others.  

2. Do you have to be an Amherst resident?

No - while our focus is on the experiences of those who live and/or work in Amherst, we welcome submissions from any area resident who would like to share their thoughts.

3. Can submissions be anonymous?

Yes. Please be clear when you submit that you would like to remain anonymous or simply do not include your name if you are submitting our form..

4. Can my submissions remain private for a certain length of time?

Yes - you can request that your submissions remain private for a specified length of time (say, 10 years) and they will be classified as “restricted” within the collection and will not be available to the public during that time period.

5. Are there limits to the amount of times that I can submit?

Absolutely not! Our current situation is changing so quickly that we encourage more than one submission. Conversely, you could submit everything all at once at a later date.

6. Will my submissions be made public immediately?

Submission will not automatically be made public; however, they will be available in our Special Collections department, which is accessible to everyone. If we use any portion of your submission in our own work (i.e. in exhibits, on social media, etc.), we will not include any personally identifiable information.

7. What will you do with these submissions?

All submissions will become the property of Jones Library Special Collections and will be included in the Documenting Experiences Collection. The collection will be open for public use.

8. When will you stop taking submissions?

We are always interested in materials documenting Amherst’s history and, while the form may not always remain available, we will always be interested in materials by or about our community members. You can call or email us at any time to discuss donations.

9. What if I'm not sure what I have is worth collecting?

We’re probably interested! However, you can always get in touch with us by phone or email and we’re happy to provide guidance regarding what we collect.