Can my submissions be anonymous? Can my submission be restricted from use for a period of time?

Yes. We want all participants to feel comfortable to be honest in their submissions.
Yes. Our submission form allows for restrictions. Please contact the Harvard University Archives if you have questions.

How frequently can/should I submit?

This is up to you. You can send your submission in installments via the submission form or you can send it all at once when you are finished. Read more about How frequently can/should I submit?

How long do I have to submit something to this project?

At this point, this project is open ended as the situation continues to evolve. We will be accepting submissions for the foreseeable future.

I am a member of the Harvard faculty. Is there some way I can ask my students to submit something to the Project as an assignment for my class?

Absolutely! If you choose, you as a faculty member can make your students aware of the possibility to submit their projects as part of this project. If they are interested, they can contribute via our submission form and note that their project is for your class. Read more about I am a member of the Harvard faculty. Is there some way I can ask my students to submit something to the Project as an assignment for my class?

Is there a minimum age for submissions?

Anyone 18 or older can submit a work to this project. Due to HIPAA regulations, people under 18 cannot legally agree to the Submission Agreement and Personal Health Information Agreement, so they cannot submit a project.

Is there anything I should avoid documenting?

This is a VERY important question. Since the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis, it is possible that your submission might include the personal health information of yourself or others. This information is legally protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). At the time of submission you will be asked to agree to a Personal Health Information Agreement, which you...

I’m not officially affiliated with Harvard University, but live in the area near campus. Can I still participate?

While this project is only focused on the Harvard Community, the University Archives is interested in documenting how the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on our neighbors in Cambridge. If you live near campus, or own a business in Harvard Square, we would welcome your submissions and donations.

What kind of content can I submit? Can my submission include multiple formats?

We can accept any format, digital and analog.  Submissions may be in the form of digital photographs, text files, PDFs, spreadsheets, presentations, audio files, or video files. Please use the Submission Form for digital content.

For non-digital submissions (hand written diaries, photographic prints, T-shirts), print out the submission form and send it with your material to the Harvard University Archives at the address below. We will acknowledge your submission once we reopen: 

Harvard University Archives COVID-...

What kinds of submissions or documents do you want for this project?

Every person’s submission will be unique, because each our experiences will be unique. We would like to collect the materials you are creating right now that document this time. Some examples of items that could be included in the Community Archive are: 

a sign or art you or someone else in your community created 
screen shots of social media posts 
videos or recordings of events, classes, workouts, spoken words and music shared online during this time 
...

COVID-19 Community Archiving Project

Harvard University Archives

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