Tell Your Story: Contribute your recollections to "Documenting COVID-19 in Singapore"
May 29, 2020"Documenting COVID-19 in Singapore", a joint COVID-19 project, organised by the National Library Board (NLB) and the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) is inviting the public to contribute materials that document their everyday experiences amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
This pandemic is an unprecedented event in Singapore’s and in global history. As such, the National Library Board and the National Museum of Singapore are seeking to engage Singaporeans to capture and show how defining moments like these have affected their lives and to share their personal perspectives and key objects that tell important stories of COVID-19.
Join NLB and NMS's plan to collect and preserve today’s history for tomorrow, and let it be a great educational activity to engage with your kids with at home! Searching through items at home and discussing what the object’s significance is during this period could be a way for kids to express their thoughts on the ongoing situation.
In addition, this will enable and allow for future generations to have a fuller and richer picture of life in Singapore during COVID-19.
This nationwide drive will run from 22 May to 31 December 2020.
What can one contribute to this project?
The following questions help to guide members of the public on what they can contribute for this project:
- DAILY LIFE DURING COVID-19
How has life during this pandemic and the circuit breaker period in Singapore been like, and what home (in a physical or symbolic sense) means in a time of COVID-19:
- How has your routine changed? – from going to work or school, getting food and groceries, your exercise routine, pursuing your hobbies
- How did you spend time at home and stay connected with family and friends?
- What do celebrations and commemorations look like now – birthdays, anniversaries, school holidays, Ramadan?
- Looking around you, what changes have you observed in your neighbourhood, and for life in Singapore in general? How does this make you feel?
- What are some of the challenges that you have faced, or are facing? How have you overcome these challenges, or how are you currently dealing with them?
- What are the moments or stories that bring you happiness, hope and encouragement, even during this time of uncertainty?
- What will you miss, or not miss, when the circuit breaker measures are lifted?
- EVERYDAY HEROES OF COVID-19
Share stories and experiences of those at the frontlines of Singapore’s fight against COVID-19 and who are working to keep the nation's essential services going. Everyday heroes include medical professionals, volunteers, social service professionals, essential service staff, as well as groups and individuals that have helped the community tide over this period.
- What does your life look like as a frontline or essential worker during this time, and how have you adapted to the changes?
- What have been some of the most difficult or memorable moments? How does this make you feel?
- What are the acts of kindness you have experienced, or shown during this time?
Through this latest public call for materials and objects, NLB and NMS hope to encourage everyone, including healthcare professionals, essential service staff, teachers, parents, community groups and organisations. Organisations and communities with an interest in documenting COVID-19 or who are already working on a similar project are also welcome to contribute.
Submission links & contact information
NLB and NMS are looking for different formats of materials and have separate submission links for the drive. More details on the formats of material is provided below.
National Library Board:
- Videos
- Audio recordings
- Photographs
- Flyers
- Posters
- Blogs
- Journals and diaries
National Museum of Singapore:
- Images of objects and accompanying stories that tell key stories of daily life in during COVID-19, or of everyday heroes of COVID-19.
- These may include household items or gadgets, personal belongings, hand-made posters or signages, hand-sewn masks, artwork or objects adapted for COVID-19, clothes and accessories, or any other object that best represents one’s experience and memory of living through COVID-19 in Singapore.
You may submit your materials to the National Library Board or the National Museum of Singapore respectively.
For further queries, please contact NLB or NMS on the email address listed below