Living in a current state of unprecedented crisis,  historians and everyday people of the future will want to know how we spent our days. What was the NE Michigan, lived experience of a global pandemic from a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

In hopes of sharing peoples' stories with current and future generations, the Special Collections Department, of the Alpena County Library, invites you to keep a diary or other forms of self-expression of living during the COVID-19 epidemic in Northeast Michigan. Most forms of expression are encouraged, diarists may type or write by hand, transcribe news, draw, write poems, gather stories from family, and so forth. No stress needs to be placed on proper grammar or style. The emphasis is on personal expression and a willingness to be a commentator.

Events are changing by the day. Start writing now, these experiences are specific to you, your family, and our communities.  The Special Collections Department welcomes your contribution in either analog or digital media.

*Please fill out below so we can contact you when we begin asking for donations to our collection.

*You do not need to be a patron or from Alpena to donate!

Prompts provided by the Library of Michigan on what you can talk/write about:

-What did you do today (or this week)? How was that different than what you would do on a “normal” day/week?
-What changes have you personally experienced (physically, mentally, and/or emotionally) since this crisis began?
-What changes have you observed in your family, your friends, or your local community?
-Are you a student or a teacher? Where and how do you normally attend school? Has this changed? How’s that going? Or is there a student or teacher in your family? How is the crisis affecting their schooling situation?
-Do you typically work outside the home? What is your job normally like? What is it like right now? Are you still working, whether on-site or remotely? Why or why not? How’s that going?
-Are you practicing social distancing? Why or why not? What are you doing? How is this affecting your relationships? How do you stay in touch with family and friends?
-Has this crisis changed (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) any of your plans for day-to-day errands, travel, visiting, leisure activities, celebrations, religious activities, etc.?
-What do you think about the actions of government leaders in response to this crisis?
-What has been the most difficult thing for you personally about this crisis? Do you think there’s anything positive that may come from what’s happening?

Stay safe,
Don La Barre (Special Collections)

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