The word “history” usually makes us think about the distant past - events of someone or something not connected to our daily lives. There is nothing like a global health crisis, however, to make us realize we are making and living history in the here and now.

 

Ultimately, the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic will not be remembered as merely a collection of facts and figures. The real history is the story of how each and every one of us has experienced it in our day-to-day lives.

 

Life During COVID-19

Sewing to Stop the Spread

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Hopeful window display

The Des Plaines Public Library and the Des Plaines History Center are working together to collect and preserve the shared experience of the Des Plaines community for the benefit of the current and future generations to come.

We invite you to add to the Life During COVID-19 collection by sharing your photographs and writings. Please send us anything you are willing to share and feel is important! You can start right now by visiting our Share Your Story page.

Making History Together

No class picture due to COVID-19

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COVID-19 essay by Lenna

Essays by high school age students, reflecting on the early months of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Photographs of drive through graduations, teaching and learning online, socially distanced celebrations, sewing masks and other activities people engaged in during the stay at home order, or "shutdown." You will also find photographs documenting the Des Plaines Public Library's massive overhaul of library services in order to provide "carry out" service to the community while the building was closed.

Volunteers clean up Linne Woods

Chiropractor keeps a positive attitude

Birthday celebration in quarantine

Here are three ways you can contribute to the Life During COVID-19 collection:

 

Email us at dppl.digi@gmail.com. Just attach your image or document files and send them to us. Be sure to include:

    • A detailed DESCRIPTION: What can you tell us about the item you are sharing? Is it associated with an event or special occasion, particular people, places, or vivid memories? Feel free to tell us why you think this item is important, how you feel about it, etc.
    • Name of the CREATOR: Who created this work (photographer, author, artist, business, etc.)? 
    • DATE: When was your item created? Please provide the month/day/year if known. If you don’t know the exact date you can write “about 1982” or “in the summer of 1940,” etc.
    • LOCATION: Is there a location associated with this item (city, state, neighborhood, street address, etc.)?
    • YOUR NAME: You will be listed as the contributor of this item to the archive.

 

Leave your written accounts on the Des Plaines History Center's COVID-19 Stories page.

 

You can also email Des Plaines Memory staff directly at desplainesmemory@dppl.org, or the Des Plaines History Center at contact@desplaineshistory.org.

 

All individual contributions to Des Plaines Memory are preserved in the Des Plaines Public Library and Des Plaines History Center's digital archives, and may be used in future exhibits and programming.