Media Release
24th May 2021
Libraries Tasmania has launched an online gallery to showcase Tasmania’s experience of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One year ago, in collaboration with the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, we began inviting Tasmanians to contribute writing, photographs, video and objects telling their ‘COVID-19 Story’.
Tasmanians from Strahan to Ravenswood, and Smithton to Kingston responded with wide ranging submissions, such as photographs of closed businesses, personal accounts of isolation, fear and boredom, poems, and stories of projects aimed at bringing happiness to the community.
A range of submissions is now available to view online via Libraries Tasmania’s online gallery. Some gems include:
- Lesliee Whittet of Devonport sharing the joy of seeing his granddaughter race out of the airport after arriving from lockdown-restricted Victoria (NS6935).
- Six-year-old Freddy Farrington of Margate recounting taking his COVID-19 test (NS697I).
- Hobart based artist Michelle Dracoulis’s photographic explorations of toilet paper hoarding (NS6972).
- Launceston teacher Jayne Hill and illustrator Courtney Greatbatch’s beautiful booklet ‘But why cant I go to school?’, created to help kinder and pre students understand and cope with the pandemic (NS6953)
- The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian branches’ videos, photographs and media releases from 2020 (NS6980, NS698I).
- Images from Westbury pharmacist Kelli Houlahan of the measures taken instore to provide services while protecting clients and staff.
Project coordinator, Libraries Tasmania archivist Jen Jerome, has welcomed the community’s enthusiastic response.
“Thanks to the generosity and creativity of our community, this collection will provide an invaluable record of the journey taken by Tasmanians through 2020 and the ongoing pandemic.”
Jen encourages people to continue to contribute, saying “each submission is like a piece of a puzzle – the more stories, images and items we receive, the more coherent the story will be.”
More information about the COVID-19 Stories Project can be found on the websites of Libraries Tasmania and TMAG: libraries.tas.gov.au and www.tmag.tas.gov.au, or by contacting the project team at COVID19stories@education.tas.gov.au.
Submissions will be accepted until the end of 2021.
Communications and Marketing – 6165 6386 or 0417 465 669