What does your story look like?
Tasmanians’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic is being captured through the COVID-19 Stories project – a partnership between the Tasmanian Archives (a part of Libraries Tasmania), and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG).
From Strahan to Ravenswood, to Kingston to the Antarctic Islands, Tasmanians have responded with wide ranging submissions — photographs of closed businesses, personal accounts of isolation, fear and boredom, poems, and stories of projects aimed at bringing happiness to the community.
Do you have a photograph, a piece of writing, or an ‘object with a tale’ that you could share? Your contribution will help capture this moment and help future generations understand the Tasmanian experience of the pandemic. Each submission is like a piece of a puzzle — the more stories, images and items we receive the more complete our picture of the pandemic becomes.
Information on making a submission is available in the FAQs at the end of this page.
Visit our gallery of submissions or browse our catalogue
A range of submissions are available to view online via the online gallery.
The full list if submissions (continually being updated) is available via our catalogue
FAQs
How do I submit my material?
Send your submission to: covid19stories@libraries.tas.gov.au
All submissions we receive will be documented and carefully assessed for potential inclusion in the collections. Please make sure your email submission and any attachments are under the 25 MB (megabyte) limit. If your submission is greater than 25 MB, please email us for assistance.
If your submission is an object, please email us to discuss.
Who can make a submission?
We are hoping that a wide range of Tasmanians will submit their photos, writing, and ephemera about, for example, people in isolation, community groups, businesses, the arts community, frontline workers, people affected by travel restrictions, people who have experienced the COVID-19 virus, government workers, and support service workers. Objects might relate to medical care, personal well-being, work, shopping, keeping busy at home, and being in quarantine.
What happens when I make a submission?
The Libraries Tasmania / TMAG COVID-19 Stories Project Team will reply to you either by email or phone.
If your submission is accepted for the Tasmanian Archives, we will ask you to complete a deposit agreement and will organise the best way to receive your item(s).
If you are submitting an object that is suitable for TMAG, please send a photograph and details of the story it tells.
If your submission is accepted, we will ask you to complete a donation/gift agreement and will also organise the best way to receive your items.
Who owns what I submit?
You will be transferring ownership of your items either to the State Archivist for the Tasmanian Archives, which is part of Libraries Tasmania, or to TMAG’s Board of Trustees. This allows each organisation to make the collections available as a whole for the community to view and access in the future.
Do I own copyright of written works and photographic images?
Yes. Copyright is owned by the creator. However, by submitting your work you are agreeing to allow the Tasmanian Archives and TMAG to use your work for promotion, research, and exhibition.
Do I own copyright of written works and photographic images?
Yes. Copyright is owned by the creator. However, by submitting your work you are agreeing to allow the Tasmanian Archives and TMAG to use your work for promotion, research, and exhibition.
Do I own copyright of written works and photographic images?
Yes. Copyright is owned by the creator. However, by submitting your work you are agreeing to allow the Tasmanian Archives and TMAG to use your work for promotion, research, and exhibition.
Will the Tasmanian Archives and TMAG acknowledge me as the creator?
Yes, we will acknowledge you if we use your work.
Can I submit photographs of people?
You can photograph someone in a public place. We ask that you respect your subjects and try not to cause a disruption.
This is different from ‘private spaces’, where you should ask the owner for permission to take photographs. Private places include schools, hospitals and shopping centres.
Whenever you take photographs, you should respect people’s privacy. You might explain what the photographs are for, and ask the subjects to give their permission by completing a ‘subject consent form’ [download it here]. Submit this form with your photographs. We might ask you to identify the subjects by name so we can check their permissions.
Will you keep everything that is submitted?
After careful consideration, Libraries Tasmania and TMAG may decide to decline or return material that is not selected for the collection, or that is received in duplicate.
If you have read, understood, and agree to the information above, please submit your images and stories to the Libraries Tasmania / TMAG COVID-19 Stories Project Team via email
Have another question? Contact the COVID-19 Stories Project Team at covid19stories@libraries.tas.gov.au
Banner image: Hand-painted sign by Fern Townsend (aged 10) of Hobart / photographer Helen Shield