Frequently Asked Questions

Can my submission be anonymous or can you just use my first name?

Yes, donations can be made anonymously or with an abbreviated name or pseudonym. We want all participants to feel comfortable and free to express themselves.

Can my submission be restricted from use for a period of time? 

Yes, participants can choose the length of time they wish their donation to be closed upon submission- available immediately, in 1 year, or 5 years.

How frequently can/should I submit?

This is up to you. If you want, you can send your submission in installments or you can send it all at once when you are finished.  

Is there anything we should avoid writing about?

For your own privacy and safety, please do not include personal information aside from names, of any individuals including yourself. Personal information includes birth dates, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, etc. Additionally, since the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis, it is likely that your submissions might include personal health information. It is important to note that you should avoid including the personal health information of others, including family members, neighbors, etc. 

Can I collaborate with or interview others as part of my submission?

As long as you observe social distancing, we are happy to accept collaborations or interview projects. If you collaborate with or interview other people in the course of your project, we will also need their permission so that we can preserve and share your submissions with future researchers. Please list the names of any collaborators in the submission form so we can collect all necessary submission and release forms. If we do not receive releases from all participants, we cannot preserve the materials. 

I am a faculty member and would like to turn this into an assignment for my students, is there anything I need to know?

This is wonderful! It’s important to note, however, that you cannot in any way require or incentivize students to submit materials to the Special Collections. We suggest you make the students aware of the archives collecting project and share with them the option of donating their project once the course is finished.