Coronavirus

The Digital Problems: Capturing the Coronavirus

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As archivists we are often taking in documents long after the events they relate to have passed, sometimes hundreds of years later! But as the way we create and store documents has changed we have changed our practices to include more proactive collecting. Modern media, including digital files, are much more fragile than paper and parchment. Risks include file… Read more The Digital Problems: Capturing the Coronavirus

Corona Diaries Project

Recording the Coronavirus experience in Dorset – Dorset History Centre’s role and how you can contribute

DHC, as the repository for the written and recorded memory of Dorset is keen to play its part in ensuring that future generations can look back on the present day’s experience of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact across the county, whether that be within the setting of village or conurbation.  To this end, DHC working in partnership with Lighthouse, Poole put out a call in early April for ‘Corona Diaries’.  We were seeking volunteers to keep a record of their lives and experiences during this period. 

We were delighted to receive over 100 responses and have been in touch with all those who initially contacted us to supply guidance on formats and legal permissions relating to future access.  We are well aware that there are other people who have been in touch subsequently, who would like to participate.  As it stands at the moment though, we are unable to accommodate any more diarists. 

However, we would certainly not discourage anyone from creating their own record (documents, photographs, film and sound) and would suggest that they contact us when this crisis is over to discuss whether their diary might be suitable to form part of the permanent archival record.

DHC would like to thank all those who have contacted us over the ‘Corona Diaries’ project.  We wish you well in your diary keeping and look forward to discussing the next steps of the process when the current restrictions are lifted. 

DHC is also keen to collect a representative sample of information (hard copy and digital) relating to the impact of Covid-19 – notices, advice and guidance, official proclamations – anything that helps to explain and contextualise the huge changes that have been made very rapidly.  Please contact us if you have anything that you would like to discuss depositing with us. 

In addition, if you are using this period to sort out your attic, shed, or just a drawer, and find letters, diaries, photographs, film or sound recordings or anything else you believe might be worth keeping for long-term retention, please do get in touch with DHC for further advice. 

You can also find information about, and stories from, DHC through our blog pages, and can also engage with us through our social media channels as well. 

Thank-you for thinking of us, and we wish you the best of health during this period. 

The Arrival of the Black Death in Dorset

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The current coronavirus pandemic has brought home to us all how fragile human health can be and also how our lifestyles and assumptions can be completely disrupted by an event of this type. Dorset History Centre holds over 1,000 years of records relating to our county and we thought that it would be appropriate to… Read more The Arrival of the Black Death in Dorset

Covid-19 – help DHC to record this unprecedented event for future historians of Dorset

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There are two ways in which we would invite the public to help to capture the experience and impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Dorset.  Firstly, it is clear that we are living through highly unusual times and Dorset History Centre, working in partnership with Lighthouse, Poole would like to make sure that our experiences… Read more Covid-19 – help DHC to record this unprecedented event for future historians of Dorset