Wayne Library Will Document 'Stay At Home' Stories

WAYNE, NJ — More than 1,400 people in Wayne Township have tested positive for the coronavirus. Another 178 have died.

As national protests took hold of American life after the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd and Louisville woman Breonna Taylor, Wayne Township residents organized protests, and have urged officials to make changes to both curriculum and policy as it relates to racial disparities in the township.

Having watched these events play out in front of their eyes, decision makers within the Wayne Public Library have decided to make an effort to document this period.

On their website, the library announced the Stay At Home Stories project, a mixed media archive of 2020 in Wayne Township.

"The first six months of 2020 have seen the confluence of national and global events that have impacted us all in the most personal of ways," read the description of the project. "We are interested in documenting the history of these turbulent times from the perspective of the residents of Wayne Township. Residents, community organizations and businesses are invited to record their stories as a way to document this unprecedented time."

The library is interested in compiling and publishing short stories, journal entries, photographs, video, artwork and recipes. All forms of media except video can be submitted through a library form.

It's asked that videos be kept to under five minutes, and instructions for how to submit them will be sent after the form is submitted.

According to the project page, videos will be uploaded to the library's YouTube channel.

Below are some of the things the library is interested in learning:

• What are some of the things you did during the pandemic?
• Did you do anything you now cherish because you may not have had the time to do it before?
• Did you create anything during the pandemic?
• How did you keep connected with your family? Your community?
• Were you an essential worker? Please tell us about your experiences.
• Did you fully quarantine? Please tell us about your experience.
• Did you celebrate a special event (birthday, anniversary, graduation) during the pandemic?
• Did you homeschool? Students, parents, or teachers, please tell us about your experiences.
• Describe your experiences with cooking, shopping, ordering out.
• Describe what you learned about yourself, your family, friends, and community during the pandemic.