About the Project
The experiences of all New Yorkers, from Long Island to Plattsburgh and from Albany to Buffalo, make up the foundation of our state's history.
The NYS Library’s Personal History Initiative collects and preserves stories from individual New Yorkers and New York communities. We accept submissions directly through our New York Experience prompts and we support communities working to document their history.
This initiative started during the COVID-19 pandemic when New Yorkers were social distancing to prevent the spread of a respiratory disease. Though isolated, New Yorkers united to keep each other safe and offer support where needed. Many also took note of the impact this time had on our lives, from toilet paper shortages and closed gyms to carless streets creatively reconfigured to support outside dining. View our COVID-19 collection to learn more about how this got started.
Do you have questions about starting your own project or submitting content to tell your story? Check out some examples of projects including the Community Collections and New York Spotlight: Arts Education.
Contact the NYS Library’s Digital Services Unit if you have any questions!
Start a Community Project
Check out the NYSL Personal History Initiative Toolkit for Community Curators and share stories using the Community Curator submission form. We created a presentation and script to help engage your community about the project.
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