Welcome and thank you for visiting our site! This page has been created to supply further information and provide some useful tips  for submitting online materials through the COVID-19 in London, ON site. If you cannot find the answer to your question below, please email us at: archives.services@uwo.ca

TIPS for "Submitting Digital Materials"

• You may use one form to submit multiple files or file types 
• You may submit links to online content by providing the URL(s) in the "Link to  Online Content" box

TIPS for "Answer Some Questions"

• Be honest and share your true feelings, experiences and thoughts during this time 
• Use this form to contribute to the archive if you don't have any materials to submit
• Please feel free to return and fill out this page multiple times over the course of the pandemic

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) 

Step #1: Terms and Conditions

Please read our "Terms and Conditions" before submitting digital material or answering some questions. You will need to check off the box indicating you agree to the "Terms and Conditions" before submitting your information. 

Step #2: Title and Creator(s)

What should I include in the Creator(s) section?

This box allows you to enter the names of everyone who was involved in creating the materials. This could be a few people (eg: a band, a dance group) or it could be an individual.  Anyone who had a hand in creating the materials should be included.  Provide any extra biographical information or details about the creator you wish to share in the "About the Creator" box.

Can my submission remain anonymous? 

If you wish your submission to be posted publicly online without your name, simply enter "anonymous" in the "Creator" box. You also have the option to submit materials to the archive and not have them posted online for public viewing. To do this, in the Contact and Permissions section simply select "No" in the dropdown box beside "I give Western University Archives & Special Collections permssion to show my submission online". 

I'm not from London, ON, can I still contribute? 

Anyone who lives, works or studies in London-Middlesex, Ontario, is invited to participate including Western University, businesses and organizations. If you are not from this region check online for a local COVID-19 participatory archive in your area. 

Is there a minimum age for submissions?

You must be 18 years of age or older to submit materials. The creator(s) may be younger than 18 however the person submitting the materials must be 18 years of age or older. To submit materials you must have the permission of any and all creators. 

Can I submit materials I did not create? 

The submission must have been created by you or a member of your family who has given you permission to submit. Please do not upload material that is owned or copyrighted by a third party. 

Step #3: Item(s) or Material(s)

What kind of content should I submit? 

Just about anything! We are seeking to understand and document the events, experiences and feelings of our community during the pandemic. Content ideas include diary entries, video or audio recordings, digital creations,  photographs, correspondence, artwork, social media posts, or any other content that captures the local experience during the pandemic.

If you don't have any materials to submit but would like to share your personal experiences, thoughts or feelings please fill out our "Answer some Questions" survey, on this site. 

Please note that "COVID-19 in London, Ontario: Capturing the local experience" has no obligation to use or publish your contribution.  See "Terms and Conditions" for more details. 

Can I submit a link to online content? 

Yes,  just enter one or more URL(s), separated by commas in the "Link to Online Content" box of the submission form.

What kinds of documents, file types or formats are allowed? 

You can submit text, image, moving image or sound formats in various file types.

Most common file types are allowed such as text documents (.doc, .pdf, .txt), audio/visual  files (.mp3, .mp4 ), and image files (.jpg, .png).  If you are having trouble uploading a particular file type please email us.

What information should I include about the location? 

Location information will be publicly visible and will be used to pinpoint the related location of the materials on a map. Do not use personal addresses, instead provide a general area, village name, or public location such as a street or park to identify where the materials were created. 

Step #4:  The Submission 

What is Provenance ? 

Provenance refers to the origin and history of an item, who created, owned  and used it over the course of time. For example if your submission includes material that has been previously used in another context, such as artwork based on a newspaper photograph, the provenance of that item would include any previous creators or caretakers.  Please include any details of the origin and history of the materials you are submitting if applicable. 

How do I select subject terms?

Consider the topic or content of your material and choose short, descriptive  terms that identify what the submission is about. For example, isolation, signs,  grocery store, quarantine, etc.

Contact and Permission Information 

Can I submit materials and not have them appear online? 

Yes, you can submit materials and contribute to the archive without having them appear publicly. In the permissions area of the form "I give Western University Archives & Special Collections permission to show my submission online" select "NO". Your submission will still be used for research purposes.

What about copyright?

Once you submit materials to "COVID-19 in London, Ontario: Capturing the local experience" you are assigning to Western University copyright to the material. Please see our "Terms and Conditions" page for more information. Please do not submit materials if you are not the creator and do not own the copyright (eg: a newspaper article).

Do I have to submit my contact information? Yes, the contact information is mandatory and is collected in line with our "Privacy Statement".  Your address and email address will not be shared publicly and your name will only be shared if you enter it in the "Creator" box. If you do not want your name to be shared publicly please enter "anonymous" in the "Creator" box.    
                

I submitted materials but they are not appearing online?

Please note all submissions must be reviewed and approved by an archivist before they are accepted. If you submitted material(s) but do not see them online there may be a few possible explanations. 

a. You forgot to upload your file  or provide a link to online content.

b. You selected "No" to making the material(s) publicly visible in the "I give Western University Archives & Special Collections permission to show my submission online" box. 

c.  You submitted material that you do not hold the copyright to such as a newspaper article. 

d. Your submission contained personal or other potentially sensitive information. Please refer to the "Terms and Conditions" page for further details.