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In early 2023, Congress created the COVID-19 American History Project, which tasks the Library of Congress to "record, collect, and keep the stories of Americans impacted by the pandemic." This initiative, which will be housed in the Library's American Folklife Center, is just one of the many collections in the Library of Congress centered on the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the start of the pandemic, many people looked to libraries to learn more about the virus. Others wanted to tell their story, to connect with others around the world, and to bear witness to these difficult societal changes. Responding to these needs, the Library of Congress has collected these reflections of our collective grief and hope. For example, as a rapid response to the pandemic the Library engaged in web archiving to document information dissemination and cultural shifts as we learned more about the virus. As libraries are bastions of information and beacons of community, the Library organized webcasted event series and curated collections to directly address the queries received and to reflect the nation's attitudes and concerns regarding the pandemic.
Explore a list of collections from the Library of Congress below, such as those housed in the Prints and Photographs Division, as well as the Library's extensive web archiving initiatives.