Have you caught yourself in recent times talking about when life goes back to normal? Have you stopped and wondered if there could be a ‘new normal’ which might be even better than the ‘old normal’?   We’ve been asking ourselves these questions during lockdown at Goldfields Libraries and we want to hear from you too. 

In times to come, historians and others will look back at this time with interest. They will want to know how we lived, what we did and how we felt. The team at Goldfields Libraries have created the ‘Life in Lockdown’ project to record this moment of history in the making, and to offer an opportunity for the community to reflect on and share their experiences of this moment in time. 

Fill in our online survey and tell us what 'normal' was like for you before and during Coronavirus, and what you hope a 'new normal' might look ilke in the future. 

If you'd prefer to illustrate your answers please email us your contribution.

Take part in our “I Pledge” campaign – As the country starts to emerge from isolation, we want to pause, reflect and document what new habits we'd like to hold onto What part of 'Life in Lockdown' do you pledge to maintain?  We'd love to know!  Take a photo of you with your pledge, or find the campaign on your local library facebook page, join in and share.

Join this national project and write a letter to your pre-Covid self.  In Australia, only a few months ago we seemed to have lived very different lives, such is the pace of personal and social change that has happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic in such a short timeframe.

Letter to my pre-COVID self helps us to capture a moment in time and allows for a reflection of personal resilience and change. This campaign is the brainchild of Matiu Bush and his 'One Good Street' team.  Matiu says most people who write a letter to their past selves find it very beneficial. Thinking on different timescales can help us to reimagine our present and shows us just how strong we can be.

Below are three questions to get you started

1. Over the past few months I’ve missed not being able to…
2. A good thing I discovered about myself during COVID pandemic is
3. If I was to give advice to my pre-COVID self, I would tell them…

Share your letter to your pre-Covid self with us by email, or send us a snail mail letter for our book and exhibition!  (Don’t forget to keep a copy for yourself)

PO Box 887
Bendigo, Victoria 3552

Read inspiring snippets from our in-house Life in Lockdown story catcher, Marion Yates, on our blog (to come) and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/427570241190094/

Email us your photos, poetry, journaling, art or stories of your experiences of this time

• Photographs might include signs in shop fronts, empty streets and landmarks, children’s pavement art or nature craft, cooking efforts, gardening efforts, street offerings, neighbourly offerings, your workspace at home, scenes of family life in lockdown, scenes of seeking to connect with elders and other loved ones who we can’t be with physically.
• Art does not need to be particularly ‘artistic’ (although it can be) – you may be a doodler, a visual journal keeper, a collector of the beauty of nature.  For example: Bendigo Venues & Events - What I did last week online exhibition, or see above (but don’t let us put limits on your imagination!).
• Writing might include: What gives me hope?  How am I spending my time?  What are the silver linings of this time?  What don’t I want to forget about this time? A day in my life in lockdown. My neighbourhood and community during lockdown.