Background: This presentation describes library involvement in collecting, recording, preserving, and publishing historical records of illness experiences during epidemics- in this case, experiences of illness during polio epidemics in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. By reading and studying these narratives, society learns and relearns how people respond to medical sides of illness as well as the uncertainty of fear and social change. In particular it examines how telling these stories of illness helps the ill redefine who they are in relation to the illness- and we'll see how it helps families rebuild their lives in face of tragedy.
Description: This presentation describes a program that collects and preserves narratives of illness to document the experience of illness, as well as societal responses to epidemics. The program involves collecting oral histories- working with post polio groups to identify people interested in participating in the oral history process-, and finding ways to highlight and publish written stories of illness from polio survivors. Recorded stories will be recorded- video taped in some cases, and all transcribed and made available through library-maintained sites, and working with a university press to publish a particularly unusual, one of a kind narrative.
Conclusion: This presentation will describe the program collecting polio illness narratives and preparing them for use in teaching, while making them available, through library maintained sites, for research and outreach. The presentation also will spotlight efforts to publicize and encourage use of this resource.