Special Collections & Archives Donations - Libraries

Donating collections
Thank you for your interest in donating to the Special Collections and Archives of the University of North Georgia! The Special Collections and Archives serve as the institutional memory of the university and its predecessors, Gainesville State College and North Georgia College and State University. In addition to serving as the university's institutional memory, the Special Collections and Archives seeks to collect, arrange, preserve and make accessible collections related to the history of Appalachia, Northeast Georgia and the communities surrounding the university's campuses.

If you have materials that you are considering for donation to Special Collections and Archives, we look forward to working with you! Special Collections and Archives staff likes to work with donors through all stages of the process. Prior to the donation, staff will work with donors to determine what records and documents have continuing interest or value. This initial survey will also help archivists become more familiar with the collection and creator. It is important that the materials remain as they are because the importance of the documents can diminish if the records are rearranged. Staff can offer assistance with the physical transfer of records and will update donors on the processing of the collection.

While Special Collections and Archives are always looking for collections of all sizes that are within our collecting scope, we also encourage the donation of single items. Below is a list of types of documents that typically have historic value. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and there may be other types of materials that are also of historic value.

Letters/Correspondence

Diaries and journals

Reports

Photographs

Video and audio recordings

Maps

Administrative records

Governance and policy documents

Financial records

Records of student organizations

Legal documents

Planning documents

Scrapbooks/Photo albums

By-laws and articles of incorporation

Meeting minutes

Lecture notes

Research notes

Press releases

Professional files

Genealogical information

If you have any questions about historic value or the scope of our collections, please let us know! Staff will work with you and review items to determine if Special Collections and Archives is the best home for your collection.

When should I consider donating?

You should consider donating either personal or organizational records when they are no longer used on a regular basis. For large and some local collections, the archivist may want to view the collection prior to transfer. In these cases, it is best that the materials not be rearranged prior to the staff visit. Arrangements can then be made for the physical transfer of the collection.

Staff can provide empty boxes and assistance upon request. When packing the boxes, make sure the folder labels are showing and the boxes aren't over-filled. If possible, please label unidentified items. In the case of unidentified photographs, please do not write on the back of the photo, instead write the description on a piece of paper and place it behind the photograph.

Care for Collections and Restrictions on Access

Special Collections and Archives are managed by a certified archivist whose two main priorities are preservation and access to the historic collections. Collections are stored in acid-free folders and boxes in climate controlled storage. The collections are not a part of the circulating collection and are only retrieved by staff. Before collections are available for research, they are arranged and described. Descriptive guides are prepared with information about the creator of the collection, the collection itself and a detailed list of items in the collections. Catalog records are also created making the collections easy to find.

Special Collections and Archives staff encourages full access to all collections, but understand that on occasion some materials need to be restricted for a set amount of time. Special Collections staff will work with donors to set reasonable restrictions based on Special Collections and Archives policies.

Appraisal
A gift acknowledgement letter confirming the size of the donation will be sent at the time the gift is received. In accordance with IRS rulings, the library cannot appraise or attach a monetary value to the gift items. For large or unique collections, donors should obtain a professional appraisal for income tax purposes. Appraisals are the responsibility of the donor and should be completed prior to donating the collection/items to the library. The library cannot provide appraisals, but these groups may be able to guide you:

Georgia Antiquarian Booksellers Association

Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America

American Society of Appraisers

For more information on donating single items or collections, please contact Deborah Prosser, Dean of Libraries or Allison Galloup, Special Collections and Digital Initiatives Librarian.

Gifts of funds

Gifts at all levels are appreciated, as are bequests and other planned gifts, endowments, and larger contributions. To learn more about making a monetary donation, please contact Deborah Prosser, Dean of Libraries, or Perry Roberts, Assistant Vice President for Development.