Donating to the Archives

Why Donate?

The Lawrence University Archives collects unique materials that document the history of Lawrence and Milwaukee-Downer College. Each collection in the Archives contributes to a broad, nuanced documentation of Lawrence as an institution and a community. Collections also serve as primary resources for teaching and research by Lawrence University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the wider community. Donations to the Archives directly support these pursuits.

An additional benefit of donation is preservation of materials in accordance with professional archival standards and practices. Materials are stored in acid-free containers and housed in a secure environment. Archival collections do not circulate and are only available for research in the Archives with the supervision of the Archivist.

What to Donate

The Archives is primarily interested in complete collections which fully document the life and work of individuals and organizations affiliated with Lawrence or Milwaukee-Downer, but will often accept single items as well. We cannot accept donations which are in poor condition (moldy, insect-ridden, or otherwise) unless they are of extraordinary intellectual value.

From alumni: Correspondence, memoirs and reminiscences, diaries, scrapbooks and photo albums, photographs, and audiovisual materials that reflect your time at Lawrence

From faculty: Correspondence, memoirs and reminiscences, diaries, scrapbooks and photo albums, professional papers, speeches and lectures, business records, subject files, legal documents, minutes and reports, photographs, and audiovisual materials

How to Make a Donation

Individuals considering a donation to the Archives should first contact the archivist. The archivist will work with donors prior to donation to determine what records or documents within their papers have particular and continuing historic interest.

Once the details of the donation are agreed upon, both parties sign a deed of gift. A signed deed of gift transfers ownership of the records to the University and ensures that we are able to make materials available to researchers. While the deed of gift is a standard document, it can be customized to suit the needs of individual donors if necessary. In most cases the Archives will not accept gifts unless the ownership and copyright are transferred to Lawrence University.

Monetary Appraisals

Donors may be able to take a tax deduction for the donation. Internal Revenue Service regulations make it the responsibility of the donor to obtain legal advice on tax deductions and to arrange for appraisals for materials of significant value. Donors wishing to have more information on this matter should speak with either a tax consultant or an attorney.

Further Information

For further information on donation procedures, contact the archivist. For a detailed description of the Archives’ collecting priorities, see the Archives’ Collection Development Policy . For general information on donating your papers to an archival repository, see “A Guide to Donating Your Personal or Family Papers to a Repository,” published by the Society of American Archivists.

Resources for Care of Personal Collections