Donating Materials to IHRC
The IHRC is currently postponing most gift acquisitions for our collections. We do, however, encourage people who have or know of potentially relevant material to contact us in order that arrangements might be made in the future or in the event that special circumstances might permit more immediate action. In any case, it is important that recommendations or offers of material be discussed in advance with our curatorial staff. Please call, write, or e-mail IHRC Curator.What types of items can be donated to the IHRC collection?
The IHRC is interested in preserving historical materials that document immigration and ethnic life in America. Among the materials we collect are:-
Personal Papers
Correspondence, diaries, photographs, unpublished manuscripts, family narratives, and oral histories, sheet music and music scores (published or unpublished)
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Ethnic Community Materials
Ethnic newspapers and magazines, books, pamphlets, photographs, church bulletins, posters, flyers, and announcements of community events
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Organization Records
Meeting minutes, correspondence, by-laws and constitutions, publications, ledgers and membership rosters, and financial records
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Non-Print Materials
Photographs and photo albums, all formats of moving images (movies), video tapes, audio tape and phonograph records, and microfilm
We are unable to accept historical artifacts such as craft objects, clothing, tools, and utensils. Such materials fall outside the scope of our collecting policy and properly belong in a museum environment where they can be exhibited.
Preparing Materials for Donation
It is very important that you contact the curatorial staff to discuss the possible donation of materials. We will advise you on how to ship materials to IHRC. Please call, write, or e-mail IHRC Curator.Send the Materials as You Find Them
There is no need to make a special effort to arrange or rearrange the materials, as the arrangement may have historical significance. As much as possible, try to maintain the original order of the documents, including placement of photographs.Don't Worry if the Materials are in a Foreign Language
Some of our most valuable materials are in languages other than English. We rely on multilingual staff members or friends from the various ethnic communities to help us with non-English materials.When Dealing with Fragile Materials, Handle them with Care
Whenever possible, place in plastic bags (similar in size to fragile items) or in manila envelopes, keeping them in order as you are placing the materials in boxes.The following suggestions are optional, but helpful to us for processing materials:
