DONATIONS TO SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Special Collections as a Repository
J. Y. Joyner Library's Special Collections Department is a state of the art Special Collections repository. Like most manuscript repositories, we carefully preserve collections of printed, written, visual, and audible material created by people both past and present. We ensure that materials will be available for research for generations to come.
Benefits of a Repository to Patrons
Special Collections is run by professionals whose first priority is the preservation of historical materials. We can discuss with you the historical value of your books and papers, and advise you on which repository would be best for you. In addition, once you donate material we will continue to work with you as you locate or identify other materials to donate. If your personal or family materials are deemed appropriate for inclusion in our collections, we will provide them with environmentally-controlled, secure storage and can oversee their proper handling and use. We will also provide research access, both to you and to the scholarly public. Researchers, including students, professors, genealogists, journalists and many others-may find your materials both interesting and of value to their research.
Donations of Papers
Special Collections can only invest materials and labor in the preservation of items which we own. Therefore, we accept individual or family papers only as gifts and not on loan (except in very rare cases and for a strictly limited period of time).
Donation of Printed Book Materials
Special Collections collects printed books in a number of areas: Rare Books, Radical (primarily Communist and Anti-Communist) Literature and the Literature of the Fantastic. Of special interest for our Rare Book collection are materials printed in Europe prior to 1800, material printed in America prior to 1880, U.S. Civil War materials printed in the 19th century, Confederate Imprints, and limited or fine press editions of any time period. We ask all donors to sign a donation receipt, when offering materials for donation, and a contract of gift, which formally signifies that the items become the actual property of Special Collections, Joyner Library, after we have reviewed the collection. On occasion materials not within our collecting scope will be housed in other East Carolina collections or treated according to standing policies of the library.
Monetary Donations and Endowments
We are a non-profit organization. Preparing papers for use by researchers is the most expensive operation in a repository. Although never a prerequisite for acceptance of a collection, we encourage donors to assist us by making monetary donations toward the arrangement, cataloging, and conservation of their donations of papers. Donors have in the past established endowment funds to help with the financial support of Special Collections. These endowments include the Roger Schlobin Endowment, Sara S. Batten Endowment Fund, the O. W. "Sonny" Martin, Jr., Coast Guard Auxiliary Records Support Endowment Fund, the Elizabeth P. Crockford Missionary and Church Endowment Fund, the Naval History Resources Endowment Fund, and the Manuscript Collection Special Funds. The Department uses these funds to acquire collections, support projects and purchase materials not covered through normal budgetary channels. All financial contributions are tax deductible. Please contact the Special Collections Department for additional information.
If you wish to make a donation, we can best assist you if you make an appointment in advance. Please call, write or visit:
Professor Maury York
Associate Director for Special Collections
Academic Library Services, J. Y. Joyner Library
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
Phone: 252-328-0252
Fax: 252-328-0268
Email: yorkm@ecu.edu
Web: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/spclcoll/index.cfm
Donations are also accepted for University Archives which is the collection consisting of materials covering the history of East Carolina University. For more information, go to http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/archives/donations.cfm. If you decide that you want to make a donation, please contact:
Kacy Guill
University Archivist
Joyner Library, East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858
Phone: 252-328-4831
Email: guillk@ecu.edu
The Society of American Archivists (info@archivists.org) can also help you contact other repositories.
Grateful acknowledgement for permission to borrow from their respective brochures is made to the Nebraska State Historical Society, the Bentley Historical Library of the University of Michigan, and the Minnesota Historical Society.
Individuals with disabilities, requesting accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), should contact the Department of Disability Support Services at 252-328-6799 (V) or 252-328-0899 (TTY).
