CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE DONATING

 

The Center accepts only permanent donations of materials. Donors are asked to sign a donation agreement, called a Deed of Gift, which formally signifies that the materials become the property of the City of Sacramento and the Center for Sacramento History.

 

Once materials are donated, researchers, museum patrons, and other users will be able to access them by visiting the Center or wherever the Center’s exhibitions are displayed. In order to ensure security and long-term preservation, exhibited materials are displayed under stringent security and preservation standards, and research materials are used only at the Center under supervision.

 

Because the exhibition and research value of items may be diminished if they are restored or rearranged, donors are encouraged to contact the Center before repairing, discarding, or reorganizing materials. Sensitive items that may exist in the collection should not be removed by the donor. Instead, you should discuss with the curator/archivist the possibility of restricting part of the collection to address privacy concerns, trade secrets, or similar matters. While the Center desires to make all items accessible to users, it can agree to reasonable restrictions for limited periods of time.

 

Assignment of copyright is often complex, and donors should work with Center staff to clarify issues of copyright ownership prior to completing a donation agreement. Generally, copyright belongs to the creator of writings and other original materials (such as photos and music) but can be legally transferred to heirs or others. Moreover, ownership of copyright is separable from ownership of the physical item (the letter or photo). The Center asks donors to donate not only the physical materials but also any copyright that the donor might own. This makes it easier for the Center to respond to requests from researchers to use the documents.

 

In certain circumstances, it may be possible for a donor to take a tax deduction for the donation of a collection. Donors are encouraged to speak with their tax accountants or attorneys about such arrangements. Center staff cannot give tax advice, nor are they permitted to appraise the monetary value of a collection. The Center can provide donors with a list of local appraisers who can (for a fee) make monetary appraisals. It is a donor’s responsibility to arrange for and bear the cost of appraisal.