Donate to the Collections

Photograph of a group of boys and men posing in front of a fence.

Are you interested in making a financial donation to the Friends Historical Library? Thank you in advance for your generosity! Please use this financial donation form for Swarthmore College Special Collections and select Friends Historical Library from the drop-down menu.

Collecting Scope

Our mission is to collect, preserve, and promote the use of materials that document the history of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), its members and attenders, and its principles, such as human rights, peace, and simplicity.

Friends Historical Library accepts donations of as little as a single item and as large as dozens of boxes. Material does not need to be organized; it does not need to be "old"; and it does not need to relate to a famous individual, event, or organization in order for it to be historically significant. However, donations should not be mailed or dropped off without first consulting with the staff.

We acquire records that document any aspect of the history of the Religious Society of Friends from the 17th century to the present. These archives and manuscripts include:

  • Official minutes of Quaker meetings
  • Records of Quaker organizations
  • Quaker family papers
  • Manuscripts of Friends and their associates

FHl’s collections also include:

  • Quaker books, pamphlets, serials, tracts and broadsides
  • Photographs and images of Friends and Friends’ meeting houses
  • Born-digital and online resources
  • Other textual, non-textual, and graphic records

While we collect broadly, we prioritize materials on Mid-Atlantic Quakers, Hicksite and Wilburite (Conservative) Quakers, Progressive Quakers, and papers that support research into global Quaker history. The collections contain rich documentation of Quaker social history, women’s studies, Native American history, the anti-slavery movement, social service, and the peace movement, because these represent historic concerns of the Society of Friends.

We work with other Quaker and Philadelphia-area repositories to ensure materials are acquired by the most appropriate repositories. Most collections are acquired by gift. Purchases are made only of materials of outstanding importance. We will accept official Quaker meeting records on deposit with a signed agreement, including the provision that official meeting records may be withdrawn only with a minute from the depositing body or its successor. Loans and deposits are otherwise not accepted. Please see Quaker Meetings + Meeting Records for more information.

 

FAQs

Can I donate electronic records?

The Library can accept certain types of digital files. Email friends@swarthmore.edu to learn more.

Will the Library take everything I offer?

FHL welcomes the chance to review your materials, though we may not be able to accept all that you offer due to staff and space constraints. And if it is not appropriate for us, we may be able to suggest another site for your gift.

Will I be able to have access my donation?

In order to preserve materials for as long as possible, once donated, they do not circulate. Access is governed by our written policies regarding availability, photo duplication, and publication. 

May I restrict access to my donation?

Sensitive material should not be removed by the donor. Instead, the donor should discuss the possibility of restricting part of the collection to protect privacy with the Curator. While the Library wishes to make all papers freely accessible to researchers, we normally will agree to reasonable and equitable restrictions for limited periods of time.

May I set conditions for my donation?

FHL is not able to promise that donated materials will be placed on exhibit or used in some other specific fashion as a condition of accepting the gift.

Will you accept my papers on temporary loan?

FHL can only invest time and materials in the preservation of items thet we own (except for Meeting records, which are covered under a deposit agreement.) The Library accepts donations of individual or family papers, but will not accept such material on deposit or on loan. Donors are asked to sign a “deed of gift” or donation agreement, which formally signifies that the papers become the actual property of Friends Historical Library and Swarthmore College.

Should I "cull" or reorganize the papers?

Please contact FHL staff before weeding, discarding, or reorganizing papers and records. Our expertise is in identifying materials for long-term retention, so we are well-positioned to process your records.

What are literary rights or copyright?

Assignment of copyright is often complex, and you should work with FHL staff to clarify issues of copyright ownership. Curators often ask donors to donate not only the physical papers but also any literary rights in them that the donor might own.

How might I explore a tax deduction for my donated materials?

Archivists cannot give tax advice, nor are they permitted to appraise the monetary value of a collection that is under consideration for donation to their repository. In certain circumstances, it may be possible for a donor to take a tax deduction for the donation of a manuscript collection to a repository. Speak with a tax accountant or attorney about this possibility.

Adapted from:  “Donating Your Personal or Family Records to a Repository | Society of American Archivists.”