The Radford University Archives and Special Collections welcomes donations from Radford University alumni, students, student groups, current and former faculty members and staff, and the general public. These materials help document and preserve the history of Radford University, Southwest Virginia, and Appalachia. For more information about the Archives and Special Collections, please contact the University Archivist/Head, Archives and Special Collections, Ashley Palazzo by email apalazzo@radford.edu or phone 540-831-5691.
The Archives contain official institutional records, publications, and related materials created by or related to Radford University. Holdings in the Archives consist of records that document activities of the students, faculty, and administrators of the University. Materials include records of the Board of Visitors, university presidents, administrators, university departments, official Radford publications, student publications, photographs and images, audio/visual materials, and other similar materials that document Radford University.
Examples of materials accepted:
Special Collections consist of Rare Books, the Appalachian Collection, and other Special Collections.
Examples of materials accepted:
Donations of materials are considered gifts to Radford University Archives and Special Collections, and will become a permanent part of the collections if determined to be within the collection scope. Donors will sign a ‘Deed of Gift’ form indicating that their materials will become property of the Radford University Archives and Special Collections. Donated materials will be organized according to proper archival procedures, stored according to archival standards, and will be made available to researchers in a supervised, secure environment.
We also accept items as temporary loans if determined to have exhibit value. Donors will be asked to sign a loan agreement.
What are the benefits of donating material to Radford University Archives and Special Collections?
You can feel confident that:
Your materials will be preserved in a secure environment to national archival standards.
Your materials will be inventoried and added to collections finding aids that can be found on the University Libraries website.
Your materials, when appropriate, will be featured on the Archives and Special Collections blog, social media, and exhibits.
Researchers, students, and other interested parties will be able to access your materials under the supervision of professionally trained staff.
Your donation will benefit future generations by promoting research and interest in Radford University, Southwest Virginia, and Appalachia and their histories.
What happens to materials after I donate them?
After the ‘Deed of Gift’ form is signed and reviewed, the ownership of the materials will be officially transferred to Radford University Archives and Special Collections. The department staff will then inventory the materials, rehouse them in acid-free archival folders/boxes, and create a record of the condition of the materials, assessed by the University Archivist. Collections of materials will be assessed and organized according to standard archival procedures. A ‘finding aid’ will be produced or added to an existing document.
What is a ‘Finding Aid’?
A 'finding aid’ is a description that typically consists of contextual and stRadford Universityctural information about an archival resource. Often a finding aid places archival resources in context by consolidating information about the collection, such as acquisition and processing; provenance, including administrative history or biographical note; scope of the collection, including size, subjects, media; organization and arrangement; and an inventory of the series and the folders. Finding aids could also describe a single level or a single item. Source: Society of American Archivists.
View Radford University finding aids
Will you take anything I bring you? What happens if you don’t want the materials?
Radford University Archives and Special Collections welcomes the opportunity to review any materials for donation; however we may not be able to take everything that is offered due to space constraints. If the materials do not meet our collection scope, we will do our very best to make a recommendation to another archive or repository.
We reserve the right to accept donations without restrictions, to refuse materials that are not suitable for Radford University Archives and Special Collections, and to dispose of materials deemed not appropriate for our collection. There is a section on the ‘deed of gift’ form to discuss whether you would like your materials returned to you, transferred to another collection that you specify, or discarded.
Are there tax benefits for donating materials?
Gifts to Radford University Archives and Special Collections are considered charitable donations. Determining the value of a gift is the donor’s responsibility, and should be determined prior to the donation if that documentation is needed for your tax purposes.
Under current US tax laws, no appraisal is needed unless the donation exceeds $5,000. If the donation is over $5,000, a formal, independent appraisal is required, which must be organized by the donor. IRS guidelines forbids appraisal by Radford University staff and faculty. There are several qualified independent appraisers in the area; if you are unsure who to contact, reach out to Radford University Archives and Special Collections for more information.
What should I do with my materials before donation?
You do not need to necessarily organize the materials before donation. Please bring materials in an appropriate transport container (not a trash bag please!) If you have any additional contextual information about your materials, those are greatly appreciated; for example, identification information on photographs.
For more in-depth information on our collecting areas and rationale, please see our Collection Development Policy (PDF).