Donating to the Hagley Library
Hagley is grateful to many donors who contribute to making our Library the extraordinary research center it is. We rely on the generosity of donors for both collection material and for financial support to preserve and make these collections available for generations to come. We would be delighted to discuss potential contributions to the Library.
In our mission to document American enterprise, we are eager to consider any collection that illuminates the history of business and technology. We are also particularly interested in more modern collections materials, those focusing on business activity and enterprise after World War I. Research and archival collections may also be national or international in scope, and are no longer restricted to records documenting the Mid-Atlantic region.
The Library collects business records, personal papers, printed books and catalogues, photographs, drawings, and prints, movies and audio recordings, ephemera (including invitations, scrapbooks, trade cards, and tickets) and digital media and records. These historical items may be created by companies, professional organizations, associations, or individuals.
Many donors take a tax deduction for the donation of collections materials. While Hagley staff members cannot provide monetary appraisals of your gifts, we are happy to provide a list of appraisers who specialize in this work. Please discuss possible tax implications with your accountant and attorney; we recommend engaging in that conversation before hiring an appraiser.
To discuss collection donations or financial contributions to the Library, please contact Terry Snyder, Deputy Director, Library Administration, Hagley Museum and Library, P.O. Box 3630; Wilmington, DE 19807. 302-658-2400, ext. 344 or tsnyder@hagley.org.