Donating to Special Collections

Special Collections welcome donations that complement our existing arts, humanities, political, and science collections. We also collect and preserve material that documents the history of Long Island. Donors may make financial gifts or fund endowments over several years. Naming opportunities are available for significant donations.

Material donated to Special Collections is processed in accordance with archival standards. Collections are consulted in a supervised reading room and stored in a secure storage facility. Items are placed in acid-free folders and containers in order to prevent deterioration.

Examples of the types of material collected and preserved are:

• manuscripts
• books
• maps and atlases
• photographs
• letters
• diaries
• speeches and lectures
• memoirs
• scrapbooks and photo albums
• business records
• audio and video recordings

A gift agreement, referred to as a Deed of Gift, is a legal document that transfers physical ownership of a collection to the University. Donors must seek an appraisal from an independent party if they seek a tax deduction greater than $5,000. Helpful documents include the IRS publications "Determining the Value of Donated Property" and the 8283 form. Independent appraisers may be identified from the following organizations:

     - Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America
     - Appraisers Association of America

Detailed guides regarding the donation of personal papers or organizational records to a repository can be consulted on the website of the Society of American Archivists:

       - Personal Papers
       - Organizational Records

If you are considering donating material, please contact:

Kristen J. Nyitray
Head, Special Collections and University Archives
Melville Library, Room E-2320
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York 11794-3323
631-632-7119
kristen.nyitray@stonybrook.edu