The program is still in mint condition...I even saved the ticket stub!
I decided to try to donate these items to a repository that collects materials related to the city of Danbury. It's important to not only identify potential institutions but also to ask permission to donate.
With a quick search. I discovered that the Danbury Museum is actively collecting materials such as these. I submitted an inquiry along with photos of the program/ticket.
Within a day, I received an email from the collections manager, who wrote: "I’m very pleased to say yes to adding this to our collection. I don’t think we have anything from this event and very little of this era in general, so this is a definite yes."
I will be signing a certificate of gift conveying ownership of the program and ticket stub to the museum, and will be delivering everything in person.
The museum will gain fresh materials for its collection, and I will feel good that these items have a safe new home, not in the rubbish or recycle bin.
Do you have items nobody in your family wants, so you want to find them a new home? Learn how to proceed by viewing my free talk "Keep Your Family's History Safe for the Future!" during the WikiTree Symposium this week, starting on Friday, Nov. 3, at 5 pm Eastern. For more about the speakers and free presentations, see the full listing here. I'm looking forward to a weekend of genealogy education and fun!
I love this. The historical society where I volunteer loves to receive items like this. We are an archive, but we welcome paper ephemera such as this. So many times people think of only old things to donate but items from the 60s and later also need to be saved for the future. Good point to contact them first.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading & commenting. I'm grateful to local archives/museums/libraries for preserving our past, both recent years and older periods.
DeleteGreat collectible and how nice that you have been able to find the right place.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful donation!
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog post! I never thought about donating programs, etc. I usually save them for years and years (double copies), then throw out the copies (if my kids or other family doesn't want them). P.S. I came from a figure skating family and used to figure skate and compete from a very young age until I was a teenager. My sister was in tons of ice shows as a child, and my mom skated almost her entire life, while competing (when she was younger) and being in tons of ice shows thrpughout her life. This blog post hit home. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, you're from a family of skaters! Please consider donating some of your programs to local museums/libraries/archives etc. You'll be sharing your family's history and allowing many more people to know about the skating world in your area. Plus I hope you'll blog about being on the ice! TY for commenting.
DeleteI love that you are demonstrating ways not to throw things away and teaching how to ask archives if they will accept material. The more people learn how to do that, the fewer ephemera such as that program end up in recycling bins or at thrift stores (if they're lucky).
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Ephemera can be of great interest to institutions--because relatively few people preserve or donate them. I hope more people take the time to ask institutions about donations of programs and other materials!
DeleteThis is such an important reminder to consider a local society or museum before you toss out things. Working closely with my local museum, my perspective on what we are seeking to acquire has expanded significantly.
ReplyDeleteLocal museums and societies are very interested in seeing materials that might fit their collection, and if an item doesn't fit their collection, they can usually recommend a more appropriate institution to approach. TY for commenting.
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