Why Institutions Want Family History Items

My husband and I began our journey of curating our family history collection in 2013. We had hundreds of theater and concert programs to donate, collected by Wood ancestors and our relatives from the 1920s to the 1990s. Our family agreed with the idea of donating because no one wanted to keep these programs any more.

NOTE: If you have questions about donating (or selling) items with monetary value, please seek professional advice. I'm no expert!

History in a theater program

One of the first institutions we approached was the university where a cousin was studying theater. The theater department told us it was mainly interested in Broadway Playbills. Why? We were a little surprised by the answer: As much as the plays and the actors were of interest, the ads and the fashions of the times were also quite valuable for research purposes.

Theater programs carry ads from local stores and restaurants, and often feature contemporary fashions, stylish jewelry, and (in those days) cigarettes, plus much more. This helps students and teachers research cultural trends, businesses, and so on. For a university production of a 1970s play, looking at clothing ads in theater programs of that era can stimulate costume ideas. And that's just one small example.

Other college libraries were interested in non-Broadway cultural programs, and now my father-in-law's Cleveland programs and Boston programs are owned by two different university collections, filling gaps in their collections. 

Where would an item go?

As you curate your collection, think not only about your family's connections but also how a few of the items might fit into the collection of an institution that does not focus on genealogy. 

At top, an ad from my Mom's 1936 high school yearbook. S. Klein is no longer in existence, but it did well during the 1930s, because Depression-era shoppers sought out its bargains. So if you're studying the history of New York City businesses or, specifically, S. Klein's past, this ad would show you (1) its logo (which evolved over time), (2) its outreach to high school graduates and their parents, (3) its main merchandise focus.

My Mom's yearbook is now in the collection of the Bronx Historical Society, adding to its library of local yearbooks. Even my Mom's 1950s needlework magazines (complete with Addressograph labels) found a home in a Midwest historical society that was missing those issues.

Check with family, digitize, document

Before I donate anything, I check with relatives to be sure no one wants the item(s). Then I digitize selected parts of the items. With yearbooks, I digitize the front cover, table of contents, and any photos/mentions of ancestors/loved ones. 

PRO TIP: Maintain a folder with signed acknowledgements of donations to institutions. This way, heirs will know what items have been donated and to which repositories.