How to Donate Items
to the Collection

Sarah Jane Prettyman - 1912
(Married name Smith)

We collect a wide variety of Tazewell County related materials, including originals & copies:

• Art
• Books
• County Histories including those from Surrounding Counties & States
• Family Histories
• Family Tree Pedigree Charts
• Family Research Collections
• Historical Objects
• Manuscripts
• Government records
• Maps
• Music
• Oral history
• Film
• Photographs
• Video

There are archivists & librarians with responsibility for each of these areas.

Generally, we do not collect:

• Unidentified photographs unless part of a known family collection, Tazewell County location, or photography studio
• Family Bibles—unfortunately, we simply do not have storage space to dedicate to these.  We would like copies (or the originals) of the family history pages from the center of the Bible
• Clothing and other textiles
• Foreign military memorabilia
• Physically large items such as pump organs or farm equipment
• Non-fiction by Tazewell County writers that does not deal with Tazewell County or is not personal or biographical

If in doubt, please submit a Potential Donation Form!  If we aren't interested, we may be able to suggest other locations for your items.  We also occasionally sell duplicate items to interested researchers—all proceeds go to support the Society's mission.

First, let us know what it is you’d like to donate by filling out the Potential Donation Form online. The more information you provide about your item(s), the more easily we'll be able to make a decision about whether or not to add it to our collections.

A head librarian or archivist who specializes in the appropriate collecting area will follow up with you. If the Society is interested in learning more about the item, then an appointment to bring it to the library can be arranged.

You may drop items at the library during normal business hours but the librarian on duty cannot guarantee your contributions will be accepted into the collection.

You will be asked to fill out and sign an Accession Form relinquishing all your rights to the item.  If that is not acceptable, do not leave the item at the library!

We’d encourage you to first make contact using the Potential Donation Form.  A head librarian or archivist who specializes in the appropriate collecting area will follow up with you.  If the Society is interested in learning more about the item, then an appointment to bring it to the library can be arranged.

Please note: The Society reserves the right to dispose of any unsolicited materials delivered to the library.  Duplicate items are sometimes put on sale to interested researchers—all proceeds go to support the Society's mission.

In short, ask us by submitting a Potential Donation Form.

With limited space and resources, additional items must be limited to where gaps exist in the collection or in areas of special interest.  In general, we are not interested in adding items that duplicate those already in our collection.  Duplicate items are sometimes put on sale to interested researchers—all proceeds go to support the Society's mission.

Each item is different, but factors we consider include the item's historical or cultural significance to the Tazewell County area, physical condition, whether or not the Society already owns a similar item or copy, and the item’s history of ownership and use.

Potential additions to the collection go through a comprehensive review process and are subject to a vote by the Society’s Acquisitions Committee which includes the head librarian, head archivist, computer chair, and book acquisitions chair as well as appointed at-large members.

Declined items are offered to other organizations and societies that may have an interest.  Duplicate items are sometimes put on sale to interested researchers—all proceeds go to support the Society's mission.

Only in exceptional extremely rare cases (i.e. almost never) other than recently published books.  We must dedicate our limited funds to purchase materials that will be of interest to the widest range of researchers.

If such an occasion did arise, in keeping with ethical practices, we cannot suggest or set the purchase price but can only react to prices set by the seller.

If in doubt, we suggest sending us a Potential Donation form - specifying your requirements.

Because of its standing with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as an interested party, the Society cannot appraise or assign a monetary value to items. Those looking for appraisal services may wish to consult their local yellow pages or contact one of the following organizations for a referral:

• American Society of Appraisers
• Appraisers Association of America
• International Society of Appraisers
• Central Illinois Antiques Dealers Association

Some do, although only a small percentage of the Society’s collections are on exhibit at any one time because we have very limited display space and because long-term display can have negative effects on preservation.

We occasionally will set up displays in other county locations such as the Pekin Public Library and various Tazewell County governmental buildings.

Items in the Society’s collections that are not currently on exhibit are kept in secure holding areas for optimal preservation.

Jacob Tharp Deed
24 January 1842

Yes!  Our entire collection is accessible to the public.

Depending on the type of item, different arrangements may be necessary for viewing.  Rare or fragile books, documents, or other items may require an appointment with an archivist.

Books, manuscripts, and photographs go into the library stacks & files, which generally can be viewed during regular library hours.

Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit.  Therefore, donations to the Society are generally tax deductible. Consult with a tax specialist to determine your eligibility.

It is up to you to specify a fair market value (see Can the Society appraise my item? above).

If requested, our treasurer can give you a confirmation of donation letter for your records.

Items that have been formally accessioned into the collections cannot be returned to the donor or their descendants

At the end of the donation process, donors are asked to sign an Accession Form which legally transfers ownership of the items, as well as all associated rights and interests, to the Society.

The Society only accepts loans for specific very short-term exhibit purposes.

We do not accept long-term loans! We simply cannot dedicate our limited space and resources for the storage and care of items the society does not own.