How can someone donate objects or books to the Swiss Center? Contact the Swiss Center at 608-527-6565 or info@theswisscenter.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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The process of donating objects to the collections will actually be quite simple.
For some items, the Swiss Center has a standard Deed of Gift form that is signed and dated by the donor and Swiss Center staff.
This form will transfer legal ownership of the items to the Swiss
Center and will be retained as a permanent record of who made the
donation.
Physical transfer of the donation will be the responsibility of the
donor. These arrangements can be easily done via U.S. mail, UPS or
other shipping companies.
Therefore, it will be the financial responsibility of the
prospective donor to pay for any shipping, handling, insurance or
freight charges associated with transferring the objects to the Swiss
Center. (These details will be provided prior to acceptance of the
donation.)
Is my donation tax deductible? Your donation to the archives or library is tax deductible.
We will not appraise the value of your donation since it is
considered a conflict of interest for archives and libraries to do
appraisals. Values must be obtained from a third disinterested party.
The cost to value a donation is the financial responsibility of the
donor.
What will the Swiss Center of North America collect?
The Swiss
Center is now collecting items that enhance the understanding of Swiss
history and culture, especially materials created by, for and about the
Swiss in North America.
Several other factors will also be taken into consideration when we
consider whether to accept items, such as their physical condition and,
in the case of large objects, whether there is sufficient space to
properly display or care for them. Multiple copies of an item, book, or
artifact will be welcomed as a way to enhance the quality of the
holdings of the Swiss Center.
Whenever possible, we will try to accept the entirety of an offered
donation. However, in building a quality library and archival
collection, the most pressing need is for funds to accompany your
donation to assure its proper care, research and display.
Objects may be declined if they fall outside the scope of the Center's mission or if they cannot be conserved or restored.
What can I donate to the Swiss Center of North America?
Artifacts that will be collected include, but not limited to:
Clothing, materials and other textiles- Folk and fine art
- Household furnishings
- Products of science and technology
- Objects representative of the immigrant experience in North America
- General material culture
- Musical instruments of Swiss origin
- Fest event flyers, brochures, programs, other relevant
publications (Saengerfests, Turnfests, Schutzenfests, Schwingfests,
etc.)
- Fest memorabilia (cups, banners, flags, attendance badges, medals, wreath awards, August 1st and inter Hilfe badges, etc.)
- Club member memorabilia (pins, badges, ribbons, cards, etc.)
Library material that will be collected include, but not limited to:
Books- Periodicals, newspapers, and newsletters
- Manuscripts
- Graphic materials such as photographs, maps, posters, prints, postcards and stereoviews
- Personal papers of Swiss-Americans
- Genealogies and family histories
- Emigration travel accounts
- Immigration diaries
- Sheet music
- Musical recordings
- Films and videos
- Oral histories
- Club records and proceedings
- Swiss-American business records
- Records of Swiss related organizations in North America
