How to Donate an Object

If you are considering donating an object, please contact our collections committee at Collections@chathamhistory.org. Please describe the object(s) in detail and attach images if possible. If you can, complete and return--by email or mail--our history of object form, which will facilitate our evaluation of the suitability of your object for the collection.

The collections committee will work with you to determine whether the object meets the association's collecting criteria. Criteria for evaluating the object for acceptance into the collection include the following considerations. Please tell us what you know about the object to help us determine:

• Was the object made or used in Chatham County?
• What is the object's historical significance? Tell us what you know about it.
• What is the object's condition? Is conservation work needed?

• Is the object a duplicate?
• What is the object's exhibit potential?
• What impact would the object have on available storage space?

The Collections Committee might contact you for additional information prior to making a decision, and you will be notified whether the decision is to accept your item or if we must decline your offer. If the Collections Committee determines that your object will be a valuable addition to the collection and is something that we have space for and are prepared to care for, you will be asked to bring or mail it to us. We will provide instructions for mailing since we cannot accept package delivery at the CCHA office. When your object has been received, you will be sent a deed of gift form and your object will be the property of the Chatham County Historical Association.

Digital Donations

We are also interested in obtaining digital copies of items such as photographs and documents that add to the information base about Chatham history but are perhaps not physically available. Digital items do not require physical storage space or special handling, so are often easier for us to accept. We do need the history of the item and any information you have about its relevance to Chatham County, so please fill out a history of object form when you submit digital items for inclusion in the collection.