Donate Your Material

University offices wishing to transfer records to the Archives should follow the instructions here.

The Archives serves the administration of Notre Dame and researchers from the Notre Dame community and the general public by preserving and providing access to records regarding Notre Dame’s past and that of the Catholic Church in the United States.  The Archives collects records in all formats that document the administrative and academic history of the University and the life of its community – the students, faculty, staff, and alumni.  As the home of one of the most prominent collections of Catholic manuscripts in the United States, the Archives also collects the papers of clergy, religious and lay people, and organizations with a view towards documenting the development of the Catholic Church and its people in America. 

For more detailed information on what records the Archives collects, please see the Collection Policy.

How do I donate?

If you have records that you wish to donate to the Archives, the first step is to contact us.  This will give us a chance to speak with you about your records and about the logistics of making a donation.  The Archives accepts records in all formats including paper, digital files, photographs, tapes, CDs, film, DVDs, and many others. 

If you are near campus, you may bring your material to our offices on the sixth floor of the Hesburgh Library.  If you choose to ship your papers to the Archives, we can reimburse you for postage and expenses. 

What happens to my papers?

Archivists arrange, describe, and store donated material in order to preserve it for future generations.  Archivists add descriptions of the material to finding aids, which are accessible on this website.  As the donor, you will always have access to your material.  Although the original may not leave the Archives, copies may be made for your use if necessary.  Your material will be helpful for others who want to know more about Notre Dame or Catholic history.

Can you appraise my records?

No, the staff at the Archives cannot offer appraisals.  It is best to seek out a professional appraiser if you wish to have a monetary value assigned to your material.  It would be a conflict of interest for staff members to appraise material that the Archives might receive as a donation. 

This page was last updated May 7, 2009