Donation Policy

Donation Policy for Historical & Genealogical Materials

Approved June 10, 2014

The Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Society (here after called the Society) solicits, appreciates and accepts books, periodicals, documents, photographs, manuscripts and cash that will increase our historical and genealogical library collection. The Society’s Library Committee is assigned the duty of evaluating donations and selecting those that are in keeping with the Society’s mission.

The Society’s mission, as it pertains to its library, is to collect, process and integrate into the Santa Clara City Library collection the following items:

Books, documents, journals, newspaper clippings, photographs, compiled genealogies and materials that pertain to:

  • History of Santa Clara County and its cities present and past.
  • History of local businesses, institutions, occupations, and educational establishments.
  • History of locally prominent residents, and of early settler families (here prior to 1925).

Books and periodicals that pertain to:

  • Providing genealogical records, vital records, immigration data, etc. for the USA, UK, Canada and worldwide.
  • Learning how to conduct family history and genealogical research in the USA, UK, Canada and worldwide.

Donated materials accepted by the Society are held at the Heritage Pavilion in the Santa Clara City Central Park Library located at 2635 Homestead Ave, Santa Clara, California. Donated books are listed in the Library catalog.

The Society accepts cash. Cash donations go to the general fund of the Society, or may be designated for the Society’s book purchasing fund. If desired, the donor may specify the funds for books on specific areas of interest. And the funds may be given in memory of a specific person.

Thank you notes are sent to donors for whom a mailing address is available.

Donation acknowledgment forms are provided to the donor, upon their request, for their use with the IRS. The Society does not estimate the value of the donated materials.

Donor name plates are placed inside the cover of books, stating the name of the donor or the person in whose memory a book was donated or purchased.

Materials donated and deemed not appropriate for the Society’s collection shall be disposed of at the Society’s discretion, unless specific arrangements were made at the time of the donation. Items not in keeping with the Society’s mission are offered to members for a donation, recycled, or given to the Friends of the Santa Clara library. Occasionally such items are offered to other genealogical societies, or are sold.

The Society is unable to accept historical artifacts, but the library reference staff may be helpful in finding an appropriate local repository.