Re: donations

[Frances Woodward <franwood@unixg.ubc.ca>]

I have a sad story for you.  One of my high school teachers was also the 
local historian and president of the museum and archives association.  He 
negotiated with a pioneer who had a trunk full of diaries, letters, 
photos,maps, etc. to have the lot left to the museum/archives in the 
pioneer's will.  The will was properly drawn up.  When the old gentleman 
died, the curator, not wanting to be a ghoul, waited until after the 
funeral to approach the family.  The family admitted to being well aware 
of the provisions of the will, but felt that the stuff was "too personal" 
and burned the lot!  So much for a will!  If you want to be sure 
something is done the way you want it done, do it yourself while you can!
	Fran W.  

On Tue, 23 Apr 1996, PHILIP A. METZGER wrote:

> The thread of discussion on the fate of donations to libraries has been
> interesting, although it's so complicated I doubt if the issue can ever be
> settled to everyone's satisfaction. May I ask a slightly different question of
> this group? I have been asked about any known instances in which something
> happened to a collection before it was given. That is to say, the potential
> donor intended to give his collection to a library at some future date, but
> before that date something intervened--the house burned down, the donor died
> unexpectedly, the children put pressure, etc. This is by way of making a case
> to donors not to put off the day too long. Any comments or anecdotes?
> 
> + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
> Philip A. Metzger / Linderman Library / 30 Library Drive / Lehigh University
> Bethlehem, PA 18015-3067 + + + Associate Director for Preservation and
> Special Collections / (610) 758-4506 fax (610) 974-6471 / internet
> pam5@lehigh.edu + + + Director, Lehigh University Press (610) 758-3933
> fax (610) 974-2823 / internet inlup@lehigh.edu  + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
> 
> 

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Frances Woodward, Special Collections & University Archives Division, 
Main Library, University of British Columbia, 1956 Main Mall, Vancouver, 
B.C. V6T 1Z1
Tel: (604) 822-2819  Fax: (604) 822-9587  E-mail: franwood@unixg.ubc.ca
URL: http://unixg.ubc.ca:7001/0/providers/spcoll/welcome.html

"British Columbia is a large body of land entirely surrounded by envy."
(Eric Nicol, 1976)
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