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Southern Maryland Studies Center

The Southern Maryland Studies Center is an archival repository and research center that seeks to collect, preserve, and provide access to materials documenting the history and culture of Southern Maryland.

Donate to the Southern Maryland Studies Center

How to Donate

If you wish to donate records of organizations or individuals for inclusion in the archives, please contact the Southern Maryland Studies Center at smsc@csmd.edu or (301) 934-7110 to discuss the materials and process. Staff will work with donors to identify what should be preserved. All materials that are accepted for review must be accompanied by a preliminary inventory, as well as a completed and signed Deed of Gift form (provided by Southern Maryland Studies Center staff).

Donated materials will be evaluated prior to inclusion in the Southern Maryland Studies Center archives. Those that are accepted for inclusion in the archives will be accessioned, processed, and preserved, while those that are not accepted for accession will be disposed of or returned according to the donor’s instructions included in the deed of gift. See "Donation Criteria" for more information about how we select items for inclusion in the collection.

All materials offered for donation must be accompanied by a basic inventory that identifies the contents of the collection, including a total number of items included (for small collections, this is the number of individual objects/papers; for larger collections, this is the number of boxes or containers).

The Southern Maryland Studies Center reserves the right to refuse, as a whole or in part, materials that do not support its Mission and Vision.

The SMSC may refuse collections that are more appropriately suited in another repository. Donations or gifts to the Southern Maryland Studies Center are considered personal property and are governed by the College of Southern Maryland Board of Trustees’ policies FIS:820, FIS: 821, FIS:823, and FIS:824.


Types of Materials to Donate

Records of Local Businesses and Organizations
  • Architectural records
  • Articles of incorporation
  • Charters
  • Correspondence
  • Bylaws
  • Reports
  • Memoranda
  • Meeting minutes and other materials
  • Organizational charts
  • Policy and procedure manuals
  • Subject files
  • Publications (generated by the organization)
  • Fund-raising materials
  • Speeches
  • Photographs
  • Newspaper clippings about the organization
  • Press releases
  • Public relations material
Records of Individuals
  • Correspondence
  • Diaries
  • Speeches
  • Scrapbooks
  • Autobiographical sketches
  • Professional files
  • Photographs
  • Films, audio, and video tapes