Saving Michigan's History - Preserving Personal Papers, Family Papers, and Records of Organizations: A Guide for New Donors

Documenting Michigan's History

In 1935, the Regents of the University of Michigan established the Michigan Historical Collections to collect and preserve written, visual, and audio materials that document the history of Michigan and the activities of its citizens and institutions. The MHC is housed in the Bentley Historical Library, a modern facility located in Ann Arbor on the University of Michigan's north campus. The library is open to the public and each year is visited by thousands of researchers from the state of Michigan as well as from across the country and abroad. Among those who consult the library's rich and diverse holdings are academic scholars, other professionals (architects and journalists, for example), undergraduate and graduate students, and family, town, and church historians. Another group of users is the donors of materials to the library, both individual citizens and representatives of organizations, who return here to review their files for administrative purposes and to do historical research.

Orville Frazier family of Grand Rapids

Orville Frazier family of Grand Rapids

Why Preserve State History?

Written, visual, and audio records are footprints from the past. They provide crucial clues for historians and others studying individual lives and collective enterprises. Through personal and family papers (letters, diaries, and photographs, for example) and organizational records (such as minutes, correspondence, and reports), historians are able to explore questions concerning the development of a society, the dissemination and acceptance of new ideas, the persistence of traditional values, the growth and impact of movements and institutions, the significance of watershed events, the evolution of cities, suburbs, towns, and the countryside, the expansion (or contraction) of an economic base, changes in the social order of a community over time, and the interplay between national, regional, and local events. Documents created by individuals and organizations all provide vital evidence of past activity and make possible a fuller understanding of the present. Without these records it is as difficult to reconstruct the past faithfully as it is to follow footprints in the sand of a Michigan beach.

The Collections

Since the founding of the Michigan Historical Collections more than sixty years ago, over 9,000 citizens and organizations have donated to it their papers and records. The library has been built almost entirely through these donations, rather than by purchases, an indication of the value Michigan's people and institutions place on preserving the state's history. The holdings date from the seventeenth century to the present. They document all periods of Michigan's history, including the age of exploration and discovery, the territorial era, and Michigan statehood, as well as subject areas such as politics, religion, education, migration and ethnicity, natural resources, cultural life, and business and industry. With the help of our donors, the MHC has grown to include over 50 million manuscript items comprising 7,000 record groups and collections and measuring approximately 28,000 linear feet; 1.5 million photographs; 10,000 maps; 12,000 sound recordings; 58,000 printed volumes; and 4,000 reels of microfilm. Each year donors contribute additional valuable historical material that further enhances our understanding of Michigan's past and present.

Security

The library emphasizes the security of the papers, photographs, printed materials, maps, and other documentation entrusted to it by thousands of donors interested in preserving Michigan's history. The building is climate-controlled to ensure a stable environment - and thus a longer life - for the research collections. The collections are stored in closed stacks and are retrieved by the reference staff for researcher use in the supervised reading room. Research materials do not circulate outside the library. When the library is closed, the facility is protected by an electronic security system and by the University's Department of Public Safety. The stack areas are outfitted with a fire suppression system to provide state-of-the-art protection against the unlikely occurrence of a fire.

Construction of the Ambassador Bridge, Detroit, 1929

Construction of the Ambassador Bridge, Detroit, 1929

Professional Staff

The library's field representatives identify individuals and institutions whose activities have had an impact on Michigan society, and whose papers and records reflect their activities. The field representatives negotiate a transfer to the library -either by gift or deposit -of the individual's personal papers or the organization's records. Professional staff archivists then arrange these materials and prepare a descriptive inventory of the collection as a guide for use by both the donor and researchers. When a collection is fully processed, the library presents the donor with a personal copy of the descriptive inventory. Reference archivists are available to serve the needs of both donors and the research community. They provide guidance for researchers visiting the library as well as respond to written and telephoned requests for assistance. The reference staff, in its role as intermediary between the researcher and the collections, also seeks to promote careful and imaginative use of the library's holdings. Some of the historical materials received by the library have deteriorated due, usually, to the poor quality of the paper or storage conditions before transfer to the library. A gifted staff of professional conservators works with the library's archivists to determine the historical value of the damaged items and then uses appropriate preservation techniques to address the problems.

What to Preserve

The Bentley Historical Library's field representatives are experts in identifying materials that should be transferred to an archives or manuscript library. Because the research value of records may be diminished if items are removed or if the records are rearranged, donors are encouraged to contact the library's field staff before weeding, discarding, or reorganizing their papers and records. Discussions with a field representative will ultimately result in a more valuable and useable collection. Listed below are types of materials that are often valuable to a researcher. These lists, which are suggestive and not definitive, illustrate the wide range of documentation essential for historical and administrative research.
Among the types of materials in personal and family papers that are often of interest to researchers are:

Churches, political parties, businesses, economic interest groups, community groups, voluntary associations, professional associations, and other collective enterprises all produce documents -either on paper or in digital format- that describe their purpose, policies, procedures, and activities. Among the types of materials in organizational records that are often useful for research are:

How Can I Help?

The Bentley Historical Library needs your assistance in safeguarding Michigan's past. Together, we can identify valuable collections about Michigan history, transfer these papers, records, photographs, and other historical documentation to the library for safekeeping in a secure facility. We can then ensure their continued availability for research for generations to come. For further information on donating materials and on the library's programs, please write or call the library's field staff. Field representatives are available by appointment. We encourage potential donors to call or write for an appointment before visiting the library.