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What to Do With Your Ancestor’s Papers? University Archives May Want Them
- Devon Noel Lee
- Feb 11, 2019
- 4 min read
Have you inherited boxes of your loved ones’ papers and wondered what to do with them? As family historians, we often wrestle with what to preserve, what to share, and what to let go.
But here’s something you might not have considered: university archives may actually want your ancestor’s papers, especially if they had ties to academia, were alumni, or contributed significantly to a field of study or their local community. Universities also have some rich special collections that your box of papers can be a welcome addition to.
A Personal Story That Changed How I Preserve Family History
When I was researching my great-grandfather, Professor R. Victor Zumstein, who taught at Ohio State University for nearly 40 years, I reached out to the OSU Archives Librarian to find out what they might have.
To my happy-dance inducing delight, I received the following note said the following:
“Prof. Zumstein’s biographical file contained a number of OSU News Bureau faculty biographical records, Faculty Member’s Annual Reports and Basic Who’s Who. Some of the information is repetitive, but I wanted to give you everything we have to be of most use. The bio file also included an obituary that appeared in the Board of Trustees’ minutes in 1968. After that is a photocopy of an OSU Alumni Monthly article that includes him among a list of faculty members given emeritus titles that year. The article ran in the June 1967 issue of the magazine (vol. 58, no. 10). Finally, there are photocopies of two photos we have in our collection of Prof. Zumstein.
In addition, you might find references to him in the online archives of the student newspaper, The Lantern. Go to our web site and click on the link for the newspaper archives. Our web address is go.osu.edu/archives.”
It was an emotional moment to see how these preserved materials painted a much fuller picture of my great-grandfather’s life.
An Archivist’s Plea That Stuck With Me
Now, the point of the post is not to brag about my find. But what really struck me was this comment from the librarian:
“I just wish we had more to send you. Your grandfather did, after all, work here for 40 years, but it is not atypical among faculty – they either retire or pass away and no one thinks to bring their “stuff” to the Archives.
(I’m not exactly sure where it ends up, frankly.) I wish I had more to send to you, but I’m glad what I did send helped!” - Kevlin Haire
That hit hard.
How many pieces of family history have been lost simply because no one thought to place them in the right hands?
Yes, You Can Donate Family Records to a University
Here’s the good news: many university archives actively welcome relevant personal papers, especially if your ancestor:
taught at the university
studied there
contributed to a professional field
or made a notable impact in their local area
These aren’t just repositories for famous politicians or university celebrities. University Archives look for real stories that deepen their collections and expend their research offerings
How to Donate Family Papers to a University Archive
If this sounds like something you want to explore, here’s how to get started:
Identify Potential Institutions: Start with universities your ancestor attended or worked at. Also look at local colleges or universities if your ancestor was a community leader, business owner, or innovator in some way. Or, if your ancestor was part of a group (religious, ethnic, tribal, innovator, social causes, etc.), search the internet for special collections that different universities have curated.
Contact the Special Collections Department: Review the university's special collection website. If your content seems to align with what they've curated, then search their website for instructions about donations. After reviewing the instructions, reach out to the archivist or special collection curator with a friendly email explaining who your ancestor was and what types of materials you have.
Prepare the Materials Thoughtfully: Once accepted, prepare your material so that it can be rapidly integrated into the university's collection. Organize and label everything clearly—dates, names, places.
Create a Finding Aid for the Collection: While every archive will have its own style guide for finding aids, you can create one that will speed up the work an archivist must do before your donation is added to their collection. Leverage the examples from the Society of American Archivists in this post, "Sample Annotated Finding Aid." By creating a similar finding aid, the archivist is now double-checking your work rather than doing original processing of the material.
Submit the Donation: Some universities offer a formal intake process. Others might be more casual. Either way, you’re not just preserving your family’s story—you’re making it accessible to future generations.
Why Family History Donations to Universities Matter
When I received those files about Professor Zumstein, I felt deep gratitude—not just for the university’s preservation efforts but also for what they gave me back: a richer connection to my ancestor.
And it made me realize—our family history doesn’t have to stay locked in boxes or buried in basements.
By donating, we make our ancestors part of a larger story. One that students, historians, and descendants might someday rediscover. One that could bridge the gap between past and future.
Ready to Act? Preserve Your Ancestor’s Legacy Today
So if you’re downsizing, organizing, or simply wondering what to do with inherited papers, consider donating your materials to university archives. It’s an incredible way to honor your ancestor—and ensure their story lives on where it can inspire others.
Your attic is not the final chapter. A university archive might be the perfect next one.
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