Donating to the Archive
You are more than welcome to donate items to the Them Days Archive at any time, though from time to time, we do hold “spring cleaning” events to publicize donation to the archive. If you’d like nothing more than to get rid of some old stuff hanging around your house, and you know some of the papers and photos you want to get rid of could be useful for somebody else, please consider donating those items to Them Days.
We can’t take just anything, however. It needs to be Labrador-related, and appropriate for an archive. Archives differ from libraries in that the items in an archive haven’t been published and aren’t widely available. Archives differ from museums in that the ‘items’ we store are thing that contain information–like documents, journals, photos, audio recording, etc. As much as we love sealskin boots, we can’t take them because they are artifacts more appropriate for a museum. Click here to read our Acquisitions Policy on the items we receive.
That said, Them Days also maintains a reference library and vertical files on Labrador topics. If you have Labrador books, magazines that contain articles about Labrador, or genealogy information like obituary and birth announcement clippings from the newspaper, funeral programs, etc., we would be interested in these too.
If you donate items to our archive, you will be asked to sign a form stating that you are giving your item to Them Days, and transferring ownership to us, and all the rights that come with it, like the ability to publish it in our magazine. We can make copies for you if you wish. Remember, by donating items to Them Days, they will be kept safe and accessible for generations to come. You and your descendents will be able to look at them years down the road, and know that they have been kept in the very best of hands, safe from fire, flood, and mould–not to mention relatives that borrow and never return!
If your organization is interested in donating materials to the archives, you might want to take a look at this Guide to Archiving for Community Organizations put together by the Halifax Regional Municipality Archives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Donating to our Archives
Can I keep my items private?
If you would like to donate items that you consider sensitive or private, we can look at the option of sealing the files for a specified amount of time. If that's the case, researchers will not be allowed to access the files until they are unsealed. They can not, however, be sealed indefinitely.
Will you buy my Item?
Unfortunately, Them Days can not buy your item from you. We can, however, offer you a donation receipt for your original items that you may claim on your tax return.
Is Them Days stable?
Yes. We have stable operational funding, and we own our own building outright. We've been around for over 40 years now--we're not going anywhere!
Will I ever see my donated items again?
Our archive is open to the public and free to access. You and your family members will be able to access your items whenever we are open. We can also provide you with a digital copy or paper copy of your donation if you like.
Who uses your archive?
Our archive is used by university researchers, students, writers, genealogists, and your average, everyday person who is just looking for information, usually about their family.
Do you take personal items only?
No--we would love to see records from current or defunct businesses, community groups and organizations as well as individuals and families.
How will my items be stored?
Your donated items will be stored in our climate-controlled, fire-safe archive and kept in archival quality storage. That means acid-free folders, polyester sleeves--whatever is best for the particular item in question. Our building is also protected by DBH Security.
