Donating Materials

Do you have something that you would like to donate to the Cummings Center collections? We welcome inquiries about material donations.

Once an inquiry has been made, the item(s) or collection(s) will be evaluated by Cummings Center staff based on uniqueness, relevance to the our collections, and other selection criteria outlined in our Collection Development Policy. Please contact the our Executive Director, Dr. Cathy Faye at cfaye@uakron.edu or call 330-972-6096 to discuss any possible donations.

Accepted Materials

What kinds of materials does the Center accept?

The Cummings Center houses materials that are:

• Relevant to the historical record of psychology and related human sciences
• Unique
• Cannot be obtained with relative ease from another source
• Unpublished

The Center accepts materials in nearly all formats. This includes:

• Still Images, such as photographs, slides, and negatives
• Moving images and audio recordings, such as film reels, DVDs, VHS, cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes
• Personal papers, including personal and professional correspondence, memoranda, unpublished manuscripts, course notes, presentation drafts, etc.
• Personal materials such as scrapbooks, diaries, and unpublished biographical statements
• Electronic files that have not been published or already donated to another archive, library or museum
• Records of an organization (e.g., Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology, Psi Chi, etc.)

What types of materials are not retained by the Center?

Generally, the Center will dispose of any materials that are not unique, or do not fit with our Collection Development Policy. This list is a general guide only; materials are appraised on an individual basis for content and context.

If you wish to separate out these materials, please do so. If not, they will be disposed of when the collection arrives.

Transferring the Collection

How do I send the materials?

Before any materials are sent, you will be asked to read and sign a “Deed of Gift” form, which indicates you are transferring ownership of the materials to the Center. This allows the Center to open the collection for research and exhibition.

Is there a formal procedure for gifting the materials to the Center?

Materials should be packed carefully and securely and may be sent by regular post. The Center will notify you when they arrive safely. Send all materials to the following address:

Cummings Center for the History of Psychology
The University of Akron
73 S. College Street
Akron, OH 44325-4302 

Processing Collections

What happens to the materials once they are at the Center? 

Once a collection arrives, it will be briefly sorted, documented, re-boxed if necessary, and moved to the Center’s unprocessed collections storage area, where it will remain until it can be fully processed. At that time, the materials will be fully sorted, organized, and described to make them available for research use. They will also be rehoused in acid free folders and boxes, in line with best archival practices for preservation and storage.

When will the materials be available for research?

Processing a collection is a time-intensive task. Like most archives, the Center has a backlog of unprocessed materials. As such, a collection may not be processed for some time after arrival. Decisions regarding processing priorities are based on the age and condition of materials, their unique qualities, and their support of the historical record. In addition, we seldom process papers when the donor and/or others mentioned in the collection are still active in the field.

Will all of the items in the collection be open for research?

Some items may be restricted from public access for a period of time. Confidentiality issues are the most common reason for restrictions. Personal information such as Social Security numbers and patient records are also typically restricted. More information about restrictions is available in the General Restriction Policy addendum to the Deed of Gift. If you wish to place restrictions on any of the materials, you should discuss this with the Center when the Deed of Gift is being signed. We will discuss what materials should be restricted, what type of restrictions should be placed on the materials, and at what date they may be opened to the public.

Are there any costs associated with this service?

We do not charge any fees for this work, but we encourage you to support the Archives. Processing, preserving, and providing access to these records is at the very heart of what we do and we rely almost entirely on the generous financial support of our donors to do this important work. As you choose to entrust the Center with your legacy, we will hope you will consider a gift to support our future. To learn more, contact us at ahap@uakron.edu or visit our Giving page.