Why should I donate my materials to the East Baton Rouge Parish Library?
The letters, scrapbooks, diaries and photographs that we collect over the years serve as precious memories of lives lived. Keepsakes of our accomplishments, milestones and important life events paint a picture of who we are and how we have changed over time.
These memories are not just important to you and your family, but also to your community. The information held in these types of keepsakes reflect the cultural heritage and history of the time and place in which they are created.
By donating your personal papers to an archival repository, you are contributing to history. Your perspective matters and it ultimately adds to the collective memory of our community.
What can I donate?
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library will accept items that represent the actions of local residents, government, businesses and institutions of the City of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish. These items include but are not limited to photographs, manuscripts, records, legal documents, costumes, periodicals, audio and video materials and memorabilia. If your materials do not fit with the library's collection policy, we will help you find a suitable home for your items.
How do I donate?
The first step is to call the archivist about your items before you donate them (225-389-4960). Once it has been determined we can accept your materials, you can bring them to the Baton Rouge Room at your convenience or arrange to have the archivist pick them up. While you, as the creator will retain copyright of your materials, you will be asked to sign a letter of donation giving the library physical rights of the items. Archives can only invest time and money into materials that they own. It is also possible to attach conditions of access to your items. Please feel free to share your concerns when you call to discuss donation.
What happens to my materials once they are donated?
Once you have donated your items, the archivist will take and inventory of your items, arrange them, clean and repair as necessary and store them in a manner that will preserve them for future generations.
They will be kept in the Baton Rouge Room Archives at the Main Library on Goodwood Boulevard in a state of the art facility with waterless fire suppression, a top of the line HVAC system and a back-up generator to ensure consistent temperature and humidity levels even in the event of a long term power outage.
According to your wishes, your materials will be kept in the Baton Rouge Room and made available for interested citizens to perform research or just to enjoy memories of the past.
Mable Smith-Mardi Gras Cosutmes
Ernest Gueymard (a long time Baton Rouge newspaper columnist)
And many more.....