Local History, Donations

Donations

Before donating any materials to the Piscataway Public Library, please contact Kennedy Library (732-463-1633) to discuss the donation. Please note that you will be required to complete and sign a Deed of Gift, which documents the chain of custody of the materials from you to the Library. Donations of historical materials to a public research facility may be tax deductible. However, the Library cannot appraise donations for tax purposes. For the protection of the donor, it is recommended that such appraisals be done by an independent third party and before title to the material is conveyed to the Library.

If your materials are in good condition, unique, and document the history of the Library or the greater Piscataway area, we may consider their addition to the Local History Collections. We cannot accept any materials exhibiting mold or other pests because they could endanger the rest of the collection.

Here are the types of materials we accept, if they pertain to the Library or Piscataway:

  • Genealogies of Piscataway’s founding families
  • Select Piscataway newspapers
  • Maps 
  • Photographs and other film-based materials
  • Architectural drawings/blueprints
  • Select books and pamphlets
  • Correspondence (letters and postcards)
  • Diaries, journals, and ledgers
  • Manuscripts
  • Corporate records
  • Ephemera (such as programs, election buttons, tickets)
  • Scrapbooks

We will not accept materials pertaining to Rutgers University. Please contact the University’s Special Collections Department to donate those materials.