Donate diaries to the archive
If you’ve ever wondered, “What should I do with my old diaries?” then you’re in the right place. Donating diaries to the American Diary Project is easy. First, be sure to download, print, and fill out our donation form below.
If you’re ready to donate your diaries now:
Include the completed form in your shipment to our archive at:
17138 Lorain Ave. #201 Cleveland, OH 44111.
If you’re NOT ready to part with your diaries:
Simply include a copy of the completed form in your will and a copy with your diaries so that your loved ones know your wishes.
“I’m so relieved to now have a venue for these books that are so precious to me. Adding this information in my will brings me great comfort.”
-Elizabeth A., diary contributor
Accepted Items Guidelines
Our mission is to preserve American diaries, but we understand there may be other items accompanying diaries which provide additional context related to the diary and the diarist’s life. Our general rule is that if the items are not paper, the American Diary Project is not equipped to preserve the items and therefore will be unlikely to accept them. Non-accepted items sent to the American Diary Project may be transferred to other organizations or disposed of as necessary.
| Item | Accepted? |
|---|---|
| Non-American diaries | No |
| Typed transcripts of diaries | Yes |
| Printed or electronic photocopies of diaries | Yes |
| Films, tapes, disks, and jump drives that require a mechanical device to access the information | No |
| Photographs, photo albums, scrapbooks, and artbooks | Yes when accompanied by and related to a diary |
| Letters and postcards to/from the diarist | Yes when accompanied by and related to a diary |
| Non-diary writings by the diarist (fiction, essays, poetry) | Yes when accompanied by and related to a diary |
| Transcripts of films and tapes | Yes when accompanied by and related to a diary |
| Non-diary artwork created or owned by the diarist | No |
| Memorabilia and other non-paper items owned by the diarist | No |
Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Please contact us prior to mailing your items if you’re unsure whether or not we’ll accept them.
FAQs
Can I request that my diary not be published until after my death?
The American Diary Project has established a publication hold system to honor diarists who would prefer to withhold their diaries from public view until a specific year in the future. On our diary donation form, there is an area to enter a year in the future when the diarist will have passed on. Need an easy formula? 100 – your current age = hold in years. Formula for suggestion purposes only.
How does a publication hold work?
When the American Diary Project receives a diary donation with a specified publication hold, we record the donation and hold period in our catalog. Researchers and the general public may not access items with publication holds.
How should I send my diaries to your archive?
Package your diaries carefully, in sturdy boxes, being mindful not to overload a box with more weight than it can safely hold. Print and complete our donation form before shipping to our Cleveland archive listed on the form. We recommend exploring affordable shipping options at Pirate Ship.