Donation Guidelines

We need your help to tell the fascinating story of Luzerne County and its people.

divider-white-solid

LCHS Donation Procedures

divider

We are pleased to discuss donations to the Luzerne County Historical Society from friends, neighbors, and visitors. We need your help to tell the fascinating story of Luzerne County and its people. If you have any questions about making a donation to the collection please direct inquires to:

Luzerne County Historical Society,
49 South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 

Phone: 570-823-6244

Email: info@luzernehistory.org

Luzerne County Historical Society staff are prohibited by federal tax law and by library and museum ethics from providing appraisals or an assessment of the monetary value of an object. LCHS staff are also prohibited from recommending one appraiser over another. To find a qualified appraiser, check your local listings or contact:

American Society of Appraisers

800-272-8258

www.appraisers.org

National Institute of Appraisers

800-676-2148
www.appraiseroffineart.com

Appraisers Association of America

212-889-5404
www.appraisersassoc.org

International Society of Appraisers

312-224-2567

www.isa-appraisers.org

Donation Criteria

divider

Once a potential donation is brought to the Luzerne County Historical Society, the staff examines it carefully. We review the object(s) using the following criteria:

  • The item relates to the Society’s collection. We collect objects and documents that are related to Luzerne County history.

  • The object will help further the Society’s programmatic and educational goals.

  • The quality and physical condition of the item is good.

  • The provenance is known and relevant.

  • Some or all of the following information is known: the original purpose of the item; who the creator/author(s) was; where and when it was created/written; its relationship to contemporary events; original and subsequent ownership.

  • The item is not a duplicate of an item(s) already in the collection.

Once the item is assesed one of two things will happen

If part or all of the donation is accepted,

two deeds of gift will be mailed to the donor. The donor signs the deeds and returns them to LCHS to be countersigned. An original copy of the deed is returned to the donor for her/his records. LCHS retains the second copy with the files on the object.

If part or all of the donation is not accepted,

the donor will be notified. The item(s) will then be returned to the donor. Once the signed Deed of Gift is returned, the item(s) become the property of the Luzerne County Historical Society. It/they will then be catalogued, numbered and stored for future generations to enjoy.