The Beulah Culbertson Archives and Special Collections collects through transfers of university records and donations from private individuals and groups. Please contact the Archives and Special Collections before shipping any material. Department staff will then work with you to determine the most appropriate disposition of the material.

Donating Materials from Students, Alumni, Families, and the Public

The Beulah Culbertson Archives and Special Collections is grateful for the support of The W family and the broader community, and is happy to accept donations that pertain directly to its collecting foci — the history and culture of The W, the history of Mississippi women, and Mississippi women’s leadership.

Mississippi University for Women does not conduct monetary appraisals. All donations to Fant Memorial Library and/or Beulah Culbertson Archives and Special Collections are subject to review by the Collections Development Librarian, the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, and the Dean of the Library. We reserve the right to decline any donation, though we will work to refer donors to a more appropriate repository when requested.

Some examples of reasons for declining a gift include:

• Inability of the archives to provide suitable space, staffing, or other resources needed to house, preserve, and/or provide access to the gift.
• The gift does not fit within the scope of the collections policy.
• The materials can be found in other archives or libraries (including photocopies of materials gifted to another repository).
• The gift shows signs of significant infestation of vermin or mold.
• The donor’s ownership of the materials is in question or disputed.
• The restrictions placed on the gift are overly restrictive or burdensome.

Donations made to Fant Memorial Library become university property at the time of transfer. The university is not liable for damage to or loss of the donation. The archives reserves the right to dispose of donations, especially those that are unsolicited, unless otherwise specified on the deed of gift form. The archives does not accept items for permanent loan.

Acceptance of donations necessarily involves the committing of supplies and labor to assess, organize, and preserve the records; therefore, donors are encouraged to include a monetary donation to cover the costs of processing and preservation.

Meh Lady Yearbook Donations

In addition to providing online access to the full print run of the Meh Lady, the archives and library maintain full runs of physical copies of the yearbook. We cannot accept additional copies.

Transfer of ownership

To transfer ownership of the archival materials to the Beulah Culbertson Archives and Special Collections, donors must sign a deed of gift. To initiate a donation, contact the archives at the department email or contact the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian directly. Please prepare a brief description of the materials you would like to donate so the archives can determine whether they fall within the Collection Policy. If it is determined that the donation is a good fit, you will receive a Deed of Gift form. which includes a description of the material donated and can be customized to address the individual donor’s needs. The donation becomes official once it is reviewed, approved, and counter-signed by the Archives and Special Collections Librarian or Dean of Library Services.

Collection Policy for the Transfer of University Records

The Beulah Culbertson Archives and Special Collections serves as a repository for materials of long-term historical value relating to the history and culture of Mississippi University for Women and the history and leadership of Mississippi women. Records generated and/or received by The W’s academic and administrative offices and departments in the conducting of university business are valuable to the recording of the University’s history. Please contact the archives before disposing of these kinds of records.

The archives is currently working with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to develop records retention schedules that will provide guidance to university offices for retention and disposal of inactive records.

Records Retention Policy (PS 7401, .pdf): the university’s records management practices are governed by this policy.
For any questions or to request transfer of university records to the archives, please email archives@muw.edu.

Donate to Help Support the Archives & Special Collections

Your donation helps the Beulah Culbertson Archives & Special Collections continue to provide access to our collections materials, conduct critical preservation projects, and build the our collections in meaningful ways. You can give and help support these efforts by donating online at https://longblueline.muw.edu/give and designating “Beulah Culbertson Archives & Special Collections” under the “other” category or check and mail with a Gift Form. Thank you for your generous contribution!