Deposit Your Research
We all accumulate materials in the course of our family history research, such as notes, certificates, books, pedigrees, photographs, digital files and relics.
Depositing your research collection can be a good way to ensure your family history survives and is accessible to other researchers in the future.
Research Collections at the Society of Genealogists
The Society of Genealogists welcomes deposits of research collections which accord with our acquisition policy – see Appendix A below.
Our team can consult with you to identify which materials are appropriate to deposit. We may ask depositors to provide a brief inventory of items in the collection or to provide photographs to determine whether your collection falls within the acquisitions policy.
Find out how to prepare your research collection for deposit.
Our archive collections are kept in a secure and environmentally controlled offsite store. SoG Staff retrieve them to our library, where they are supervised while in use by researchers.
Collection materials are transferred to acid-free folders and boxes and sometimes receive more specialised treatment from professionally trained conservators. They are cleared of material outside our collection policy and described in finding aids, lists and online catalogue records.
We aim to provide full access to our collections, for members and the public, during library opening times and within the framework of our library policies and procedures. In some cases, we will restrict access to specific parts of a collection for a limited period, for example, for legal reasons and or to protect privacy.
Apply to Deposit a Research Collection
- Applications undergo a review process so if you would like your collection to be considered please complete the Collection Deposit Application form.
- We require successful applicants to sign a Collection Deposit Agreement transferring ownership of the collection to the Society. A sample collection agreement is shown in Appendix B below. We do not accept collections on loan or permanent loan.
- Archival collection processing and storage is expensive, and, as a charity, we require a one-off financial contribution toward this cost (see Appendix C below). Occasional exceptions, at the discretion of the Deposit Review Panel, are permitted within budgetary constraints.
- Applicants undertake to arrange the transfer and delivery of deposited collections and cover the associated costs. In some circumstances, especially within the greater London area, the Society can arrange to pick up collections.
- If you have previously deposited a collection and would now like to add further material to it, this is regarded as a separate donation, requiring a new Collection Deposit Application form and Collection Deposit Agreement form.
Bequeath a Research Collection
You may prefer to leave your research to us in your will. In this case, copyright is assumed to accompany the gift of the original research. You can ask your solicitor to insert a paragraph to this effect in your will or use the sample codicil shown below in Appendix D.
Please discuss this with your family and make it clear what your wishes are.
Executors dealing with research collections not wanted by beneficiaries and not specifically willed to the Society are asked to sign the Collection Deposit Agreement form assigning copyright to the Society.
The Society maintains the right to refuse any donation.
Let us know if you have any questions about depositing a research collection with the Society of Genealogists: archives@sog.org.uk
Appendix A - Society of Genealogists Acquisition Policy
Agreed by the SoG Board of Trustees January 2021 revision.
A. The purpose is to collect:
- Family and genealogical information from name rich resources that significantly contribute to genealogical research and relate to families from as wide a community as possible;
- Information that provides context to what people did in their lives;
- Original records of value and interest to family historians where no alternative repository exists.
B. Priorities to be observed in descending order as follows:
- compiled family histories and pedigrees
- genealogical research notes
- vital records, i.e. births, christenings, marriages and marriage licences, deaths and burials.
iv. general, local and background material, e.g. county, local, regimental and business histories - will/probate copies, transcriptions and indexes
- monumental inscriptions,
- directories and lists, e.g. poll books, army lists, school registers, professional directories
- pre 1841 census and census substitutes for any period. (NB census records or indexes 1841 onwards are not now purchased)
- sources for migrant communities and immigration to and from the United Kingdom
- textbooks
- printed subject and source material for the Society’s subject interest areas of education, religion, armed services, apprenticeships, professions & occupations, state papers (i.e. medieval and early modern legal and other records and finding aids relating to TNA holdings)
- heraldry
- peerage and royalty
C. Acquisitions should take account of the following:
- The Society must actively strive to become the repository of choice for family histories from any source and in any form as above.
- All decisions on acquisitions are at the discretion of the Library Coordinator.
- Donations can be made in any kind of media, these are to be accepted by the library, including digital media and internet websites where the owners pass over to the library full details of the website, to include other forms of media not already detailed.
- Any donation should be accompanied by a suitable financial contribution to the processing and storage of that donation (see Appendix C). Occasional exceptions, at the discretion of the Library Coordinator, are permitted within budgetary constraints.
- The Society maintains the right to refuse any donation.
D. Periodicals
In exchange for the Society’s Genealogists Magazine or by subscription where appropriate, the Society should acquire:
- British and Overseas Genealogical Society and Local History Society journals
- National Genealogical Magazines
- Local Archaeological /Record Society proceedings
- Related Subject Periodicals
- Genealogical/One Name Study Periodicals
- Academic History Journals
Digital subscription is preferable and a concerted review of which journals are available digitally and online and the potential costs and availability of subscription services should be undertaken as a separate project, in accordance with priorities outlined below. Cancellation of any subscriptions should be only be considered when ownership of the electronic version or perpetual access for library users is available, or deemed no longer needed, after analysis and review.
Appendix B - Example Collection Deposit Agreement
The …………………. Collection
Name of depositor:
Address:
Description of content and size………..
We are grateful to you for offering to donate your collection of genealogical research material to its Library. This agreement is to clarify the basis on which we accept it.
It should be on the basis that all property and intellectual rights (including copyright) in the material pass unconditionally to the Society. We also need your assurance that, to the best of your knowledge, no rights in the material belong to any other body or person.
The Society needs to have full power (either itself or in association with any other body or person) to record or reproduce the material in any form whatsoever, including forms not yet invented.
The Society must have full power to transfer any material to other libraries or repositories or to otherwise dispose of any items which are, in the unfettered opinion of the Society, already represented in its collections, adequately recorded elsewhere or otherwise unsuitable for retention by the Society or study by its members and visitors.
Transfer of the collection/Item concurs with the Society of Genealogists current collection acquisition policy and is accompanied by an agreed commensurate financial contribution of ….
Please confirm that the material is being offered to (and accepted by) the Society on the above terms by signing and returning the attached copy of this letter.
Signed by way of agreement and confirmation:
Name (BLOCK CAPITALS):......................................................................................
Signature:...............................................................
Depositor/Depositor’s agent (delete as appropriate)
Date:.......................................................................
Appendix C - Financial Contribution
The following chart can be used to determine the value of the financial contribution required to support a donation of material to the library. Occasional exceptions, at the discretion of the Deposits Review Panel, are permitted within budget limitations.
Appendix D - Sample Codicil
I give to the Society of Genealogists of 40 Wharf Road, London, N1 7GS (a charity incorporated with limited liability) absolutely and free of all taxes and duties payable by reason of my death
a) the sum of ..................................pounds (£......................) or a sum to be agreed with my trustees as suitable financial contribution to the processing and storage of that donation
b) all those of my genealogical and family history books, papers and other like records, including any that may be in electronic or digital form, together with all my property and intellectual rights therein and the right for the said Society (either itself or in association with any other body or person) to record or reproduce the material in any form whatsoever including forms not yet invented whether for archival or commercial purposes and with full power to transfer all or any thereof to other libraries or repositories or to otherwise dispose of any which are in the unfettered opinion of the said Society already represented in its collections, adequately recorded elsewhere or otherwise unsuitable for retention by the said Society or for study by its members
c) the copyright in all my genealogical writings
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