Notable Accessions

The Delaware Public Archives accepts donations of:

  • Documentary materials that directly relate to government holdings
  • Documentary materials that add to the knowledge of government policies, actions, or transactions
  • Accruals to collections that already exist in our holdings
  • Public records removed from public custody at some time in the past
  • Publications of the state, its agencies, and its subdivisions
  • Publications that directly supplement our existing holdings
  • Technical publications related to the archival field

Check out our Collecting Policy to learn more.

Why donate to the Archives?

The materials in your collection are meaningful to you but may also interest researchers because they help tell part of a larger story. The Delaware Public Archives is uniquely equipped to provide long-term preservation of your documentary materials, which allows genealogists, writers, teachers, students, and more to understand and analyze history.

The Archives has secure, environmentally controlled vaults in which we store the collections we accept from the public and the materials transferred from state agencies, local governments, and school districts.

When you choose to donate your material to us and it falls within the scope of our Collecting Policy, the Archives formally accessions the material.

What is accessioning?

Accessioning is the process of transferring physical and legal custody of material from a donor to the Delaware Public Archives. It involves some paperwork to describe the material and its background, which often happens on a Deed of Gift.

Donation Workflow

  • Contact the Archives via phone, email, or in person to discuss your donation. You may bring in the item(s) or send photos.
  • If bringing the material to the Archives, staff will ask you to sign a Temporary Custody Receipt.
  • The Accessions Committee (State Archivist, Marketing & Exhibits Manager, Records Services Manager, Records Services Supervisor, and Public Services Manager) meets quarterly to review all proposed accessions.
  • Using the information acquired on the Temporary Custody Receipt, the donor is contacted with a thank you letter and, if the donation is accepted, a Deed of Gift to sign and return.
  • Upon receipt of the signed Deed of Gift, the Archives creates an accession record and catalogs the donated material so that it is accessible. Large donations are often lightly processed before shelving, and ultimately assigned to an Archives staff member to properly arrange and describe.
  • Once cataloged, the material is placed in one of our environmentally controlled vaults so that it can be serviced upon request.

Forms

Recent Accessions

  • 2026 Q2 Accessions

    On April 15, 2026, the Accessions Committee approved a strong set of additions, including materials tied to USS Delaware (SSN-791), the robin brown Collection, WPA church archive inventories, a Delaware State Fair centennial film, and 1880s Delaware Volunteer Militia enlistment records. The quarter also added two new Research Room titles: Colonial Black and Indigenous Cultural Leaders and Delaware Behaving Badly: First State, True Crimes.

  • 2026 Q1 Accessions

    The Accessions Committee met on January 20, 2026, to review all proposed accessions received since the last quarterly meeting. All accepted donations have been pre-processed and assigned to archivists for further processing. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at the latest additions to our holdings. New Collections Created: Indian River School District, Georgetown High […]

  • 2025 Fourth Quarter Accessions

    The Accessions Committee met on October 21, 2025, to review all proposed accessions received since the last quarterly meeting. All accepted donations have been pre-processed and assigned to archivists for further processing. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at the latest additions to our holdings. New Collections Created: Private Sound Recordings, Ruth A. Piper […]

Past Accessions

Click on a year to view that year’s notable accessions

2018 Accessions  | 2017 Accessions | 2016 Accessions | 2015 Accessions | 2014 Accessions | 2013 Accessions | 2012 Accessions