MISSION STATEMENT
The Antiochian Heritage Museum & Library preserves and presents to the public the artistic, cultural, literary and spiritual heritage of the people of Antioch (Syria), thereby seeking to increase awareness and understanding of Middle Eastern culture, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and the unique contributions of Arabic-speaking people to American life and to the world at large.

 

GIFT POLICY SUMMARY
• The Antiochian Heritage Museum & Library (AHML) accepts gifts of books, journals, artifacts and other items which support its mission as stated above and are judged by its Collections Committee to be a potentially significant contribution to the overall collection.
• Potential donors will submit a list of items to be considered for donation, accompanied by a completed Collections Donation Information Form and photographs of their potential donation.
• The Collections Committee will determine the acceptance, classification, housing, exhibition and/or circulation policies of all gift items. If a donation is a collection or group of items, it may not be possible to keep such collections intact, as most will be integrated into existing collections.
• The AHML will handle duplicates or unwanted items as outlined in the Temporary Custody Receipt, which will be provided to donors when items are submitted for consideration.
• AHML staff is not authorized under IRS regulations to assign a monetary value to said gifts or donations for income tax purposes.
 

How can I donate objects to the Museum/Library collection?

If you think your donation supports the AHML’s mission as stated above, please read this Fact Sheet in its entirety and complete the attached Collections Donation Information Form. This form provides information about the item(s) and will help us to determine suitability for inclusion in the collection. It is important for you to be as detailed as possible. Please include a photograph of the artifact or collection. If possible, take the photo alongside a ruler. Please mail or email the completed form to:

Collections Committee, c/o Julia Ritter

Antiochian Heritage Museum & Library

140 Church Camp Tr.

Bolivar, PA 15923

julia@avcenterpa.org

All offers must be submitted in writing by completing the Collections Donation Information Form below. We are very sorry that we cannot consider a donation without a completed form.

What happens after I submit the Collections Donation Information Form?
After we receive your form and photograph(s), we will review the item(s) and assess the suitability to the AHML’s mission. We will also consider our ability to properly care for the donation, as well as our ability to make it accessible to the public. A staff member may contact you for more information, but in most cases we will make a decision based on the information you have provided on the Collections Donation Information Form. If we are interested in your item(s), they will be accepted into Temporary Custody until we are able to make a final decision.

What is Temporary Custody?
Potential donations to the museum and/or library will first be placed into Temporary Custody, where they are held until the Collections Committee has considered whether to accept them into the collection. Potential donors will sign and submit a Temporary Custody Receipt when they leave or send their item(s). Our Collections Committee, which meets every six months to review proposed donations, is made up of staff, scholars, and members of the clergy. You will be contacted within 180 days of receipt to let you know the outcome of our review. Potential donations will be considered for inclusion in the Permanent Collection, or one of four other collections which enhance research, educational or exhibition activities at the Antiochian Village: the Archdiocese Department Archives, the Education Collection, the Reference Collection, and the Decorative / Prop Collection.

What happens after the Collections Committee makes a decision?
If the Collections Committee has decided to accept items for donation, a Deed of Gift transferring ownership of the items will be sent with your acceptance letter, and the item(s) will be officially accessioned into the collection. An acceptance of a donation does not mean the item(s) will be immediately put on display. An item may be accepted if it compliments a future exhibit or display, or if it would be useful to scholarly or public research.
If we are unable to accept all or some of your proposed donation, we will follow the instructions you provided on the Temporary Custody Receipt, either returning them to you at your expense or disposing of the item(s) as the staff sees fit.

What will we do with unwanted materials?
Not every item in a potential donation will be of sufficient historical value to the library or museum. Because of our limited space and scope, the Collections Committee must review the contents of each potential donation to determine what material is of truly substantive nature and what other items are routine, duplicative, or may not fit the needs of our collection. Through the Temporary Custody Receipt, you will be asked to indicate whether you would like unwanted items returned to you at this time. Otherwise, according to standard museum & library procedures, unwanted materials will be transferred to a more appropriate repository, or disposed of as the staff sees fit.

What is a Deed of Gift?
A Deed of Gift is a legal document that transfers ownership to the Antiochian Heritage Museum & Library, under the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. It is considered irrevocable. Before offering an item, please be certain that all interested parties understand the implications of signing a Deed of Gift. Family members should be in agreement about the decision to make the donation, and who has the legal authority to sign the Deed.

After a Deed of Gift is issued, and as the content or focus of the collection evolves, the Collections Committee has the right to decide in the future to remove (deaccession) an item from the collection.

What about appraisals and tax deductions?
Under IRS regulations, our staff is not authorized to appraise gifts or to assign a monetary value to said gifts or donations for income tax purposes. The responsibility for appraising donations remains with the donor. IRS policy states that any tax deduction claim for a contribution of property to a charitable organization, the total claimed value of which exceeds $5,000, must include a written appraisal of the donated property from a qualified appraiser. To find a licensed appraiser in your area, you can request a referral from the following organizations: the American Society of Appraisers (www.appraisers.org); the International Society of Appraisers (www.isa-appraisers.org); or the Appraisers Association of America (www.appraisersassoc.org).

Questions?
If you have any further questions about this process, please contact Julia Ritter at 724-238-3677 x 425 or julia@avcenterpa.org. We appreciate your support, and your interest in our collection.