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Campus History Collection

Why Should I Donate

In general, the Campus History Center grows from the generous efforts of the Academy’s campus community of faculty, staff, and students as well as from alumni and other external constituents. Only materials that reflect the history of the Academy are considered and evaluated by the Archives Coordinator and librarians for their relevance and importance.

Donate

Gifts and donations to the Archives are always welcome.

Potential donors should contact the Archives Coordinator.  The Campus History Center is not an archive for general maritime history or industry, California State University documents, or documents not significant to Cal Maritime’s history. Please be prepared to describe in full items for donation and their significance to the California Maritime Academy’s history. If applicable, the Archives will provide a copy of a signed deed of gift.

Records commonly transferred to the archive include:

  • Personal Artifacts: Uniforms, souvenirs, personal paper and property, and insignia
  • Cruise Records: Photographs, papers, flags, recordings
  • Publications: newsletters, journals, brochures, programs, posters, blueprints.
  • Audiovisuals: Photographs, films, sound and video recordings

All donations, transfers, acquisitions, or gifts become the permanent property of the Library and the Campus History Center, unless specified by the donor in writing at the time of receipt. Based on the judgment of the Archives Coordinator, Librarians, and Staff, donated materials may be disposed of, transferred, or de-accessioned at a later date if deemed redundant, duplicative, or not of enduring value to the collection.

By law, the Library is not allowed to appraise or assess a value to any donation received. Assessment of value is solely the responsibility of the donor, and the CHC and Library reserve the right to determine whether donated materials will be accessioned into the collection.

Monetary donations in support of the Campus History Center are also greatly appreciated.  Monetary donations should be coordinated through the Academy’s Office of University Advancement, (707) 654-1246, or may be made online.

Please review our Collections Policy. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your gift or donation, please contact the Library.

The bulk of our collections has been collected via Cal Maritime Office Transfers, so please keep the CHC in mind when planning campus events – announcements, programs and other materials would help us to keep a record of ongoing campus activities.

If you are an employee of the California Maritime Academy and wish to transfer materials to the Archives, please contact the Archivist before discarding any files and material. Try to keep records in their original order and include a box or inventory list, if possible.

If there are any questions about records, retention or disposal, please email library@csum.edu.. We recommend that offices look into annual or biannual transfers to the CHC. All transfers to the CHC should have a Department Transfer form found below.

Records commonly transferred to the archive include:

  • Constitutions, bylaws, minutes and proceedings, list of officers of Cal Maritime bodies.
  • Office file: Correspondence, memoranda and subject files (projects, activities, functions)
  • Historical files on policies, decisions, committee and task force reports, strategic plans, and blueprints
  • Publications: newsletters, journals, brochures, programs, posters, blueprints, and announcements created by the University.
  • Audiovisuals: Photographs, films, sound and video recordings
  • Personal Papers: Student, faculty and staff related to Cal Maritime work
  • Cruise documents

Items that should not be submitted to the archive

  • Blank forms and duplicate materials
  • All duplicate materials, we are only interested in keeping the original or annotated copies
  • Papers, reports, working paper and drafts that have been published, you can just provide us with the bibliographic information

The Archivist will then survey the materials for accession and decide, based on our collection policy, if they can be accessioned into our collection or not. Once materials have been accessioned, administrative custody of the materials will be transferred to the Archives. An appointment will then need to be made to access these materials.

Please review our Collections Policy. If you have any questions or concerns regarding transferring materials, please contact the Library or the Archives for clarification.

If you experience accessibility barriers using this website, please contact 707-654-1090 or library@csum.edu . You will receive a reply within two business days. The library is committed to remediate accessibility barriers within this website and will provide accommodations until the barriers are remediated.