Ideas re finding new home for large unique literature collection

[campbellcj]

Hi All, it's been quite a while since I've been active here but I can't think of a better group to ask about this pretty unusual situation.

The family business I have worked in for many years and recently inherited has a very large collection of hardcopy industrial and commercial product literature mostly dating from the 1960s-1990s. (Of course almost everything shifted to digital/web thereafter.)

We have held onto this library for many years after its last active use but at this point would love to pass it along to a new home, perhaps some sort of museum, library or collector. Throwing it all in the trash seems like a tragic waste and we have the time and space to look for a new home before resorting to that.

There are product data sheets and catalogs for roughly 10,000 manufacturers of high-tech equipment including test instruments, computers and other IT, laboratory devices, manufacturing tools, and precision measurement tools.

In physical terms we are talking about 19 book cases plus additional boxes of overflow, a total of around 450 linear feet of books and files.

Any thoughts on organizations that may want this collection? Note I am not looking for money for the documents but can't move/ship them. Would prefer to keep the bookcases which are custom solid wood 4x6' but potentially would sell those if whomever takes the files would want them.

[LWJ]

There is a book retailer in Portland that is very well known. Powell's Books. They had a Technical Book store a few years back. I haven't heard of it for a while. Your sort of literature might be very interesting to them? Not a museum. They would sell it, which may be 100% against your interests.

Good luck!

[campbellcj]

Originally Posted by LWJ

There is a book retailer in Portland that is very well known. Powell's Books. They had a Technical Book store a few years back. I haven't heard of it for a while. Your sort of literature might be very interesting to them? Not a museum. They would sell it, which may be 100% against your interests.

Good luck!

Thanks a bunch - I am in the L.A. suburbs and will look for something like that closer to here as well as check in to Powell's

Cheers,

[sprio]

Materials related to manufacturing tools and precision measuring instruments might be of interest to the library at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. They have a significant collection of materials related to horology and the processes surrounding the manufacture and maintenance of clocks and watches.

Originally Posted by LWJ

Not a museum. They would sell it, which may be 100% against your interests.
Good luck!

Museums are generally restricted from selling items that have been accessioned into their collections for purely financial gain. Deaccessions are generally only allowed if the items are later determined to be duplicative or in poor condition (with a better one in the collection already). Proceeds from sales must be used for the acquisition of other objects, or for maintenance of the collections.

[kevin993]

You're in LA? If you think the material has historical or research value, try the Huntington Library. They have tons of various archives and collections.