Support Our Activities

We're very grateful for your generosity. You help make our ongoing efforts to acquire, make accessible, and preserve unique resources in the history of the health sciences possible. Your generosity has played an important role in the development of our collections.

Edward G. Miner, our namesake, was himself a significant donor of books and funds. In April 1927, Miner presented the Medical Library with 41 titles on yellow fever, the first of many donations which he would make to the collection. 

Here's a guide to the ways you can support our Rare Books & Manuscripts section. If you have any questions, please contact the curator directly at (585) 275-8827.

Rare Books

We accept donations of books deemed historically significant in all areas of the biomedical sciences published before 1940.

Archives and Manuscripts

Our archives focus on the papers of Medical Center faculty. Other types of collections that have local medical historical interest (e.g., the papers of prominent local physicians, local medical society records, etc.) are also considered for addition to archives and manuscripts.

Photographs and Prints

We accept donations of photographs and/or negatives depicting Medical Center buildings, rooms (e.g., laboratories, patient care areas, surgical theatres, etc.), personnel and events.

Instruments and Objects

We do not generally encourage the donation of objects. Exceptions are made, however, for microscopes, surgical kits, physicians bags, medicine chests, obstetrical forceps, and, oddly enough, bed pans.

Appraisals for Tax Purposes

Tax laws forbid the institutional recipient of a donation from providing the donor with an appraisal for tax purposes, or of paying a third party for such an appraisal. Although the curator may recommend appraisers, the solicitation and fees of an appraiser are the responsibility of the donor.

Interested in exploring other ways to fulfill your philanthropic interests? 

You can change the future!