List, I have had the codicil (sp) added to my will concerning my genealogy research. I think that is a good idea. This last week I visited a leading Texas University - rare book collection department and ask a lot of questions. One thing that I found out is that if you gift to a library then that library is bound by copyright laws. So, if I understood it perfectly and I may not, if I gave my things and then someone wanted a copy of something in my collection - they MIGHT not be able to obtain a copy because of the copyright law. I thought that might be a bad thing. I wanted anyone who needed the copies of my material to be able to get it. BUT if you have used published material in your research, you cannot give the right to copy someone else's published material just because it is in your collection. OF COURSE anyone who wishes may go to the library and make notes from your things, just NOT get copies. But I live a thousand miles from the library I wanted to gift. It would be impossible for me or most of my family to use the material from that library. I also learned that letters that contain addresses cannot be copied. My collection had lots of personal correspondance which often contains valuable genealogical information. I DO NOT know anything about gifting to a genealogical society. Where would they house the material? I would certainly like to know more about this. Are they bound by the same copyright laws? Of course, personally we are bound by copyright laws ourselves, but they do NOT as strickly apply to a person as to a library. I think you have to visit the library you are going to give things to and ask many, many questions or you will find that you are restricting instead of making available your material. Others, Please post to the list your knowledge about this subject. db