Pennsylvania Dutch indeed! Haha! Kim, I've had this issue crop up a few times, as well. In my experience, it's almost as if I'm asking them to sign their life away, or that it's an insult when all they wanted was to give it away and be done with it. As if signing a paper cheapens their act of kindness. It's a very strange attitude. I've used the "I'm just the middleman doing my job" talk, and I've also done as Candace suggested-just keeping track of all correspondence I've sent attempting to get a signature. Hopefully, if the record shows I've done my due diligence that will suffice. Kendra Cook Curator Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles 85 South Walnut Street Boyertown, PA 19512 (610)367-2090 www.boyertownmuseum.org From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Candace Perry Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 12:46 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Deeds of Gifts Hi Kim -- Is he Pennsylvania Dutch? No really, I'm actually serious. I have encountered that too, not a lot but occasionally. I think you just have to let it go, sadly, and keep the correspondence where they say they won't sign. Candace Perry ________________________________ From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]<mailto:[mailto:[log in to unmask]]> On Behalf Of Kimberly Brown Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 12:37 PM To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Deeds of Gifts I have a question. How many of you send out Deed of Gifts to donors? I just received my fourth letter in 2 years from a donor, absolutely offended for having received a Deed of Gift, told me how everyone else just said thank you, did not expect him to sign anything. Was offended that we asked him to sign it and told me that he would no longer be sending me anything from this point forward. Is this common? I have re-written our thank you letters 3 times trying to tweak the wording so that donors know we are not "laying intellectual claim" to their work, we just don't want them asking for the book, document, etc., back after however many years when they decided they want it back. Are we doing something wrong? Thank you for any comments, Kimberly R. Brown Director of Special Collections and Archives Historical Society of Berks County ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).