You wrote: <I am interested in finding any criteria for the inclusion <of the donor's personal interpretation/story in museum <files. I have found in my research that this is a priority <when museums do an exhibition on the community, but I would <like to know if it is sought at other times. Much Like Ms. Funder's answer to this post, we collect the personal and family history of donors. We are particularly interested in any stories they may have about the artifact, be it a tractor or a carving knife or a toy, as that brings the piece to life. We use the information in most exhibits we do, not just those about "community." Other users of the information (recently) have included families learning about their grandparents, Native Americans relearning their history and crafts, and researchers working on academic subjects ranging from immigration to ethnicity. Such information is sought in almost all instances. We collect it if it's available. Subsequent use depends on proposed use. Hope this helps. Chris Dill - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. L. Dill, Museum Director State Historical Society of North Dakota 612 East Boulevard Bismarck ND 58505-0830 P: (701)328-2666 F: (701)328-3710 E: [log in to unmask] Visit our Web site at: http://www.state.nd.us/hist/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -