Secure the future of the Folklore Library & Archive for all

The Folklore Library and Archive is a charity based in Crediton, Devon, dedicated to collecting and preserving folklore and heritage materials that relate to our customs and traditional ways of life. Our collections include photographs, documents and publications as well as oral histories and artefacts.

Our mission is rooted in the belief that folklore reflects how we, and generations before us have interpreted and navigated the world around us. When traditions and heritage disappear, we lose valuable cultural knowledge. This is why we act quickly to save at-risk materials. For example, when the document archive of folklorist Venetia Newell was sold off in parts, we led a successful crowdfunding campaign to acquire and preserve it, hosting online talks that featured libraries, museums and archives.

Our constitutional aim is to provide free access to our collections for the benefit of the public good.

Since our registration as a charity in 2023 we have acquired a reputation for saving at-risk heritage and worked as project partner on significant national initiatives, such as the 'Folklore Without Borders' examination of equality and diversity, and the current National Folklore Survey for England. Because of this, more and more people are asking us to take their donated archives and items for future preservation.

We have now secured a lease on new premises which will allow us to make our library and archives more fit for public use, open for longer hours and work more in the community.

It’s often easy to overlook the importance of heritage, the stories, customs, and rituals that help people understand where they come from and give communities a shared identity. At The Folklore Library and Archive, we believe these are not just things of the past, but they are tools for connection, creativity, and resilience in the present.

Meeting the target of this campaign will help us provide a stable base for our expanding archive, but it would also allow us to protect and share newly donated materials that could otherwise be lost.

Thank you for any contribution you can make

No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.