Martin writes “Jacques Derrida was concerned about where his collection of books and papers would reside after his death. He had agreed to donate almost everything to the University of California at Irvine, but the gift papers were never officially witnessed by a lawyer or notary public.
This article relates the sad tale of how the relationship between the scholar and the university eroded. Eventually the university sued his widow and family, but withdrew the suit after voluminous bad publicity. The episode may have ended up doing more damage to the university than did the loss of Derrida’s remaining papers.
If there is a moral to the story for librarians and archivists, it is to be certain that everything is clearly stated in the instruments of gift, and that everything is legally documented. Leave nothing to casual understandings or handshake agreements.”
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