Frequently Asked Questions
Who can participate?
Current and former employees of the United States Postal Service or the Post Office Department and family members or friends of former employees are invited to contribute a story.
I’m not a postal worker but I have a story about a postal worker, can I submit it?
Yes, family members or friends of former employees of the United States Postal Service or the Post Office Department may pay tribute to former postal workers under the Postal Worker Tribute category.
I recently submitted a story to the virtual exhibition Memory Book: People and the Post. Why doesn’t it appear on the website?
Each story submitted to the Memory Book undergoes a review process prior to publication. You can read more about this process in our Terms and Conditions. Typically, stories are published within two weeks of submission.
I would like to submit multiple stories to the Memory Book. Do I have to upload them one by one?
Yes, you may only submit one story at a time. After you’ve submitted an entry you may return to the “Share Your Story” page to submit another entry.
Are there any special guidelines for submitting images?
Please include a descriptive caption and the location of the photo. Image resolution must be at least 700 pixels wide or high. JPG (Jpeg) files preferred. You may email image files as attachments along with your story to: NPMMemoryBook@si.edu.
What is appropriate, or not appropriate?
When contributing to the Memory Book, trust your judgment. Focus on telling your experiences rather than the experiences of others. You should only submit content that belongs to you and that will not violate the rights of other people or organizations.
We reserve the right to remove or reject any user-provided content for any reason, but we specifically will not permit material that we believe to be illegal, obscene, indecent, or defamatory, as well as content that violates the rights of others or is in any way objectionable or inappropriate for this forum.
We also reserve the right to remove material that we learn is owned by others. The Memory Book Terms and Conditions defines our policy more specifically.
When I submit materials to the Memory Book, do I retain the copyright?
Any copyright-protected materials submitted to the Memory Book retain the rights of its creator. However, by submitting these materials to the Memory Book and consenting to the Terms and Conditions agreement, you grant permission for the National Postal Museum to use the material for educational and non-commercial purposes. See our Terms and Conditions for details.
Is there a connection between the Memory Book and the USPS?
No. The National Postal Museum and the Memory Book are owned and operated as part of the Smithsonian Institution. The Museum was created by an agreement between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Postal Service in 1990 and opened to the public in 1993. The National Postal Museum gratefully acknowledges the continued support and commitment of the United States Postal Service.
Will contributions to the Memory Book be used in the museum?
There are currently no plans to use materials submitted to the Memory Book in the National Postal Museum’s exhibits.
I have a question about the Memory Book, who can I contact?
You can contact us at NPMMemoryBook@si.edu
