The history of written communication is inextricable from human history itself; religion, politics, war, business, and culture have shaped and been shaped by the written word. The McDonald Collection serves as an extraordinary, if incomplete, microcosm of this history. Replete with examples of the human endeavor from 3000 BCE to the present, this collection is an important and valuable part not only of the Oregon State University Libraries, but of the record of our combined intellectual history. By preserving and providing access to this record, we hope to encourage the future development of writing and information sharing technologies.