Handmade Postcard Guidelines

• Mailed cards require a stamp
• Handmade cards can be no larger than 4.25” x 6" to be mailable
• Handmade cards can be no smaller than 3.5" x 5" to be mailable
• The perfect mailable size would be 4” x 6”
• Keep the address area clear
• Use high contrast ink for the address
• *You are not required to have a return address, cards can be anonymous

Postcards to Campus, The Valley Library 201 SW Waldo Pl, Corvallis, OR, 97331

Common Questions & Answers

Do I have to use the Postcards to Campus postcard template shown above?

No. You're more than welcome to mail in any store-bought or handmade postcards. Handmade postcards are greatly encouraged. Check the Handmade Postcard Guidelines above to make sure your card is mailable.

Where can I buy a postcard locally?

Postcards are available at many local stores, if you want to support local businesses during this time, The Inkwell, The Corvallis Book Bin, and Many Hands Trading all have postcards for purchase. The Book Bin is also hosting a postcard drop-box in their store, for easy submission.

Why should I mail a postcard?

Buying a stamp can help support the United States Postal Service (USPS). If you're interested in why the USPS has been in peril and why we should save it, check out this article "We Can't Afford to Lose the Postal Service," as featured in The New Yorker by Casey Cep.

Creating a postcard and submitting it to Postcards to Campus can help enrich our collective historical account of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your postcard will join other journals, artwork, and archived materials in the OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center (SCARC) COVID Collecting Project.

Taking time to reflect on your lived experiences and feelings right now is important. You matter. Flex your creative muscles and share a note, drawing, or picture with the Corvallis and OSU community. Not only will the artistic process be cathartic, as making art often is, you'll be submitting your work for display for the whole community in the windows of the Valley Library. This symbolic action places a piece of you on campus, even when you're not physically there.

What postcards have been submitted?

Check out the Postcard Archive. These are just a few examples of what has been done, but your card can be as unique as you are. If mailing a card doesn't work for you, try submitting one virtually.

• Important Information: While it can be cathartic to express what's troubling you in these trying times, PTC urges OSU community members to be mindful of their mental health. You matter. OSU's Counseling and Psychological Services is available if you're facing a hard time, they are reachable through phone at: 541-737-2131, and by email through this contact form. The Benton County 24/7 Crisis hotline number is: 1-888-232-7192. *If you or a loved one is facing thoughts of suicide or self harm, contact 911 immediately.