Effective date: July 12, 2026 

Rachel Smalley is gathering memories, photographs, family stories, documents, and historical connections related to Catherine Evans Whitener, hand-tufted and chenille bedspreads, Peacock Alley, Dalton’s textile history, and the families and communities connected to that history. 

Who May Submit 

The submission form is intended for adults age 18 or older. 

A parent or legal guardian must submit on behalf of a child or minor. 

Do not include a child’s full name, address, school, contact information, or other identifying details unless necessary and authorized. 

Ownership and Right to Submit 

The submitter retains ownership of the original story, photograph, document, or other material. 

Submitting material does not transfer copyright or ownership to Rachel Smalley or Hillbetty Books. 

The submitter confirms that the material is original or may legally be submitted, is accurate to the best of the submitter’s knowledge, and does not knowingly violate another person’s rights. 

Sensitive Information 

Do not submit confidential records, financial information, medical information, private addresses, or other sensitive personal information. 

Review Is Not Publication 

A submission may be reviewed, researched, categorized, or retained as part of the community-history project. 

Submission does not guarantee publication, display, quotation, permanent archiving, inclusion in a book, or individual acknowledgment. 

Permission to Contact 

Submitting the form permits Rachel to contact the submitter about the material, ask follow-up questions, request clarification, or discuss possible use. 

This permission does not enroll the submitter in a marketing email list. 

Optional Permission to Share 

The form must offer a clear choice between permission for public use and a request to be contacted before public use. 

When public permission is given, the submitter grants Rachel Smalley and Hillbetty Books a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to quote, reproduce, edit for length or clarity, and share the approved material in connection with TUFTED, readrachel.com, Hillbetty Books, educational programs, exhibitions, presentations, social media, press materials, or future publications. 

Credit Preference 

● Use my full name. 

● Use my first name and last initial. 

● Credit my family. 

● Share anonymously. 

● Contact me before deciding how I should be credited. 

Editing and Accuracy 

Submitted material may be edited for spelling, length, clarity, formatting, or accessibility without intentionally changing its meaning. 

Stories may be checked against historical records or presented alongside information from other sources. Acceptance does not mean every detail has been independently verified. 

No Compensation 

Unless a separate written agreement says otherwise, no payment, royalty, or other compensation is owed for reviewing, preserving, quoting, displaying, or publishing voluntarily submitted material. 

Original Objects 

Do not mail or deliver original photographs, letters, documents, bedspreads, or artifacts unless Rachel has made a specific arrangement. Digital scans or clear photographs are preferred for initial review. 

Removal Requests 

A submitter may request deletion of unpublished material or ask that future public use stop by emailing hello@readrachel.com. 

Reasonable efforts will be made to honor the request, but material already printed, distributed, archived by third parties, included in completed media, or required for legal or recordkeeping purposes may not be fully retractable. 

Contact 

Questions about submissions or permission may be sent to hello@readrachel.com.