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The Gabor WV Folklife Center houses the unpublished folklore estate of Ruth Ann Musick, folk tale scholar, who was the archivist for the WV Folklore Society and editor of West Virginia Folklore Journal that was published at Fairmont State. Dr. Musick bequeathed to Fairmont State her folklore estate for academic study, programming, and publications.

Other collections archived in the Folklife Center include the West Virginia Literary Archives, complied by Phyllis Wilson Moore; the Patty Looman traditional music archives (papers, tabulated music, and collection of recordings; other collections; and various artifacts representing all aspects of West Virginia’s cultural and historical lore. The Folklife Center welcomes donations of suitable artifacts that help interpret West Virginia folklife, such as photographs, letters, family memorabilia, journals, oral histories and folklore, heirloom items, or others.