Records Transfer Guidelines
The University Archives & Special Collections welcomes donations to help build IWU's research and special collections. It is important for donors to understand that "transfer" does not mean "no longer accessible." We offer information retrieval services and will provide scanned copies on request.
If you have historically significant manuscripts, photographs, books, archival materials or other items that you believe would enhance our collections, please contact the archives.
However, there are some types of records that are not suitable to keep for the long term. A page containing a flowchart and terminology is available to help with making these decisions.
Additionally, all materials transferred to the archives are considered open to the public unless noted at time of transfer.
The archivist considers available resources and the criteria below in determining what material may be transferred for long term preservation. You might also be interested in this graphical representation of the concepts involved in implementing these criteria. Please see the page devoted to electronic records for advice on formats and file sizes.
Prior to transfer, you will be asked to fill out this form.
What we accept from IWU offices, departments, programs and Registered Student Organizations:
- Constitutions, charters, and by-laws
- Minutes and reports of meetings, policies and member lists
- Publications like reports, journals, newsletters, brochures, programs
- Substantive correspondence of officers/administrators
- Course syllabi
- Organizational histories
- Audio-visuals: photographs, films (advice on digital file size available here)
- Artifacts and memorabilia (in limited quantities)
What we accept from individuals affiliated with IWU:
- Honors’ and peer-reviewed conference projects
- Class news
- Biographical information: resumes, vitae, bibliographies, memoirs, genealogies, and published and manuscript biographical sketches
- Scrapbooks (e- or print, documenting a group or a person’s IWU experience)
- Audio-visuals: photographs, films (advice on digital file size available here)
- Artifacts and memorabilia (in limited quantities)
What we do not need:
- Non-personally addressed correspondence such as “Dear Student Leader” or "Dear Colleague" (except for one record copy from the issuing office)
- Replies to questionnaires if the results are recorded and preserved either in the Archives or in a published report
- Blank forms
- Plaques or trophies
This information was adapted from a similar page created by the University Archives at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.