Preparing your files for the University Archives

These guidelines are to assist staff and faculty in determining which kinds of records are of potential historical or long-term administrative value.

These records should be regularly and routinely transferred to the Archives. The guidelines are organized to reflect the types of records usually associated with particular offices and individuals and material types. The guidelines are not comprehensive. Per University policies, please consult the Archives before destroying or removing records.

The Board of Regents's Policy on Libraries and Archives governs all records created by University units, administrators, staff and faculty. Certain types of records should be routinely and regularly transferred to Archives. Many records, however, may be recycled or destroyed after a specified amount of time ("retention period").

The University Records and Information Management Program's records retention schedule has some good information about what can be destroyed and recycled.

Contact the University Archives

Guidelines and process for paper files

Preparing the files before transfer helps the University Archives better review, organize and describe your files.

  • Remove files from hanging folders. If the labels are on the hanging folders, please staple the label to the folder. If the materials are not already in folders, please replace the hanging files with folders.
  • Remove materials from binders and put them in folders (adding the label information from the binder to the folders).
  • Pack the boxes, but not too tightly. You should be able to comfortably slide your hand into the box and covers should fit snugly.
  • Create an electronic listing of the files to help with processing your files. The list should include folder titles and dates along with the box numbers as you assign them as you pack.
  • Create a brief summary description of the materials and include the relevant information
    • Name of unit
    • Approximate date span of records
    • Summary of contents (e.g., self study report and correspondence, 1980-1981; curriculum planning files and minutes, 1991-1994)
    • Total number of boxes
    • Number each box in pencil only in the following format: Box 1 of 2; Box 2 of 2
  • Contact the U Archives to arrange a transfer

Processing your materials

Our staff will review, organize and describe the files. We'll remove some types of materials such as duplicates, routine transactional records (like travel vouchers), and certain types of personal information. We'll also remove any materials that would be better suited for the Libraries circulating collection instead of the Archives.

Depending on the current filing scheme and the age and condition of the materials, we may physically rearrange the materials and re-folder some or all of the materials. Once that's done, we'll prepare a summary description of the material with administrative information and a box list. In some cases, we will prepare a more detailed folder listing. This information is compiled into a collection guide or finding aid that will go online and make the collection accessible to you, others in the University, and the public. You can look at some examples of finding aids on our website.

Accessing files

The files will always be available for your use onsite in the Archives, and reference service by phone or email is available for many types of requests. The online finding aid will serve as your new list and you can reference it when you call us. In some cases, we can mark up your original list with the new box numbers and return it to you if you need it as a cross-reference. If this is a particular concern, please be sure to ask at the time of transfer.

Materials in the Archives are retained permanently with very few exceptions. Because the materials are rare or unique, they must be used onsite in our secure reading room. If you need photocopies or scans, we can provide them for you according to our procedures.

Please contact us in advance of your visit so that the materials will be ready for you in the reading room when you arrive. Some parts of the collections are stored offsite and may require a day or two to retrieve. In any case we always appreciate advance notice if you plan to visit.

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Guidelines for born-digital materials

Knowledge production happens everywhere at the University of Minnesota, increasingly in digital formats with no paper equivalent. While there are no certainties in the world of digital content, creators of digital information can follow best practices and established standards that will help support sustained access and preservation of their materials.

The University Digital Conservancy program is the "digital arm" of the University Archives and provides access to digital scholarly and administrative records of the University of Minnesota and provides several basic best practices guidelines to help you manage your digital files. Individual consultation is also available.

These guidelines for digital content (including documents, photographs, publications, and websites) are designed to assist campus units and faculty as they assess their material for transfer to University Archives.

Born digital material types include:

  • Born-digital documents / electronic records. When possible, converting to PDF will retain formatting. Certain situations may require retaining the original file format.
  • Digital media publications. May include newsletters, newspapers, brochures, books by or about the University that are static or interactive in design.
  • Digital photographs. All digital photographs should be accompanied with descriptive information.
  • Harvested or crawled websites. URL should contain umn.edu/ or the domain name should be owned by the University.

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Guidelines for audiovisual materials

These guidelines for audiovisual content including film, video, and audio recordings, are designed to assist campus units as they assess their material for potential transfer to University Archives.

Audiovisual material we may collect include:

  • Finished campus productions in all formats (e.g. 8/16mm film, VHS/Betacam video, DV tape, DVDs, reel to reel audio, LPs, cassette tapes, CDs). In general, the Archives does not accept raw footage or audio; however, high quality footage / audio of campus scenes or events may be an exception.
  • Preferred file formats for digital video are .AVI file or .MP4. The preferred file formats for digital audio are .WAV or .AIF. The Archives will also accept other file formats, particularly .MOV for video and .MP3 for audio.
  • All material must be identified and labeled. The Archives cannot accept unidentified, unlabeled material.
  • University Archives cannot preserve content that is restricted from public access.
  • Content transferred to the Archives is presumed to be owned by the Regents of the University and either the product of a campus unit or a work for hire. Audiovisual material that depicts students or non-University individuals must be accompanied by signed releases. Recordings of faculty and staff in the course of their work should not require releases.
  • University Archives cannot accept audiovisual recordings of human subject research. Exceptions may be made for material that successfully received IRB approval, does not contain identifiable private information, or significantly contributes to the historical documentation of the University.

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