Transferring Administrative Records to the Archives
When to Transfer
Administrative files and other materials created by University of Chicago offices in the course of regular business and management of programs should be transferred to the University Archives when they are no longer being used on a regular, active basis. Files that have not been recently consulted or that are more than ten years old should be considered candidates for transfer to the Archives.
What to Transfer
The University Archives preserves records of all types that document the ongoing business operations and institutional programs of the University. Categories of material appropriate for transfer include:
- Correspondence, documents, annual reports, memos, subject files
- Minutes of boards, committee, and work groups
- Annual budget summaries, endowments, grant proposals, gift and grant reports
- Curricular materials, requirements, course descriptions
- Faculty appointment files, resumes, bibliographies, reports
- Files on scholarships, fellowships, awards
- Materials on conferences, symposia, lectures, events
- Alumni and development campaign publications, solicitations, reunions
- Magazines, newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, directories, posters (two copies each)
- Photographs, films, videos, audio recordings, other media formats, memorabilia
Email and Computer Files
The University Archives preserves correspondence, documents, and other materials in all formats, including email and computer files. Archives staff will be glad to discuss the process for transferring these types of materials to the University Archives digital repository.
What Not to Transfer
The University Archives does not retain duplicate or extraneous materials. These include:
- Routine biweekly and monthly account ledgers
- Routine purchase requests, orders, invoices, petty cash account statements
- Multiple duplicate copies of publications, form letters, brochures, pamphlets
- Office equipment and supply catalogs
How to Arrange a Transfer
Please contact the University Archives to arrange for a visit by members of the Archives staff. After a review of the inactive files, the Archives staff will make arrangements to have the material transferred to the University Archives.
Contact Information
University of Chicago Archives
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, JRL 130
universityarchives@lib.uchicago.edu
773-702-8705