Transferring University records

In support of Indiana State University’s mission, University Archives is the official repository for university records, faculty papers, and student materials of enduring historical, administrative, or legal value. For records regulated by legal or audit requirements, limited storage space is available and records destruction will be confirmed with your office when the retention period passes. By following these guidelines, you preserve the history of ISU and your department, provide transparency and accountability to major decisions, and protect the university by disposing of records that have expired their necessary retention period.

A retention schedule that lists common university records, when they can be disposed of, and whether they should go to Archives is available here.

Print records

To ensure that records remain accessible and easily retrievable, follow the steps below:

  1. Identify the record series* you plan to send to Archives.
  2. Contact Archives to confirm the record series intended for transfer.
  3. Place records in file folders removing 3-ring binders and hanging folders.
  4. Arrange records in boxes in the same order as your office stored the records.
  5. Pack box leaving 1-2 inches of space for ease of access.
  6. Print an inventory listing the title of each folder in the box and leave the inventory on top of the folders in the box.
  7. Fill in and affix a box label on the longer side of the box
  8. Repeat steps 3-7 until all records are in boxes.
  9. Enter contact and box information into Records Transmittal Form.
  10. Request pickup and delivery of boxes by Facilities Management by filling in online form.  Delivery should go to Cunningham Library 309.
  11. Contact Archives to relay expected date of transfer.

Storage boxes are to be no larger than the following dimensions: 15”x12.5”x10” (LxWxH). It is recommended that permanent records should be stored in archival (acid-free) boxes. Vendors who offer acid-free boxes include Gaylord and Hollinger.

For photograph prints and negatives, attempt to determine who photographed the image, who is pictured, what event is pictured, and when the photograph was taken. If this identification information is available, include this information on a separate page with the photos.

*A records series is a group of records that serve the same function for your office and are normally filed together. Examples include: Minutes, Employee Personnel Files, Event Programs, etc.

digital records

Follow the steps outlined below for the transfer of digital records:

  1. Identify the record series you plan to send to Archives.
  2. Contact Archives to confirm the record series intended for transfer.
  3. Copy files to CD-RW or DVD-RW, arranging each record series in a separate folder/directory using subfolders as necessary if the files are normally subdivided by your office.
  4. Label each disk with the name of your office.
  5. Enter contact and disk information into Records Transmittal Form.
  6. Contact Archives to arrange for pickup by Archives staff.

Digital records are, in some ways, more fragile than paper-based records.  Changes in software and hardware occur rapidly making accessing records difficult over time.  To aid in the long-term preservation of digital records, it is strongly recommended that arrangements to transfer digital records take place on an annual basis.