Archives

Archival records are those records (as described below) which are considered to be of enduring value to the institution and which will be kept indefinitely, if not permanently, in University Archives (Lower Level, Residence Hall A).

In evaluating individual items for Archives, one might ask the question: Would the item in question provide potentially useful information on the history, development, or organization of Adelphi University or any of its schools, departments, offices, or events? If the answer is “Yes,” please send the item to Archives. If you are uncertain, please ask us.

Archival records may be in a wide variety of formats—books, manuscripts, letters, memoranda, reports, photographs, maps, posters, architectural drawings, video and audio media, memorabilia, and electronic or digital formats (including periodic “snapshots” of the entire Adelphi website).

Archives also includes materials about Adelphi published in external sources—e.g., books, periodicals, and newspaper articles.

Pending the development of a comprehensive Records Retention Schedule, the following types of materials should be regularly deposited in University Archives:

• Minutes, reports, and papers of the Board of Trustees. (Restricted Access)
• Papers of the President, Vice Presidents, and Deans’ offices–including statements of policy, reports, correspondence, memoranda, speeches, committee minutes, publicity materials, accreditation self-studies and final reports, and planning documents. (Restricted access for some items.)
• Records from other administrative and academic offices: correspondence, annual reports, minutes of school and departmental faculty meetings, selected (and significant) minutes and reports from committees, policy and procedure statements, planning documents, symposium and colloquium files, newsletters, and publications. (Restricted access for some items.)
• University-wide financial records, including budgets and audited financial reports from the Treasurer’s Office.
• Faculty agendas, minutes, and committee reports.
• All University publications and printed materials—bulletins; newspapers (The Delphian and others); yearbooks (The Oracle); literary magazines; newsletters; brochures; recruitment materials; advertising copy; invitations, brochures, posters, advertisements, and programs for athletic, artistic, musical events, lectures, alumni, and other events. (Copies of these materials should be sent to Archives as soon as they are printed.)
• Course evaluations and syllabi (the latter, preferably in electronic format.)
• Biography files for faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and members of the Board of Trustees (including obituaries.)
• Faculty biographical files. (Restricted Access.) Please note that official personnel files (for current and former University employees) are maintained by the Office of Human Resources.
• Faculty and alumni publications.
• Master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, and Honors College theses (two copies—one will be cataloged for Archives, the other for the Swirbul Library circulating collection.)
• Student organization records, including minutes, brochures, flyers, publications, photographs.
• Memorabilia (including scrapbooks) and artifacts (two and three-dimensional objects, especially those with the name or seal of Adelphi—for example, shirts, pennants, paperweights, stuffed animals, pens and pencils, souvenirs from special events.)

Note: Items sent to Archives that should have “restricted access” should be clearly noted on each item. Items marked “restricted access” cannot be consulted without the permission of the University Archivist—or, in some cases, by the person or office that deposited the items.

It is suggested that each department or office designate one staff member to be responsible for insuring that the appropriate items be deposited to UASC.

Procedure

If there are too many items to send through campus mail, please telephone (Extension 3588) or email our Administrative Assistant Pamela Griffin. You may bring the items over to Archives (Lower Level of New Hall A). Please telephone before coming over, to ensure someone is available to assist you. We can also make arrangements for a pick-up. The Archivist is also available to advise offices or to discuss with anyone the appropriateness of various types of records and materials for deposit in Archives.

Preparation

If there are only a few items, they may be sent in an envelope or small box via intercampus mail, addressed to: Professor David Ranzan, c/o Swirbul Library.
(While the Department of Archives and Special Collections is located in the Lower Level of New Hall, please do not address mail to New Hall, as items may get misdirected to the residence hall mail.)

Please clearly label all cartons—with the following information:
(Include a copy of this label inside the box. Please also keep a copy for your records.)

1. Name of office sending the records
2. Brief description of the contents
3. Inventory of contents
4. Date and name of person who packed the carton

The following is a list of record groups that are considered either not to be of enduring value to University Archives or not appropriate for University Archives:

• Virtually all records relating to individual students
• Most records from the Treasurer’s Office
• Individual personnel records from Human Resources
• Individual patient and client files (such as those of the Derner Institute, the Speech and Hearing Center, and other clinical services of the University.)

For off-site storage of these materials please contact Adelphi’s off-site storage facility, Chasner Street.