Archiving Toolkit | What to Save

What Kinds of Documents Should be Donated to a Historical Repository?

In an archival collection, each individual record provides context for the others. The more comprehensive the set of records, the more the collection reflects your organizational style and accomplishments.


Rules of Thumb DO NOT DISCARD ANYTHING First discuss your collection with the archivist at the repository of your choice. Archives are typically interested in more of your materials than the average individual or group anticipates. ARCHIVISTS WEED OUT SENSITIVE OR DUPLICATED DOCUMENTS You can be confident the archivists will flag sensitive personal information and you will be able to review all flagged materials. DO NOT REARRANGE FILES AS YOU REVIEW THEM Strive to keep records in the order in which they were originally used and stored. This original order gives context to individual documents. FIND RECORDS FROM ALL RELEVANT CREATORS The collected history of your organization may include records kept by individuals, added to scrapbooks, or in storage. Include as many record sources as possible.	Records that Document History Paper office files Office computer files (text, spreadsheets, slide presentations, photos, audio, video, and web pages) Correspondence, email folders Photographs Newsletters and e-newsletters (their own and those of other organizations) Posters, banners, flyers Buttons, cards, mementos T-shirts, costumes News clippings/scrapbooks Audio and video recordings: DVDs, CDs, cassette tapes, VHS, 16mm, etc. Manuscripts for publications authored by the donor Social media posts, YouTube and other online videos, websites Conference files related to topics and speakers Worship services, panel discussions, interviews, broadcasts Oral histories Constitutions, by-laws, and other governing documents Minutes of meetings Committee files Membership lists (consider restricting private information. See Privacy) Annual and financial reports Publicity materials

Rules of Thumb

DO NOT DISCARD ANYTHING
First discuss your collection with the archivist at the repository of your choice. Archives are typically interested in more of your materials than the average individual or group anticipates.

ARCHIVISTS WEED OUT SENSITIVE OR DUPLICATED DOCUMENTS
You can be confident the archivists will flag sensitive personal information and you will be able to review all flagged materials.

DO NOT REARRANGE FILES AS YOU REVIEW THEM
Strive to keep records in the order in which they were originally used and stored. This original order gives context to individual documents.

FIND RECORDS FROM ALL RELEVANT CREATORS
The collected history of your organization may include records kept by individuals, added to scrapbooks, or in storage. Include as many record sources as possible.

Records that Document History

Paper office files
Office computer files (text, spreadsheets, slide presentations, photos, audio, video, and web pages)
Correspondence, email folders
Photographs
Newsletters and e-newsletters (their own and those of other organizations)
Posters, banners, flyers
Buttons, cards, mementos
T-shirts, costumes
News clippings/scrapbooks
Audio and video recordings: DVDs, CDs, cassette tapes, VHS, 16mm, etc.
Manuscripts for publications authored by the donor
Social media posts, YouTube and other online videos, websites
Conference files related to topics and speakers
Worship services, panel discussions, interviews, broadcasts
Oral histories
Constitutions, by-laws, and other governing documents
Minutes of meetings
Committee files
Membership lists (consider restricting private information. See Privacy)
Annual and financial reports
Publicity materials

Archiving Toolkit | What to Save

What Kinds of Documents Should be Donated to a Historical Repository?

Donating Your Records to an Archives