Donations to Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) from donors like you build the wealth of historical resources available to researchers worldwide. We welcome inquiries from individuals, families, organizations, and businesses concerning donations of historical collections that align with our collection development policy. If you have materials you are interested in donating, please contact us. 

Please note that SCUA does not accept unsolicited donations or transfers through the mail or in person without prior authorization. Unsolicited donations may be discarded or retained at the sole discretion of SCUA staff without notice. 

What we collect 

SCUA seeks to develop our collections by acquiring materials that document the experiences, achievements, and memories of all people and organizations reflecting the university's major research areas, with a special commitment to documenting the history of the university as defined in our collection development policy. 

Find out more about what we collect, including specific examples and how-to instructions for

We also collect transfers of university records.

Records of permanent research value, including physical and digital formats, tend to 

  • document major decisions as with meeting minutes and reports
  • summarize detailed information as with annual or quarterly reports, rather than monthly or weekly reports
  • be final versions rather than drafts
  • be coherent bodies of records, rather than fragments or individual items 

Inactive records that are no longer used in the day-to-day course of business. Some records, such as business registration and non-profit status documents, will always be active records.

Record copies, which are the original or official copies of a document intended for use or distribution, rather than duplicate copies. 

  • A scanned document - we collect the document, rather than the scan
  • An email newsletter - we collect the digital newsletter, rather than a print-out
  • A newsletter that was composed on a computer, but printed and mailed to subscribers - we collect the printed version

Records to be collected may include, but are not limited to:

  • Annual reports
  • Letters, Correspondence, E-mail
  • Minutes and Reports
  • Constitution and by-laws
  • Articles of incorporation
  • Membership information
  • Newsletters and publications
  • Brochures
  • Flyers
  • General Administrative Files
  • Websites
  • Architectural Drawings/Plans
  • Clippings
  • Photographs (Identified with Pencil)
  • Films and Videotapes (Labeled)
  • Diaries
  • Memoirs and Reminiscences
  • Scrapbooks and Photograph Albums
  • Subject Files
  • Speeches, Lectures, and Presentations
  • Professional Papers
  • Committee & Council files
  • Teaching files

Active records still in regular use should be retained until they become inactive.

Transactional documents, like receipts, bills of lading, purchase orders, etc.

Transitory correspondence, like letters of transmittal, requests for publications, internal meeting notices, conference planning details, etc.

Duplicate information like detailed documents where summary documents exist (e.g., daily financial transactions when an annual report exists) 

Drafts of documents where a final version exists, excluding literary manuscripts. 

Records to be discarded may include, but are not limited to:

  • Applications for Employment
  • Bank Statements
  • Budget Files (excepting annual reports)
  • Cancelled Checks
  • Contracts/Leases
  • General Conference Records
  • Personnel Files
  • General Financial Records (past 7 years should be kept for auditing purposes — these are active records)
  • Attendance Lists
  • Maintenance service files
  • Supplies and Equipment Records
  • Telephone Bills
  • Travel Reimbursement Files
  • Surplus Property Files
  • Receipts
  • Purchase Orders
  • Mailing Lists
  • Routine or transitory correspondence*
  • Published Articles

Typical donation process

  1. Identify potential materials for donation. 
  2. Connect with a curator to discuss your potential donation, including rights and restrictions. 
  3. Prepare approved materials for donation. When possible, please
    • Clearly label any unlabeled physical and digital folders/photographs/media, including names, events, and dates. 
    • Pack physical records into standard records storage boxes (12"w x 15"l x 10"h) in the order in which they were created, collected, or kept. 
      • Fill boxes, leaving enough space to easily remove and replace a file folder but not so much space that the folders fall or bend. Include labeled sheets of paper to separate different categories. 
      • Place loose materials in folders labeled with a pencil and remove files from binders/hanging folders into folders labeled with a pencil. Use multiple folders if the contents are too large for one folder. 
      • If you have odd size items or records that do not fill a box, please contact the University Archivist. 
  4. Create an inventory, including contents and date spans of each box, and email the inventory to the curator. 
  5. Fill out and sign a Deed of Gift form prior to arranging the transfer of materials to SCUA.

How we assess offers

In order to responsibly care for the materials in our collections, we cannot accept every donation offered. Every donation offered is assessed on a case-by-case basis and involves many considerations, including: 

  • Does the collection fit our collecting scope?
  • Do the materials contain high research and/or historical value?
  • Is the collection unique, or does it duplicate information or materials already in SCUA's holdings? 
  • Are the materials in good condition? Or are the materials in a condition that can be preserved within our resources? 
  • Is the offered donation a coherent collection that is mostly complete rather than individual items or fragments of a more complete set?

Not sure? Contact us so SCUA's expert archivists can determine your collections fit within our holdings. 

Monetary appraisals for tax deductions 

In some instances, it is possible for a donor to take a tax deduction for the donation of historical materials. SCUA encourages potential donors to speak with a tax professional regarding this possibility as we cannot offer tax advice nor, due to professional ethics, assess or provide a monetary value for historical materials. 

Potential donors interested in a tax deduction are responsible for arranging and bearing the cost of monetary collection appraisals prior to donating the materials to SCUA. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in receiving a receipt for tax purposes. The Iowa State University Foundation will provide you with a receipt for tax purposes at the end of the calendar year. To get started, you may want to visit the Society of American Archivists’ page on the Monetary Appraisal of Archival Materials.

How we care for materials 

Once donations are received, they join other collection materials to be processed, preserved, and made available to the public in SCUA's reading room or online. All materials will be housed in secure, climate-controlled storage, and specially trained University Library staff may arrange, describe, rehouse into archival containers, reformat, perform conservation treatments, or digitize your donation to ensure its long-term preservation for research, instruction, programming, or exhibition.

Taking proper care of our collections takes time and resources. We appreciate your patience and support.

Connect with a curator 

Contact Amy Bishop, the Rare Books and Manuscripts Archivist for rare books and manuscript donation inquiries. 

Amy Bishop

Rare Books and Manuscripts Archivist
As Rare Books and Manuscripts Archivist, Amy oversees two major collections areas that make up the "Special Collections" part of Special Collections and University Archives. She curates the Rare Books Collection by making new purchases and evaluating donations. She also develops the Manuscripts Collections, by reaching out to people and organizations whose lives and work tell stories that broaden our understanding of the human experience and who may wish to donate their personal/family papers or organizational records to the Special Collections and University Archives. She also contributes to efforts to engage users with the collections through library instruction, blog posts, exhibitions, reference work, and community outreach. Amy has served as Rare Books and Manuscripts Archivist since 2015. She holds an MSLIS with a Certificate in Special Collections from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a BA in English from Northland College. She has served on committees with the Midwest Archives Conference, the Society of American Archivists, and the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries.

Contact Rebecca Wells, the Student Life Archivist for student organization and activism records or student/alumni collection donation inquiries. 

Rebecca Wells

As the Student Life Archivist, Rebecca leads SCUA’s efforts to document and preserve a more robust and inclusive record of student life at Iowa State University. Working with students and alumni, she is responsible for facilitating the donation of materials that express a range of perspectives, people, and formats (both analog and digital) produced by ISU students, student organizations, and through student activism. For those who are more comfortable maintaining their own records, Rebecca serves as a resource to teach students how to care for their records in-house. She connects with students, past and present, encouraging them to take an active role in preserving their impact at ISU. Rebecca holds a BA in English, Creative Writing, and Scandinavian Studies with a Music minor from Augustana College, and an MSIS with Endorsements of Specialization in Archival Administration and Preservation Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. In addition, Rebecca holds a Certificate from the University of North Texas in the Advanced Management in Libraries and Information Agencies. Rebecca joined SCUA in the Fall of 2022 and remains active in the Society of American Archivists and American Library Association.

Contact the University Archivist for faculty/staff collection donation inquiries or university records transfer inquiries.

University Archivist

If you are unsure who to contact, please complete the donation interest form.