Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) collects, preserves, and makes available university records of permanent research value, including records of administrative, legal, fiscal, and historical significance. Preserving these records in SCUA's collections ensures that the documentation of important university accomplishments and challenges is available for the benefit of everyone.
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.
Understanding records and information management
Records and Information Management is the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records.
What is a record?
Records are the information or data created or received by employees in an organization in the course of its activities. They are created while conducting business and can be permanent or non-permanent in value. The records you create or receive in the course of your work, which provide evidence of an activity, decision, or transaction, should be designated as permanent or eduring value by the University Records Retention Schedule and can be identified by trained SCUA staff.
It is important to note that official university records are created in both a traditional analog or paper form and, most commonly now, in a digital or electronic form. The retention period of a record is determined based on the content and purpose of the record, not its format. These records of permanent research value should be transferred to SCUA when they are no longer in active use after reaching their retention.
What is a records retention schedule?
The University Records Retention Schedule is a tool for Iowa State employees to use when managing the records created and received by their offices. It lists records commonly found in university offices and guides the university community on the retention and disposition of university records.
- Disposition is the final decision about whether records will be destroyed or transferred after meeting their legal retention period.
- Destruction is the formal procedure by which university records, including confidential records, are destroyed after meeting their legal retention period and no longer have administrative, fiscal, legal, or historical value.
- Transfer is the process by which university records of permanent research or historical value are moved into the custodianship of SCUA.
If you have questions about using the retention and disposition schedule, please contact the Records Retention Policy Administrator.
What is your role?
Each academic or administrative unit is responsible for knowing which records they need to retain, destroy, or transfer to SCUA. Transferring university records designated for permanent retention or with research value to the custodianship of SCUA ensures the preservation of the university’s history is available to you and everyone for use. SCUA will manage, process, preserve, and provide access to the records in accordance with applicable Iowa State University and SCUA policies. Awareness of your role in records and information management on campus is vital to university-wide compliance with the University Records Retention Policy, including other applicable policies and laws.
Interested in learning more about managing the records you create or whether your records are of permanent research value, please contact the University Archivist.
What we collect
SCUA has a special commitment to preserving the history of the university through acquiring materials that document the experiences, achievements, and memories of all Iowa State people and organizations as defined in our Collection Development Policy.
Find out more about what we collect, including specific examples, FAQs, and how-to instructions for university records (PDF).
We also collect donations of collections from faculty, staff, students, student organizations and activists, alumni, and individuals and families with materials related to our collecting areas, including rare books.
