Mission of the College Archives

The mission of the College Archives is to preserve College records and information of permanent historical value, that is, records providing evidence about the operation and changes in operation of the College in the performance of its educational functions, or information about people, activities and events associated with the College. The Archives serve as an educational resource encouraging scholarly research in its collections.

In carrying out its mission, the College Archives:

1. preserves records that document and provide evidence of the College's carrying out its purpose or have information about activities, people, and events associated with the College, i.e. the records from administrative and academic offices, departments and divisions, and from student and alumni organizations;
2. maintains a manuscripts collection for papers which are not created in the official execution of the purpose of the College but which are related to the College in some way, e.g. faculty or alumni private papers which record professional activities;
3. appraises, selects for permanent preservation, accessions, arranges, describes, and preserves records transferred to its custody;
4. acts as a repository of last resort for materials of local interest that might otherwise be destroyed;
5. answers questions, and, following approved guidelines and federal laws, makes material available to authorized users;
6. generally will not accept three-dimensional objects or artifacts; generally will not purchase collections; and generally will not accept books, articles, or records simply because they were owned by someone associated with the College.

Acquisitions Priorities

1. Non-current records of administrative, academic, and student departments and organizations. Types of records are policy statements, minutes of meetings, annual reports, subject reports, statistical summaries, correspondence, photographs, i.e. papers created in the process of the college carrying out its purpose and recording how the college carried out its reason for existing, its development and accomplishments:
   Trustees
   President
   Deans
   Faculty
   Academic departments, divisions and organizations
   Student organizations
   Administrative offices
2. All official college publications: catalogs, student newspapers and literary magazines, yearbooks, alumni magazines, newsletters, admissions and fund raising brochures, programs of events, items copyrighted by Grinnell College.
3. Books by faculty, administrators, and alumni.
4. Article offprints by faculty and administrators.
5. Blueprints of and information about campus buildings.
6. Papers of retired faculty.
7. Alumni memoirs, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks. Will consider other papers such as correspondence, manuscripts, unpublished writings if they relate to the individual's affiliation with Grinnell or his/her career. Such donations are accompanied by a Deed of Gift.
8. Clippings and photographs relating to campus, college personnel, alumni, students.
9. Local history: books, newspapers, directories, clippings, diaries, memoirs, photographs, scrapbooks, meeting minutes.

Archive Administration

 

The administration of the Archives is under the direction of the College Archivist. The Archivist works with the Librarian of the College in formulating policies. The Archivist may assemble ad-hoc committees to consult and advise on special problems or projects.

Catherine Rod, College Archivist