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Shippensburg University Archives & Special Collections
Policy Statement

I. Purpose / Mission

The Shippensburg University Archives collects, organizes, makes accessible, and preserves non-current records documenting Shippensburg University ’s origins and development, including the activities and achievements of its offices, faculty, students, alumni, and benefactors.  The Archives preserves materials of enduring historical or informational value to serve as Shippensburg University ’s institutional memory in support of administration, teaching, research, and service.  The Archives promotes a greater awareness, knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the history, programs, and goals of Shippensburg University .  The Archives is vital for supporting understandings of American life as it is lived at Shippensburg University through the management and retention of its personal, academic, and social memory.

The Shippensburg University Special Collections exists to preserve rare, fragile, or valuable published materials acquired by the Library that are useful to the community of scholars and researchers, as well as to the University and its community of faculty, administrators and students.  Special Collections also includes the SU Authors Collection, the purpose of which is to collect, organize, make accessible, and preserve the published works, such as books and articles in journals, of members of the Shippensburg University community.  Special Collections will include manuscripts and other documents and memorabilia donated by published authors, as well, in order to make this unique material available to researchers.

The Shippensburg University Archives & Special Collections serve a number of constituents.

  • Administrators:  University records provide access to essential evidence of past decisions to aid in day-to-day
    decision-making.  Documentation of events in the history of the institution can be used to enhance its image and build relationships with alumni and friends.
  • Faculty:  The SU Archives & Special Collections is a source of potential projects for students concerning the history of SU.
  • Students:  The SU Archives & Special Collections provides them with the opportunity to experience primary source research for class projects, as well as to help them connect to the university’s past.
  • Alumni:  The SU Archives & Special Collections is a source of information about relatives and friends who were connected with the university, as well as a way for maintaining ties to their alma mater.
  • Outside researchers:  The collections provide source material for any topic of inquiry that relates to the collections.

II. Authority

            A.        Nature and basis of authority

Shippensburg University Archives & Special Collections has been established as part of the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library. The SU Archives & Special Collections acquires material for preservation through cooperation and by mutual consent.

B.        Person in whom authority to acquire is vested

The Archives & Special Collections Librarian is the individual responsible for making the decision to acquire or retain an item. Ultimate responsibility for the collection rests with the Dean of Library and Multimedia Services.  Responsibility for selection of records of enduring value rests with the Archives & Special Collections Librarian in consultation with the creating office or individual, regardless of whether records are maintained in paper or electronic format.  Responsibility for selection of electronic mail rests with the creator or receiver. Voice mail is not considered to be of enduring value.

C.        Roles and Responsibilities

The Archives & Special Collections Librarian

  • is responsible for the operation of the SU Archives & Special Collections, reporting to the Dean of Library and Multimedia Services;
  • preserves and administers the records deposited in the Archives & Special Collections;
  • identifies archival university records in the custody of record-creating units and arranges for their transfer to the custody of the Archives, or through agreement for their being safeguarded in the unit;
  • brings all archival records in the custody of the Archives under intellectual control;
  • in consultation with the record-creating unit or donor, determines the terms of future access to archival records and enforces restrictions placed on records transferred to the Archives;
  • in conjunction with University administration, develops and issues general retention and disposition schedules and file classification schemes for the records of the University;
  • develops policies, procedures, and regulations for the operation of the Archives for approval by the Dean of the Library and the University administration. Following approval, is responsible for implementing the procedures and enforcing the regulations.

III. Collection Policy

The SU Archives & Special Collections seeks to acquire the following:
A.        Official Records, Papers, and Publications of Shippensburg University
Official records encompass the records or papers generated or received by the various administrative offices of Shippensburg University in the conduct of their business.  The records retention schedule will be developed in conjunction with university administrators and will be delineated later.

B.        Personal and Professional Papers of

Shippensburg University Faculty

The SU Archives & Special Collections seeks to acquire, organize, and provide access to the personal and professional papers of Shippensburg University faculty and administrators as a means of documenting the internal life and culture of the University community. Space and staff restraints in the SU Archives & Special Collections limits the volume of faculty papers that can be accessioned.  In appraising and soliciting faculty papers the following criteria are suggested:

  • National or international reputation
  • Record of service with Shippensburg University and contribution to its growth and development
  • Service and contribution in community, state and national affairs  
The University Archives seeks documentation of the careers of the Shippensburg University faculty and administrators in the following formats:

  • Correspondence: official, professional and personal
  • Biographical material: resumes, bibliographies, biographical sketches, chronologies, genealogies, newspaper clippings, and personal memoirs
  • Photoprints and graphic materials
  • Tape recordings of lectures, speeches and discussions
  • Lecture notes and syllabi
  • Research files
  • Departmental or committee minutes and records
  • Drafts and manuscripts of articles and books
  • Diaries, notebooks, appointment calendars and memorabilia  
The SU Archives & Special Collections recognizes the rights of faculty and private donors to impose reasonable restrictions on materials to protect privacy and confidentiality.  Restrictions on access should be for a fixed term and determined at the time of donation.  The Archives encourages minimal access restrictions consistent with the legal rights of all parties.

            C.        Special Collections
 

The SU Archives & Special Collections will solicit and collect records and papers which are neither official University records nor faculty papers, but which relate to the history of Shippensburg University .  Examples include:
 
  • Professional and personal papers of the members of the University Council/Board of Trustees if associated with University business
  • Professional and personal papers of eminent alumni
  • Papers or records dealing with the history of Shippensburg as they relate to the growth and development of the University
  • Papers, records, and published items on Shippensburg University and its role in the history of higher education
  • Papers, records, and published items pertaining to Shippensburg University as a major regional institution

IV. Gift Policy

Material for the collections may be either donated of solicited.  It is not anticipated that material will be purchased or accepted on loan.  Any exceptions to the gift policy must be negotiated with the University administration and the SU Foundation and will be governed by the specific terms of the written agreement.   Donations of books and other materials, for which the donor wishes to be recognized and receive an income tax deduction, will be processed according to these guidelines:  Gifts-in-Kind are accepted by the Shippensburg University Foundation, for the benefit of Shippensburg University , subject to the policies and procedures of the University and Foundation and the regulations of the Internal Revenue Service.  The SU Guidelines for Fundraising Activities approved by the President’s Cabinet on October 9, 1983, and the Guidelines for Acceptance of Gifts of Personal Tangible Property (Gifts-in-Kind) approved by the President’s Cabinet on February 23, 1987, shall apply to receiving gifts of books and other items by the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library. A potential benefactor should contact the SU Foundation, the Collection Management Department, or the Archives & Special Collections Librarian of the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library to receive a form to be completed with information about the potential items to be donated.  The completed form should be returned to Collection Management Department, Ezra Lehman Memorial Library, Shippensburg University 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg PA   17257-2299   The Archives & Special Collections Librarian will annotate the list to indicate those items deemed appropriate for addition to the collection and forward the list to the SU Foundation office.   The annotated list will be returned to the potential benefactor by the SU Foundation.  Upon acceptance of the gift-in-kind by the SU Foundation, in consultation with the University, the benefactor should contact the Archives & Special Collections Librarian to arrange for delivery of the accepted items to the library.  The library will place a gift plate in/on the items added to the collection in recognition of the benefactor’s support.  The library will forward a list of accepted items to the SU Foundation Office.  The SU Foundation will send a written acknowledgement to the benefactor of the gift-in-kind items added to the library collection. If a donor does not wish to be recognized for donations, items will be accepted at the discretion of the Archives & Special Collections Librarian with the understanding that:

  • The library has the right to accept or dispose of any item.
  • No receipt, letter of appraisal, or statement of value will be issued.
  • No gift plates will be placed in/on the items added to the collection.
  • The donor will arrange for delivery of materials.
  • The library must be given advance notice of any large deliveries. 

Donors will fill out and sign a Deed of Gift, found on the library’s home page.  Gifts are considered outright donations to be used in the best interest of the SU Archives & Special Collections.  Upon receipt of a transmittal from the SU Foundation, donations become the sole and irrevocable property of the SU Archives & Special Collections.  Unless otherwise restricted by copyright law or by the donor and agreed to by the SU Archives & Special Collections at the time of acquisition, all copyrights are conveyed to the SU Archives & Special Collections.  The Archives can assume no responsibility for abuse of copyright restrictions by users of research materials.

Donations of historical material to a public research facility may be tax deductible. However, the SU Archives & Special Collections cannot appraise donations for tax purposes. The donor shall be solely responsible for ascertaining the fair market value of gifts to the SU Foundation.  For the protection of the donor, it is recommended that such appraisals be done by a disinterested third party and before title to the material is conveyed to the SU Archives & Special Collections.  The Library and the SU Foundation staff will assist benefactors in identifying appropriate appraisers.  A receipt, letter of appraisal, or statement of value shall accompany gifts with a value of $5000 or less.  The Internal Revenue Service appraisal requirement for gifts in excess of $5000 may be obtained from the SU Foundation.  University and Foundation officials shall not give opinions concerning the fair market
value of donated property.

V. De-Accessioning Policy

Usually, accepted gifts are considered important historical resources at the time they are acquired.  However, no individual or institution can predict or govern the changing attitudes of future generations, nor guarantee permanency beyond the best available preservation procedures.   The SU Archives & Special Collections reserves the right to reevaluate and reappraise historical material in its holdings and to de-accession them when appropriate. De-accessioned collections and items weeded from collections during processing, due to duplication, irrelevance, limited use, or deterioration, will be offered to the original donor or his agent if so requested at the time of donation.  If the donor wishes not to reclaim the material or cannot be located, the SU Archives & Special Collections reserves the right to offer the material to other depositories or discard the items.  Any material declared to be expendable must be approved by the Archives & Special Collections Librarian.