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The SU Archives & Special Collections seeks to acquire the following:

• Official Records, Papers, and Publications of Shippensburg University
  Official records encompass the records or papers generated or received by the various administrative and academic offices of Shippensburg University in the conduct of their business.
• 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
• 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.

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

Are you a member of the administration, staff, or faculty? Wondering what records from your office or department belong in the University Archives? Consult the university's Record Retention Policy. This policy can be found under the Employee "Right to Know" directory of the university shared drive. If you are having trouble locating the document, or have questions, please contact the Archives for assistance.

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 eduction, 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 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. 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.

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/her 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.