Student groups are an important part of Xavier’s history.
Xavier University Archives partners with student groups to document their activities as part of its mission to preserve the University's history. We accept records in about as many formats as you can imagine, including digital materials like photographs and office files.
This site is meant to serve as an information resource for student groups interested in placing their records with Xavier University Archives. By placing your group’s records with us, you’ll ensure that your time at Xavier will be preserved for future generations of the Xavier community. It will help future members of your group remember historical facts for reunions or fundraising or answer questions about projects or events. Even if your organization existed for only a semester or around a single cause or event, documenting your organization with Xavier University Archives means that its contributions to campus life will live on.
How to Archive Your Group's Records with Xavier University Archives
Email the University Archives to notify us of your interest (ryckbosta[at]xavier.edu). We are particularly interested in receiving your inactive records—records that you only consult once a year or less.
We'll contact you with the next steps for transferring your records, but here's some basic guidelines to help get the process started:
- Share your plans to donate with your fellow group members and advisors. Once everyone is in agreement, we can get started.
- University Archives can provide archival supplies like boxes and folders for packing materials.
- We'll work with you on the best method to transfer digital files.
- University Archives provides researchers with mediated access to your group's records. Access is only provided in the archives' research room, and researchers will not be able to alter or delete the records in any way.
What to Archive and What to Keep in Your Office
- Organizational constitutions and by-laws, agendas, meeting minutes, reports, posters, and photographs are examples of records that are appropriate to transfer.
- Routine financial records like receipts, trophies or award plaques, and duplicate copies of publications and other records can be kept in your office or discarded.
Pass It On and Keep It Alive!
- Pass information about your records in University Archives on to your new officers and members.
- Visit University Archives with new officers and members to acquaint the group with their archival legacy.
- After you’ve completed your first records transfer, you may want to consider creating a schedule for your organization that will prompt future group members to transfer new records to University Archives on a recurring basis, e.g., toward the end of each academic year as graduating organization officers get ready to leave campus.
- Appoint someone to study your organization's history and serve as your group’s liaison with University Archives.
What Happens After Your Records have been Transferred to University Archives?
- We'll arrange your records and describe them in a collection guide. The collection guide will be available online.
- We'll store them safely in an environment that promotes long-term preservation.
- When you need to consult your records, we'll help you arrange a visit to University Archives.
- You'll have helpful archives and library staff available to help you locate other records related to your group, learn about your group's history, and find historical information about your group that might be helpful for posters, events, or programs.
Contact us with any questions about the archiving process. We look forward to working with you to ensure your group is a well-documented part of Xavier’s history!
Resources: This guide was greatly inspired by Duke University Archives' YOLO@UA guide.
