Acquisition Policy

In order to carry out its mission to acquire materials of enduring value for preservation and access, the Archives collects the following types of records:

• Non-current records of administration, academic departments and student activities: records which are no longer of immediate routine use and that document the everyday functions of the University.
• University publications officially issued by an administrative office, including newspapers, newsletters, yearbooks, directories, pamphlets, advertisements, posters and notices.
• Blueprints and information about Drexel's campus and buildings
• Clippings and photographs related to the University: news accounts, including photography, that record important events at Drexel or are created by Drexel's Office of University Communications
• Faculty publications: books, articles and other published material by faculty who are employed at the time of the publication.
• Student theses and dissertations
• Photographs, scrapbooks and memorabilia that document the Drexel student experience
• Personal papers of Drexel University faculty, students, administrators, and alumni, as well as records and other materials created or collected by non-Drexel University individuals or organizations, that illuminate aspects of Drexel University history not otherwise well documented in the Archives’ collections.

The Archives acquires material primarily through donation from departments of the University and from alumni, students and interested members of the community.

Record Management Policy

The University currently has a record retention policy, mandating the minimum length of time official records must be kept. See Drexel's Record Management Policy and Record Retention Schedules.

Collected Formats

Generally, the Archives will accept any formats if material falls under guidelines above. However, the Archives reserves the right to reject materials whose format or physical condition inhibits research access.

For Student Organizations

You can save the history of your organization by sending the following to the Archives:

• Constitutions, charters, by-laws, minutes and reports of meetings and committees
• Membership lists
• Organizational histories
• Publications, such as newsletters
• Publicity and promotional materials, such as brochures or event programs
• Officers' files: correspondence and memorandum (incoming and outgoing) and subject files concerning projects, activities and functions
• Scrapbooks and photographs
• Audio-visual materials including films, DVDs, VHS video tapes, CDs, tapes or other audio recordings

Please do not send:

• Duplicate and blank forms
• Detailed financial records, canceled checks, bank statements and receipts
• Plaques and trophies

Send digital or analog (print) materials - the Archives collects both!

Are you part of a student organization? Print out this handout for Guidelines on How to Save Your History.

For Faculty

The Archives collects faculty papers that demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Service to Drexel University and contribution to its growth and development
• Contribution to community, state, and national affairs
• Recognized excellence in teaching
• Influence on the world outside of the University and academia

For faculty papers that meet one of more of these criteria we are interested in the following types of materials.

• Correspondence, paper or email
• Diaries and journals
• Biographical material such as resumes, curriculum vitae, bibliographies, biographical sketches, personal memories and newspaper clippings
• Grant proposals and reports
• Speeches and lectures
• Lecture notes and selected course syllabi
• Records of committee work such as agendas, meeting minutes, reports and correspondence
• Final reports of research (unpublished)
• Off-prints and other scholarly work, including speeches, presentations, technical reports and unpublished articles
• Photographs and audio-visual materials (unique, non-commercial recordings and raw tape/files)

We do not collect:

• Student records such as papers, assignments and grades
• Financial records
• Personnel records
• Awards and plaques
• Time sheets
• Travel vouchers and receipts
• Medical records
• Junk mail
• Most three-dimensional objects, such as lab equipment or models

For Administrative staff

If you are interested in transferring administrative records from a business unit, school/college, or academic department to the Archives, the following list provides a guide to the types of materials we collect. It is, however, not comprehensive, and staff should contact us with any questions about records they think may have historical value but that are not listed here.

• Departmental and committee agendas, meeting minutes and proceedings
• Annual reports
• Strategic plans
• Lists of staff, students and/or faculty
• Newsletters
• Event programs, brochures, flyers, posters, press releases and other publications and public relations materials
• Photographs, scrapbooks, videos and audio recordings
• Syllabi and other curriculum materials
• Grant proposals
• Accreditation records (Final Reports and Determinations)
• Professional correspondence, including email
• Building and space plans and blueprints

Tales of the Dragon

Share your memories by recording an oral history interview. Contact the Archives at archives@drexel.edu to learn more about our oral history program.

Archives of Greek Life

Fraternity and sorority history is one of the Archives' key collecting areas. Photographs, documents and objects from more than 15 chapters make up the Archives of Greek Life at Drexel, which resulted from a partnership between the Libraries, the Drexel Inter-Fraternity Alumni Association (DIFAA) and the Drexel University Alumni Association. To save the history of your chapter by donating materials to the Archives, please contact us at archives@drexel.edu.

Web Archiving

The Archives will attempt to capture records posted on departmental website across the University. If you are not sure that we are doing regular captures of all of your web records, please send an email to records@drexel.edu to confirm or make arrangements to have your content added to our regular captures.