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University Archives: Identifying and Preparing Materials for Transfer: Records Typically Accepted

This guide will walk you through evaluating your materials to determine if they are appropriate for the archives.

Introduction

The following lists of examples are not all-inclusive; please contact the University Archives if you are unsure if particular items should be added to the archive. Staff are always happy to review items via email, on-site, or TEAMS. Please email specialcollections@uthscsa.edu if you want to schedule an appointment. 

Academic, Administrative and university committees, councils, and task forces​

  • Minutes​ 
  • Memoranda​ 
  • Reports​ 
  • Constitution/by-laws/charge of all academic administrative​ 
  • Other significant documents

Academic Departments, Programs, Centers, Institutes, etc.​

  • Annual reports, correspondence, policy statements, reports and planning documents​ 
  • Department meeting minutes​ 
  • Final Grant Reports​ 
  • Other significant documents 

Accreditation

  • Self-studies​ 
  • Reports​ 
  • Reviews​ 
  • Supporting documentation

Administrative Offices

  • Internal records of university offices and departments. The offices of highest priority are those of Executive staff, including, but not limited to :
    • Office of the President​ 
    • Deans and Associate Deans of the individual schools ​ 
    • Vice Presidents  ​ 
    • Office of External Affairs​ 
    • South Texas Technology Management
  • Annual reports​ 
  • Executive orders​ 
  • Directives ​ 
  • Correspondence (other than routine thank-yous and acknowledgments)​ 
  • Policy statements ​ 
  • Historic and/or pivotal legal matters​ 
  • Calendars ​ 
  • Speeches​ 
  • Planning documents, strategic plans​ 
  • Reports and studies​ 
  • Organization charts​ 
  • Publicity materials​ 
  • Memoranda​ 
  • Other significant documents 

Biographical Information​

  • Faculty​ 
  • Executive Staff​ 
  • Dated Curriculum Vitae or resume​ 
  • Additional information as to scholarly interests and pursuits​ 
  • Obituary​ 
  • Photograph(s) - professional

Board of Trustees and its committees​

  • Constitution and by-laws
  • Minutes
  • Annual reports
  • Correspondence
  • Reports and planning documents
  • Member lists ​ 
  • Other significant documents 

Building History

  • Openings​ 
  • Groundbreaking ceremonies​ 
  • Dedications​ 
  • Name changes​ 
  • Campus Plot Plans​ 
  • Blueprints and plans

Campus publications from the office of origin

Content distributed in the name of the University, its departments, or programs. 

Examples: Mission Magazine, Connective Tissue, Impact, Tribute, Salute, Future​ 

  • Catalogs​ 
  • Newspapers​ 
  • Directories ​ 
  • Magazines ​ 
  • Handbooks ​ 
  • Manuals ​ 
  • Newsletters ​ 
  • Brochures ​ 
  • Programs, posters

Duplicates​

Exceptions are made for published materials likely to have high reference use, e.g., yearbooks

Graduation Events​

  • Commencement Programs​ 
  • Composites​ 
  • Other materials of related historical value 

History of Medicine

Reviewed on a case-by-case basis​ and include:

  • Photographs​ 
  • Medical instruments​ 
  • Uniforms​ 
  • Printed material older than 1930 ​ 
  • Archives of other institutions relating to the history of medicine in San Antonio or Texas 

Litigation Files

Note the following criteria when identifying archival litigation files:​ 

  • Any landmark legal opinion 
  • Cases that change the way an agency operates 
  • Any case with a high degree of inherent legal interest 
  • Any case that involved significant people or events 
  • Any case that received a high degree of media attention 
  • Cases where monetary judgments exceed $10 million​ 
  • Cases involving a minimum of $1 million in state tax revenue 
  • Records that, in the opinion of the agency’s legal counsel, contain highly concentrated, unique, and valuable information unlikely to be found in any other source available to researchers

Memorabilia

  • Artifacts related to the history of UT Health San Antonio or to the history of medicine​ 
  • Scrapbooks​ 
  • Diaries/Blogs​ 

Oral Histories

  • Interviews with prominent: 
    • UT Health San Antonio and other community members 
    • The Bexar County health sciences community and the South Texas area

Note: The personal papers of those individuals will also be solicited 

Personal Papers

Supports understanding of university collections and activities​​.

  • Retiring faculty and high-level administrators or any employee who is known nationally in their field​​ 
  • Documenting professional activities and career at UT Health San Antonio​​ 
  • Documenting scholarly research, publications, or creative activities​​ 
  • Personal research and writing that relates to the University’s mission 

Photographs and Audio-Visual Materials

To be retained by the archives, these must contain enough information and visual interest to be considered for potential publication.​ Images must also have some identifiable information to aid in cataloging, searching, and access. Identifiable information is at least one name(s), date(s), location, event or occasion, department, etc.

  • Images that document the history of the UT Health San Antonio campus and community in South Texas​ 
  • Identified photographs and negatives of:
    • Buildings​ 
    • Faculty and significant administrative staff​ 
    • Students, staff 
  • Photo albums 

School and Student History

  • Dentistry 
  • Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences 
  • Health Professions 
  • Medicine 
  • Nursing 
  • Public Health 
  • Yearbooks and Nursing History Books​ 
  • Dissertations and Theses, DNPs 
  • Viewbooks 
  • Student Guides 
  • Course catalogs​ 
  • Identified group/department photographs 
  • Senior skits 

Student Organizations and Governance​

  • Constitution and bylaws​ 
  • Minutes​ 
  • Lists of officers and members​ 
  • Correspondence​ 
  • Dissertations and Theses, DNPs​ 
  • Flyers, posters or other materials documenting events (no duplicates, please)​ 
  • Publications and publicity materials​ 
  • Identified visual materials