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Collecting Areas

To document the intellectual, administrative, cultural, and social environments of the University of Nevada, Reno as comprehensively as possible the University Archives actively collects:

• University Records
• Faculty Papers
• Personal or Organizational Records

University Records

The administrative records produced by the university in the course of its teaching, research, service, and outreach activities comprise the core of the University Archive's holdings and have the highest collecting priority. It is the primary function of the Archives to document as completely as possible the active administration and functions of the university through the records produced by the president, vice-presidents and and other upper level administrators, schools and colleges, academic departments and programs, research centers, libraries, committees, boards, councils and other governance bodies. These unique records are the most tangible evidence of UNR's history and activities and constitute a large portion of the permanent historical record of the University. They provide officers and staff of the University with materials necessary to understand and interpret the evolution of University policies and activities. They provide scholars with essential historical perspective and documentation of how UNR has pursued its role as an institution of higher education. They also support the ongoing development and traditions of the UNR community, fostering an appreciation for the contributions made over the years by its members.

The following guidelines will assist administrators, and faculty and staff in identifying those portions of their files that are appropriate for transfer to the Archives. All information formats (e.g., published, typescript, audio-visual formats, and electronic data) are appropriate for transfer. Examples of some of the types of historically valuable records that a typical university department or office might produce in the course of its operation and should be considered for transfer include but are not limited to:

• Correspondence and memoranda
• Constitutions and by-laws
• Topical/subject files
• Meeting agendas, minutes, and other committee materials
• Planning documents
• Accreditation records
• Policy and mission statements
• Reports, summaries and surveys
• Procedures manuals
• Publications
• Promotional and outreach materials
• Grant and project files
• Event records
• Research records
• Teaching and curriculum materials
• Press releases
• Photographs
• Video and audio recordings

Because they are only of transient value or contain confidential information and have little or no research value, the following types of records should not be transferred the Archives:

• Personnel records
• Employment records
• Student records
• Purchasing records and other materials related to specific financial transactions
• Travel records
• Routine letters of transmittal and acknowledgement
• Other administrative support records

These lists are intended as general guides. If there are questions about types of records not listed here please do not dispose of them, please contact the Archives for assistance. Please see the detailed instructions for transferring records to the Archives.

Faculty Papers

Faculty papers can contain significant information on teaching, research, and professional activities, areas through which researchers can gain a valuable perspective on the intellectual vitality of the university community. The Archives collects the personal papers of representative faculty in an endeavor to document the intellectual environment of the University of Nevada, Reno.

The primary collecting objective is to document the careers of faculty members who meet some or all of the following criteria:

• have been valued teachers
• have defined significant ideas
• have undertaken important research
• have carried out exemplary service to the university or the larger community
• The Archives will give highest priority to those faculty papers which can be open for research use.

The following types of material found in faculty papers are considered to have potential historical value:

• correspondence of a substantive nature, including e-mail
• lecture notes and curriculum materials, speeches
• records of departmental or university-wide activities
• research-related records
• bibliographies, vitae, photographs, films, and audio and video recordings

University faculty members interested in donating personal papers are encouraged to contact the Archives.

Personal or Organizational Records

The Archives also accepts personal correspondence, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, memorabilia, and other personal papers, organizational records, and other types of records and general historical materials that document various aspects of the university community and complement official records created by the University of Nevada, Reno and the Nevada System of Higher Education.