Section X - Institutional Effectiveness

X I

Archives Collection Policy

To state the College’s archives policy

Mission Statement

The Archives Collection is the official repository of records of historical significance or continuing value for Randolph Community College and the guide to its past. Institutional records of historical significance or continuing value will be retained and preserved to document the history and development of the College from its inception to the present day. The aim is to develop an authentic collection of historical materials on all aspects of the College’s significance and impact on its community, state, and nation.

Introduction

College Archives are defined as all institutional records and materials of historical significance or continuing value about Randolph Community College from its inception to the present day. The aim is to collect, preserve, and make available for research those records and materials that are of historical value.

The collection development policy for the RCC Archives Collection is based on the Society of American Archivists’ Guidelines for College and University Archives. The RCC Archives relies on the support and cooperation of RCC administrators, faculty, staff, and students to ensure that records of permanent value are collected and preserved.

Purpose

The Randolph Community College Archives Collection is an official college archives collection. The purpose of the Archives Collection is to collect, organize, preserve, and make available a documentary record of the history of Randolph Community College. It aims specifically to identify, acquire, maintain, and make available for research, records of historical value about the College from its inception to the present. Specific parameters are set to govern the resources that are collected and added to the collection. As the Archives cannot collect everything, guidelines determine what records are of enduring value and are worthy of permanent retention. Records and materials are collected in all media and formats; materials may be print, non-print, photographic, electronic, or artifacts.

Scope

The RCC Archives Collection includes records, regardless of formats, which document the history and development of the College from its earliest planning and inception to the present. These materials may include official and nonofficial papers, publications, records, artifacts, and other materials of college offices, records of administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other organizations affiliated with Randolph Community College.

Therefore, there is a wide range of materials that may be of informational value kept in other locations throughout the campus. The Archives may also include institutional records that the College is required to maintain based on the North Carolina Community College Records and Retention Schedule when the timeframe set forth in the Schedule for retaining the materials has expired or when the Schedule directs that the materials be deposited in the College Archives.

Responsibility

The Director of Library Services or his/her designee is responsible for collection development. Decisions on what items to add to the College Archives collection are based on the purposes of the collection, the information needs and recommendations of users, and continued development of the existing collection. Materials are acquired through transfer from individuals, campus offices, systematic collection of relevant items, gifts or donations, and other materials as routed. The Director of Library Services and his/her designee will set up schedules for the deposit of materials into the Archives and will identify persons within appropriate offices or units generating archival documents with the responsibility for depositing those documents into the Archives on a scheduled basis. The Director of Library Services or his/her designee will consider general management issues of the Archives,

Criteria

The Archives will collect materials, regardless of format, based on the following criteria:

  • Institutional materials of historical significance or continuing value that fall outside the scope of the North Carolina Community College System Records Retention Schedule.
  • Institutional materials of historical significance or continuing value that are included in the North Carolina Community College System Records Retention Schedule when the timeframe set forth in the Schedule for retaining the materials has expired or when the Schedule directs that the materials be deposited in the College Archives.
  • Non-institutional materials that provide contextual information about the history of RCC, its employees, and its relationship to the community it serves.

Items that do not clearly fall within the criteria of the RCC Archives Collection Development Policy will be considered for Archives after review by the Director of Library Services or his/her designee.

Collection Areas/Formats

Collection areas can include (but are not limited to):

  • Accreditation reports, visitations, and supporting documents
  • Artifacts and memorabilia of historical or cultural significance to RCC
  • Audio and visual resources produced by or about the College, its students, employees, programs, services, events, and facilities
  • College event programs and promotional materials
  • College records of administrative units, instructional departments, programs, services, and student activities
  • Correspondence of historical significance or continuing value
  • Maps, blueprints, and plans of the campuses and buildings
  • Newspaper and magazine clippings highlighting RCC students, employees, programs, services, events, and facilities
  • Oral history interviews and transcripts
  • Professional and personal papers (manuscripts) that document the careers and contributions of College administrators, staff, faculty, students, and others in the College community
  • Publications created by or for the College for the purpose of marketing or information
  • Records of College committees and associations, including agendas, minutes, reports, and correspondence
  • Reports produced by the various offices and organizations of the College
  • Student organization records
  • Other areas as determined by the Director of Library Services or his/her designee

Retention and Preservation

The Director of Library Services or his/her designee will assess the long-term historical value of all items transferred or donated to the Archives Collection based on the criteria set forth in this document.

Preservation requires that some materials be migrated from one medium to another to ensure continued access. Digitization of selected materials housed in the Archives Collection is encouraged in order to provide safe and easy access to the materials without damaging the originals. However, digitized materials are not considered a replacement for originals. According to Janet Gertz, Director of Preservation at Columbia University, “But digitization is not preservation – it is simply a means of copying original materials. In creating a digital copy, the institution creates a new resource that will itself require preservation. Unlike microfilm and other preservation media whose longevity is assured relatively easily by proper storage, digital resources face many questions about how their continued existence, accuracy, and authenticity can be assured.” Following the lead of the United States National Archives and Records Administration, original materials will not be destroyed or de-accessioned if digitized for access.

Guidelines for Future Research and Use

Until appropriate organization of materials and adequate space as well as dedicated staffing is provided, archival materials are closed for research to students of the College as well as to interested members of the community. Once the previously mentioned conditions are present, the Archives could provide access to the materials and assistance in identifying and using appropriate materials.

Only on rare occasions will original materials leave the Archives. Upon request to the Director of Library Services or his/her designee, the following persons will be permitted to remove original materials from the Archives:

  1. The President (or his/her representative) of the College
  2. Others who can provide written justification to the Director of Library Services or his/her designee for the need to borrow the original archives material

Reference procedures will be designed to ensure the preservation of the records for future researchers. Access to the Archives will be on a time schedule determined by appointment with a designated library staff member. Archival materials do not circulate and must be used in the Archives under supervised conditions. Responsibility for materials removed from the Archives will rest with the person who borrows the materials. Action relating to the recovery or repair of archival materials will be the responsibility of the Director of Library Services or his/her designee.

Donating to the Archives Collection

Anyone interested in donating to the RCC Archives Collection should read and complete the Deed of Gift form that can be obtained from the Director of Library Services. This document formally establishes the transfer of ownership of archival materials to RCC. The Director of Library Services or his/her designee will submit the completed Deed of Gift form to the Foundation Operations Manager for approval according to the gifts in kind policy approved by the Board of Trustees and published in the RCC Personnel Handbook. Following notification of approval by the Foundation Operations Manager, the Director of Library Services or his/her designee will coordinate with the donor to establish physical transfer of archival materials. The Foundation Operations Manager will send an acknowledgement of the gift to the donor.

Adopted: 11/21/2013