Contents
Overview
The University Archives supports Cornell’s mission to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge by collecting, and appropriately sharing records that document Cornell University’s history. The Archives serves as Cornell’s institutional memory, and as a resource for those interested in understanding Cornell’s history and impact on the world.
We are unable to accept materials that are mailed or dropped off without prior arrangements. Inquiries about adding items to the collection should be made by contacting the Cornell University Archives.
Information about preparing and delivering items can be found on the Preparing and Transferring materials page.
For information on preserving official University Records, Departmental and Office files, see the Information for Cornell University Departments page.
Faculty or Research Records
The University Archives welcomes material concerning teaching, policies, programs, discoveries, and decisions that reflect development, change, or events of impact within a discipline. Faculty regularly have some materials, particularly regarding teaching at Cornell, that make appropriate additions to the Archives. For larger faculty collections, many factors may be considered regarding whether material fits within the collecting scope of the University Archives. Some factors that may be considered include, research areas that complement existing Library collection strengths or University priorities and the longevity of the individual’s career at Cornell. Unlike official university records, faculty papers are the property of the individual and must be transferred through a deed of gift.
What is not collected:
- Student records that fall under FERPA, such as grading or advising materials (with some exceptions)
- Duplicate copies of items including publications or offprints
- Items duplicating content represented elsewhere in the University Archives
- Reference photocopies
- Memorabilia, plaques, awards (with some exceptions)
- Extensive data sets or large amounts of exhaustively published raw data
- Large amounts of personal family papers (with some exceptions)
What may be collected:
- Biographical sketches, resumes, curriculum vitae
- Course related materials, descriptions, syllabi, or lecture notes, reading lists, class presentations
- Speeches and presentations
- Meeting minutes
- Photographs, preferably identified, and other audio-visual material
- Correspondence including email
Student & Alumni Organizations, Clubs, Fraternity & Sorority Records
Cornell’s student organizations provide a great snapshot of University life. We want to help preserve the activities and accomplishments of these groups. Groups are welcome to arrange visits to view their material individually or in one of our classrooms. We encourage group leaders to contact us to transfer their group’s materials to the archives on a regular basis. We also advise groups to utilize correspondence to alumni, such as newsletters, as a method to solicit materials to add to their collection. Cornell University alumni group records and items documenting alumni events and reunion are also accepted. Reunion is an excellent time for class leaders to engage with alumni to preserve stories and Cornelliana.
What is collected:
- Founding documents, constitution, bylaws
- Meeting minutes
- Officer lists
- Publications, newsletters, annual reports
- Event ephemera, programs, advertising
- Personal experiences and reminisces about being with the group
- Photographs, preferably identified, and other audio visual material
- Scrapbooks
What is not collected without consultation:
- Duplicates
- Bulky objects of little historic value
- Organic or hazardous material that may degrade and cause damage to collections, such as food, liquids, batteries
- Unexplained materials relating to activities that very few people would understand in the future or that offer little scholarship value.
Additional Student, Staff, Alumni, and Campus Life Records
Other unique items documenting the student or staff experience at Cornell may be considered for preservation. These can be related to any aspect of the Cornell community including academics or auxiliary services. Items of particular interest include scrapbooks, photographs, course notebooks, correspondence, oral or written histories or other documentation of interesting campus stories or events.
Collections that document the professional careers of alumni, or non-Cornell related historical items collected by alumni, typically fall outside of the collecting scope of the Cornell University Archives. For non-Cornell related collection inquiries, please write the reference desk at rareref@cornell.edu.
The University Archives welcomes questions regarding what types of items may be appropriate for collecting. Contact Cornell University Archives.
Contacts
Evan Fay Earle
Dr. Peter J. Thaler ’56 University Archivist and Interim University Records Manager
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
For questions regarding collections or materials currently within the University Archives or other reference requests relating to University history contact the Reference Desk.
If you have items relating to University history or other Cornelliana and have questions regarding the potential acquisition of the material by the University Archives use the Cornell University Archives e-mail.
For questions regarding the preservation of official University Records as defined in Policy 4.7 or about Records Retention Policies use the Cornell University Records Management e-mail.
E-mail is the preferred initial method of communication, but phone messages may be left at 607-255-3530