Archives and Special Collections Policy

Policy Statement

Adelphi University Archives and Special Collections (UASC) plays a crucial role in the documentation and preservation of the institutional memory of Adelphi University. It collects, preserves, and provides access to unique and rare materials that reflect the history, development, and operations of the University and its community. The Special Collections, within UASC, focus on rare and distinctive materials that support the educational and research missions of the University. By adhering to professional standards and legal ethical obligations, Special Collections enhances the academic environment by making primary source materials accessible to those engaged in teaching, learning, and research, thereby contributing to the cultural and historical record.

Reason for Policy

This policy establishes principles for the acquisition, management, preservation, and use of Special Collections materials at Adelphi University, ensuring responsible stewardship, equitable access, compliance with legal and donor requirements, and alignment with the university’s educational and research mission. It aims to ensure the long-term preservation, organization, and accessibility of records and materials that document the University’s history and activities, guiding offices and donors in transferring appropriate materials while promoting responsible stewardship consistent with professional archival standards.

Who is Governed by This Policy

All offices, divisions, schools, departments, and affiliated units of Adelphi University, along with current and former administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external donors, are covered by this policy. It applies to all users of Special Collections materials, including staff of the Adelphi University Libraries, University Archives and Special Collections, faculty, students, researchers, and donors.

Policy

UASC serves as the primary repository for records and information related to the history, development, organization, and operations of Adelphi University, housing official University records and materials created by its employees, along with external materials about Adelphi. Additionally, Special Collections features rare books, manuscripts, photographs, pamphlets, artwork, and other primary source materials across various subjects and historical periods, selected to support the University’s curriculum, research priorities, and areas of documented collecting strength.

Collection Development and Appraisal

UASC acquires materials via transfer, donation, or purchase. Materials are evaluated for research value, relevance, condition, provenance, and compliance with legal/ethical standards. UASC reserves the right to decline materials that fall outside the scope of collecting priorities or that present preservation, legal, or ethical concerns. Donated materials are accepted subject to review and formal transfer of ownership.

Transfers and Donations

University offices transfer records of enduring value regularly. Donors coordinate with UASC and complete a Deed of Gift.

Arrangement and Description

Collections are arranged and described using professional standards (DACS) to facilitate discovery. Finding aids provide creator information, scope, content, and container lists.

Access and Use

UASC is open to the Adelphi community and the public. Access may be restricted based on legal, donor, privacy, or preservation requirements.

Preservation and Care

UASC preserves materials using professional best practices, environmental controls, and digitization or reformatting when necessary.

Intellectual Property

Use and reproduction of materials must comply with copyright law, donor agreements, and University policies.

Definitions

• Archival Records: Records created or received by the University in the course of business that possess enduring historical, administrative, legal, or research value.
• Collection Development: The systematic process of selecting, acquiring, evaluating, and managing library materials.
• DACS: Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) is an output-neutral set of rules for describing archives, personal papers, and manuscript collections, and can be applied to all material types
• Deed of Gift: A legal document that transfers ownership of donated materials to the University and may specify access, use, and other conditions.
• De-selection: The removal of materials from the Library collection based on established criteria.
• Donor: An individual or organization that transfers ownership of materials to Adelphi University.
• Finding Aid: A descriptive guide that outlines the creator, scope and content, and container list of a collection to assist researchers in identifying and locating materials.
• Primary Sources: Original materials created at the time under study, including manuscripts, photographs, rare books, and ephemera.
• Special Collections: Distinctive, rare, or unique materials held by Adelphi University Libraries that require specialized care and controlled access.
• Subject Selector: A librarian responsible for developing and managing collections in designated subject areas.
• University Archives: The institutional repository responsible for the selection, preservation, and access of records of enduring value

Procedures

Transferring University records involves contacting the University Archives and Special Collections (UASC) to schedule the transfer and prepare box lists when feasible. It is essential to ensure that only inactive records of enduring value are sent while excluding non-archival duplicates and routine transitory records.

For donating materials, prospective donors must consult UASC and complete a Deed of Gift, after which UASC will assess the materials for transfer and acknowledgment.

To access materials, researchers can consult the finding aids via the UASC portal and are required to schedule visits to the reading room, where some collections may have advance notice requirements or restrictions.

UASC administers procedures for the acquisition, access, handling, and use of special collections, which are detailed through reading room guidelines, donor agreements, and internal workflows.

Forms

• Deed of Gift Form

Related Information

• Adelphi University Archives and Special Collections website
• UASC Finding Aid portal
• Digital Collections portal

Document History

• Last Reviewed Date: March 18, 2026
• Last Revised Date: March 18, 2026
• Last Approval Date: March 18, 2026
• Policy Origination Date: 2020

Who Approved This Policy

Executive Leadership