Archives and Special Collections

Donations vs Transfers

Transfers refer to materials considered property of Indiana University (including IUN). These records or property may be transferred from an office, department, school, or unit to the IU Northwest Archives and Special Collections. Please consult the IUN Transmittal Form for transfers. 

Donations refer to materials that are owned by others, rather than Indiana University. These materials may be donated to the IU Northwest Archives and Special Collections. Please consult the Deed of Gift Form for donations.

Considering a Donation? 

Types of materials we generally seek:

• Photographs
• Diaries/journals
• Minutes
• Correspondences
• Interviews
• Reports
• Scrapbooks
• more...

Brief Best Practices:

• Contact the archives to consult the materials and develop a plan for donation/expectations
• Provide context to your materials 
  • Write down stories/memories/milestones
  • You are the expert of your materials
• Label/describe materials the best you can
  • Label folders with names, dates, subject
  • Describe photographs (you can write on a separate sheet of paper)
• Continue to ask us questions on preservation, description, housing, donations, etc.. 
• Please do not drop off materials without consulting the archives first

Please consider giving to the archives. Your generosity will help to fund special projects, preservation, exhibits, and events that benefit both IU Northwest and the community.