Collection Policy

The college archives acquire materials relating to the college's beginning, legend, policies, improvements, expansions, services, and accomplishments of its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. It maintains college correspondences, documents, files, records and other materials deemed to be of significant historical and research value to the college. Materials not related to the university but have significant impact upon the black experience and the local area are collected on a selective basis.

The Thomas Holgate Library Archives is committed to the preservation of its' collections. Preservation is the action taken to prevent, stop or retard deterioration of library material, as well as to improve their condition, or as necessary, to change their format in order to preserve the intellectual content.

The basic goal of the archives is to support the mission of the library and of the college by providing resources and services to meet the information requirements of faculty, students, staff, alumni, historians and research in the campus community.

The purpose of this selection/collection development policy is to provide guidelines for the selection of materials that are consistent with the goal and objectives of the library archives and college.

Materials for Archival Inclusion:

Minutes and records of the Board of Trustees

Minutes and records of the faculty senate

Minutes and records of college wide committees

Official reports, Departmental Self Study Reports

College Yearbooks, Bulletins, and special recruiting materials

Special publications, news clippings

Student publications

Student organization and activities materials

Pamphlets and books dealing with Bennett College

Pictorial materials, including photographs of campus, buildings, events Note: Individuals in photographs must be identified before transfer to Archives.

Alumni publications and papers

Campus building plans

Faculty publications

Oral history tapes or videos

Materials for Archival Exclusion:

Personal memorabilia

Works of art

Student records

Financial records, payroll records, accounting records

Student grades

Yearbooks from other institutions

Textbooks

Grade books, examinations

Admission records

Personal records of students

The library may refuse any gift that does not contribute to the mission and purpose of the Library/Archives. The Archives staff, Director of Library, Collection Development Librarian will decide on the best disposition of gifts, including location, classification, circulation and non-circulation of such items.