University Archives: Transferring Records

Instructions are provided below for transferring university records to the University Archives. Please contact the Libraries' Special Collections Research Center if you have questions about transferring materials to the University Archives or if you are unsure if your materials should be transferred.  For transferring student organization records, please skip to Step 2, fill out the online request form, and await further instructions from Special Collections staff.

Step 1: Determine which records to transfer

• Find your records in the approved records retention and disposition schedules.
• Send only those records for which the disposition in the farthest right column says "Transfer to the custody of the University Archives."
• Contact the Special Collections if you have questions about whether or not your records require permanent retention in the University Archives.

Step 2: Request to transfer records

• Fill out the online request form.
• After Special Collections receives your transmittal submission, we will contact you to get further information about your records, schedule a time to visit your office to review the records, and/or arrange for the pickup of your boxes.

Step 3: Box records

• Once Special Collections staff has indicated to you that we will pick up your records, you may box them.
• Special Collections will share with you a blank records box list (a Google sheet) on which to record the contents of each box.
• Remove records from your filing cabinet, keeping files in order.
• Place records in standard bankers boxes (12" w x 15" l x 10" h). Contact the archives staff if you need boxes this size or have odd size items that do not fit in bankers boxes.
• Try to fill boxes. If you need to put more than one category of record in a box, separate them with a labeled sheet of paper.
• Please do not hook hanging files on the box edges. This keeps lids for fitting on boxes. Instead, orient letter hanging files with the legal dimension (15" side) of the box.

Step 4: Label boxes

• Use the following example to label each box. Place labels on the front side (12" side) of box.

EXAMPLE:

TO: Special Collections, NC State University Libraries, ASX
FROM: John Doe, Department of Plant Biology
Box 1 of 6

Step 5:  Submit the Records Box List

• Fill out the records box list shared with you by Special Collections staff. Please fill in all fields on the "box list" tab and review the information on the "terms & conditions" tab.
• Let Special Collections know when you have completed the form, and then we will arrange for the pickup of your boxes.
• After receiving and reviewing your records, Special Collections will ask you to sign off on the records transfer form.  We will use Docusign for signature routing.

Step 6: Upload electronic files

Electronic files (Word, Excel, PDF, Google docs, etc.) count as university records too, and those requiring permanent retention can also be transferred to the University Archives.  We currently use Google Drive to transfer electronic files, but we can also use other tools (such as external hard drives).  Please contact Special Collections for instructions on transferring electronic files to the University Archives.

After Special Collections receives your records, we will send you an acknowledgment and confirmation that will include information necessary for future access to these materials.

If you have questions about transferring materials, contact Special Collections:

Contact via web
Telephone: (919) 515-2273