Official student clubs and unofficial student groups affiliated with Trinity College are welcome to donate their inactive records or historical materials to the Trinity College Archives. This page provides information for student group leaders or participants who are considering how to best preserve a record of their club or group.

Records or ephemera created by student groups are the property of the groups until those items are transferred to the Archives. The advantages to a Trinity College student organization which chooses to deposit its materials with the College Archives are fourfold:

(1) A centralized, equitable, public repository to preserve the ephemera and records of a student group’s activities;

(2) Institutional assistance in the continuance of student groups rather than dependence solely on memory of past leaders or previous years’ events;

(3) Reliance on Trinity’s library staff for technical services related to physical and digital preservation;

(4) Potential re-use of materials by a wider research public, with the ability to place limited time-based restrictions on selected materials within the collection.

Acceptable Formats:

Paper or printed items (posters or flyers)

T-shirts or other clothing with student organization insignia

Photographs (print or digital*)

Film or Videos*

Digital Files*

Social media or website posts**

*Most formats (print or digital) are acceptable, though the readability of some obscure, out-of-date, or proprietary electronic formats may require reformatting before transferring materials to the College Archives. The Digital Archivist, who works closely with the Trinity College Archivist, can advise the student group on preferred formats. However, the labor or cost of reformatting files–prior to their inclusion in the Archives–will be the responsibility of the student organization. 

**It is recommended that student groups download their materials from proprietary social media (e.g. Facebook, Tumblr) on a periodic basis (e.g. every 6 or 12 months). Some social media platforms allow for bulk downloads of material, though the look-and-feel of the downloaded files may be different than originally experienced. However, the labor or cost of downloading files–prior to their inclusion in the Archives–will be the responsibility of the student organization. 

What the College Archives Does Not Collect

Commercially available posters or artwork hanging on the walls of the organization

Drafts of materials which are otherwise documented by the group in final, print, or published form

Information about specific students which is covered by FERPA, HIPAA, or other applicable laws

Student grade reports, evaluations, resumes, or other person-specific records

Materials which are still being used (e.g. active records)

FAQ

Are unofficial or informal student groups allowed to donate materials to the Trinity College Archives?

The Trinity College Archives welcomes inclusion of student groups into the Archives regardless of the orientation or function of the group (it matters little whether the student group is mainly recreational, political, professional, or residential). Student groups which do not receive SGA funds are allowed to donate their materials to the Archives. Informal student groups should contact the College Archivist, who will decide or suggest solutions on a case-by-case basis.

Are there other archival options, rather than the Trinity College Archives, for student groups to consider?

Student groups which are organized or overseen by outside organizing bodies (such as fraternities and sororities) may wish to first contact their local, state, or national leaders to inquire about archival storage solutions within their organization. In addition, student groups which are closely overseen by Trinity College faculty or staff may already have a presence in the college-owned records of the designated Trinity College faculty or staff member. Thus, student groups are advised to inquire of faculty advisers or staff organizers before pursuing a separate or standalone program of preserving the materials created by their group. The Archives maintains a list of student groups which already have an archival presence in the Trinity College Archives.

How do I start the process of transferring materials to the Trinity College Archives?

The donation process is initiated by the student group contacting the Trinity College Archivist (currently, Eric Stoykovich ([email protected])). The Archivist then will meet or discuss with the student group leaders what materials should/could be transferred to the Archives. A signed ‘deed of gift’ is currently required to ensure documentation of the transfer, even if the material is entirely digital in format. The ‘deed of gift’ form is available upon request from College Archives and Watkinson Library staff. The student(s) who signs over and transfers materials to the College Archives should do so with the full authority, consent, or acknowledgment by present (and, in certain cases, former or graduated) members of the student group. Communication with current (or possibly even alumni student) members of the group that a transfer of materials to the Archives is forthcoming is essential to ensuring that the transfer is conducted in good faith and consent of current leadership. A student group may choose to set up an annual transfer of inactive materials on a schedule approved by the College Archivist.

Does the student group have to donate all of its inactive records or memorabilia?

The student group is free to decide whether to provide the Archives with digital surrogates instead of donating physical items of great symbolic significance, such as trophies, scrapbooks full of unique items, or ceremonial albums. The group may wish to continue to use those items at initiation rituals, membership meetings, or alumni events. In certain instances, the Archives will coordinate with the library’s Digital Asset Management Team to digitize these symbolic physical items and return them to the student group in a timely fashion.

What happens if the Archives decides to reconsider its ownership of donated student materials?

Though reappraisal of materials occurs infrequently, the Trinity College Archives commits to due diligence to contact current student group leaders should a decision be made to dispose of collection materials.

Where can I learn more about best practices for how to record, document, and preserve student group materials?

When in doubt, don’t throw materials out. A number of websites and online guides–often produced by professional archivists or records managers–provide practical guidance about how to better document, describe, and preserve records created by student groups.