Step 1. Preparing Records for Transfer to the Archives

To learn more about what we collect and don’t collect, consult our Collection Development Policy. Some general guidelines for preparing paper records is below. If you have electronic records to transfer, please consult an Archives staff member for guidance.

• Discard any blank forms
• Remove duplicate copies of documents; one copy is sufficient
• Discard convenience copies of publications, reports, memos, etc., for which your office was not the originator or the office of record
• Discard materials that have no informational value, such as, envelopes, route slips, phone messages, and illegible notes
• Remove rubber bands and paper clips; use staples
• Remove materials from ring binders and hanging folders and place in file folders; maintain the original order of the records. If more than one folder is needed label as follows, for example, “folder 1 of 2,” “folder 2 of 2,” etc.