Aerial View of UMR Campus
(University Archives, UW:1/141/1)
Collection Policy and Donor Information
The University of Missouri Archives was established in 1969 to collect, preserve, and make available the organized body of permanent records created or received in connection with the transaction of University and University System affairs.
The University of Missouri Board of Curators authorizes the University Archivist to seek and obtain for preservation the professional and personal manuscripts of academic and administrative staff and the records of student and faculty organizations. The University Archivist is also authorized to encourage retired and former faculty members and administrative officers to place their papers in the University Archives to insure the documentation of their role in the development of the University and its programs and projects. Likewise, the University Archivist is empowered to encourage the next of kin of deceased staff members to deposit professional and personal papers of the deceased in the University Archives. (Collected Rules and Regulations of the University of Missouri, 180.010)
Collections and manuscripts are selected for preservation in the University Archives primarily because of their historical research value. Materials accessioned will generally document the history of the University of Missouri - Columbia, the University of Missouri System, its community, and activities. Historical collections and manuscripts accessioned by the University of Missouri Archives may include memorabilia, records, printed documents, photographic images, maps, graphic materials, and other historically significant materials in other physical forms. The historical resources of the University Archives are available for public use on the premises during regular business hours, unless otherwise specified in the donor agreement.
Unless otherwise restricted by copyright or by the donor and agreed to by the University of Missouri Archives at the time of acquisition, all literary rights are conveyed to the University of Missouri Archives. All donor access and use restrictions and conditions will be specified in the donation agreement. The Archives can assume no responsibility for abuse of literary or copyright restrictions by users of research materials.
Gifts to the University Archives are considered outright donations to be used in the best interest of the University of Missouri Archives. Donations become the sole and irrevocable property of the University Archives.
Usually, gifts are considered extremely important or the best historical resources available at the time acquired. However, no individual or institution can predict or govern the changing attitudes of future generations, nor guarantee permanency beyond the best available preservation procedures. The Archives reserves the right to reevaluate and reappraise historical material in its holdings and to deaccession them when appropriate. Deaccessioned collections and items weeded from collections during processing, due to duplication, irrelevance, limited use, or deterioration, will be offered to the original donor or his agent if so requested at the time of donation. If the donor wishes not to reclaim the material or can not be located, the University Archives reserves the right to offer the material to other depositories or discard the items. Any material declared expendable must be approved by the University Archivist.
Donations of historical material to a public research facility may be tax deductible. However, the University of Missouri Archives can not appraise donations for tax purposes. For the protection of the donor, it is recommended that such appraisals be done by a disinterested third party and before title to the material is conveyed to the University Archives.
