University Archives and Southern Minnesota Historical Center Collection Development Policy

Responsible Group: Special Collections
Last Updated: April 21, 2026

1. Introduction
   1. The mission of the University Archives and Southern Minnesota Historical Center (SMHC) is to support the Minnesota State University, Mankato academic community with access to original historic and cultural heritage resources in support of curriculum and research. The Archives also supports the Southern Minnesota community and others interested in institutional and regional history.
2. Subjects and Scope of Coverage
   1. Collection Descriptions
      1. University Archives - The University Archives is the official repository of the records of Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Archives contains records from the creation of the Mankato Normal School in 1868 to present.
      2. Southern Minnesota Historical Center - The Southern Minnesota Historical Center is a Minnesota regional research repository containing manuscript collections from twelve counties in South Central Minnesota. The counties specifically included in this region are: Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, and Watonwan. The SMHC contains organizational and business records as well as personal papers dating to the 1860s.
   2. Collecting Priorities
      1. University Archives
         
         • Student Life and Activities
         • Diverse and Underrepresented Populations
         • College, Departmental and Committee Records
         • Faculty, Staff and University Publications
      2. Southern Minnesota Historical Center
         • Rural Life and Activities
         • Diverse and Underrepresented Populations
         • Business Records
         • Organizational Records
3. Type of Materials
   1.  Materials in the University Archives and Southern Minnesota Historical Center come in a variety of formats.
4. Acquisitions of Collections
   1. University Archives
      1. University Records are transferred to the University Archives based on the Records Retention Schedules of the University. The University Archives is the official repository of the permanent records of the University.
      2. Some University records are acquired as a donation.
   2. Southern Minnesota Historical Center
      1. SMHC Collections come from a variety of sources with the primary means of acquiring them through donations.
   3. All donations must be approved by the Archives and Special Collections Librarian.
   4. Donor Agreements are required for the permanent transfer of the collections.
5. Collection Maintenance
   1. The Archives houses the history of the University and South Central Minnesota region and is a permanent collection.
   2. To protect the materials in the Archives, proper storage is required.
   3. Due to the unique nature of these collections, preservation is a priority. Archival preservation methods will be utilized whenever possible to preserve rare and fragile items.
   4. Collections, once transferred to the Archives, are considered permanent records. 
   5. Removal of collections
      1. If approved records retention periods change, the Archives may reevaluate the permanency of some of the University Records Collections.
      2. If the collecting focus of the Archives changes, the Archivist has the option of deaccessioning collections that no longer reflect the nature of the Archives.
6. Responsibility
   1. The Archives and Special Collections Librarian is responsible for the collections of the University Archives and Southern Minnesota Historical Center. Additionally, they oversee the implementation of the records management program and the proper disposition of university records.