The University of Wisconsin-Parkside Archives:
- Preserves university records and materials of permanent and historical value.
- Administers the records management program and provides consultation in the retention and destruction of records.
- Collects, preserves, and provides access to local historical collections from Racine and Kenosha counties at the discretion of the Head of Archives.
- Develops, manages, and provides access to the University’s special collections.
- Supports University instruction by providing research materials and developing classes on finding and using these resources. It engages with the community via programming and outreach activities.
- Stores and provides access to the public records and manuscript collections of Racine and Kenosha counties placed in the archives by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Patrons
The Archives serves the students, faculty, and staff of the University and all members of the public interested in using its collections.
Collection Profile
The collections of the Archives consist of diverse material types. These include paper documents, photographs, artifacts, electronic documents, and audiovisual recordings.
- University Records—the records of offices, departments, activities, and individuals that the university is required to maintain permanently according to UW-System and state requirements, as well as materials that document the history of the university.
- University Manuscript Collections—personal papers; records of businesses and social and professional groups, including those of the National College Learning Center Association, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
- Wisconsin Historical Society Holdings—public records and manuscript collections of Racine and Kenosha counties. As a member of the Area Research Center Network (ARC), the Archives is able to provide local access to the holdings of the WHS and other ARCs via the ARC transfer system.
- Special Collections—collections of books, music, play scripts, and other text and non-text materials from authors or publishers for which the Archives also maintains manuscript collections. Also included are signed editions, rare books, special and first editions, artist books from southeastern Wisconsin artists, and rare local history publications. Of special note are the Science Fiction Popular Magazine collection; the Teisberg collections of British and American Plays, a collection of area playbills and theatre programs; and extensive holdings of Western Publishing company’s products, business magazines, and advertising materials.
- Archives Reference Collection—vertical subject files, biographical directories, archival manuals, and publications and collection guides that support the understanding and use of the Archive’s primary source material.
Accessioning and Deaccessioning
The Archives accessions collections in all formats from the offices and employees of the University in accordance with Wisconsin statutes, records management guidelines, and its responsibility in preserving the materials of University history. Additionally, historical materials from local persons, businesses, and institutions may be accepted as University manuscript collections. The Archives determines what materials have historic value and may reject materials beyond the collection scope and those that would overtax the resources of the UW-Parkside Library in terms of space, storage, supplies, or personnel.
Collections may be deaccessioned if state statutes and records schedules allow their destruction or if those not covered by records schedules no longer support instruction or document local history in a meaningful way.
The Archives makes decisions about accessioning or deaccessioning materials for Special Collections.
Items Not Collected
The Archives will not accept collections that require storage conditions, supplies, space, or time beyond the means of the library and staff. It does not accept materials that can never be made accessible to users, except where state laws require confidentiality of permanent collections.
