IU Libraries University Archives continuously collects to document the activities of Indiana University’s officers, faculty and staff, students, alumni, and benefactors. From September 2022-September 2023, the archives received nearly 250 distinct sets of university records and personal papers. These transfers provide an opportunity for the archives to capture valuable information from the distant and more recent past. 

Each one of these transfers is called an “accession,” and the process by which we acquire and establish physical and intellectual control over these materials is called “accessioning.” Accessioning is the gateway to archives; it is the practice by which we define records as valuable historical and cultural resources. It is also the first step in a process to provide access to these materials for research. As you explore these uncataloged and unprocessed materials, you are part of our ongoing journey to reveal the hidden histories and untold stories that lie within Indiana University.