What should I keep? | Small Business and Organizations
To protect your organization's legacy, you should be compiling documentation of its principal business activities. It is essential to document how it interacts with other organizations, the state, and the public. How it is run, and of course—how it is managed along with any key policies and decisions. And finally, the important things it has published—including websites and social media. Items such as:
Correspondence (including substantive email) between colleagues, professional associations, etc.
Meeting minutes
Research files, notebooks
Reports (Formal reports, technical reports)
Group and Department communications
Committee minutes and supporting documents
Teaching materials, lecture notes, Institute, colloquium materials, presentations
Biographical materials
Journals, serials runs, monographs, and monographic series published by your organization
Ephemeral descriptive materials, such as brochures, pamphlets, maps, and directories
Architectural drawings and plans
Audio-visual materials, including photographs (prints, negatives), slides, video, film, DVDs, recordings
Scrapbooks, news clippings, awards
Oral history tapes and transcripts
Posters and other promotional items
Microforms
Artifacts
This is not a comprehensive list. However, it will get you started in the right direction and give you an idea of what records you should consider keeping. Contact us when you are ready to learn more.