University Archives
Texas A&M University Libraries

Whether you have photographs from your student days, records from a campus organization, personal papers documenting your career at Texas A&M, or materials related to significant university events, the University Archives welcomes the opportunity to discuss potential donations.

Interested in Donating Materials?

Before donating:

  1. Contact the University Archives to discuss your materials
  2. Do not mail or deliver materials without first consulting Archives staff
  3. An archivist will review the materials and determine whether they fit the collecting scope of the University Archives
  4. If accepted, Archives staff will coordinate the transfer and provide any necessary donation paperwork
A student dorm room wall covered in Texas A&M pennants, banners, and keepsakes
The kinds of everyday keepsakes — pennants, photos, letters — that grow into an archival collection.

What Does the University Archives Collect?

The University Archives seeks materials that document the history of Texas A&M University and the experiences of the Aggie community. Collections may include:

  • Personal papers of faculty, staff, alumni, students, and university leaders
  • Correspondence, diaries, journals, and memoirs
  • Photographs, scrapbooks, and photograph albums
  • Student organization records and publications
  • Materials documenting campus traditions and student life
  • Programs, brochures, and publications from university events
  • Oral histories and audiovisual recordings
  • Digital photographs, documents, websites, and other born-digital materials
  • Materials documenting significant academic programs, research initiatives, or university milestones

Because collecting priorities and available resources vary, the University Archives cannot accept every item offered for donation. Materials are evaluated based on their historical significance, relationship to Texas A&M University, research value, condition, and alignment with the collecting mission.

Digital Materials

Born-digital collections

The University Archives actively collects born-digital materials that document the history of Texas A&M University, including digital photographs, documents, audiovisual recordings, websites, and other electronic files. If you wish to donate digital materials, please contact the University Archives so staff can recommend appropriate transfer methods and preservation practices.

Cadets and a student examining a National Library Week display of books by Texas A&M authors
Even “digital” collections start with someone deciding what’s worth keeping.
A flag at half-mast above the Academic Building ahead of a Silver Taps ceremony
Traditions kept alive by those who choose to remember them.

Support the Oral History Program

Donations support the University Archives’ mission to record, preserve, and provide access to oral history interviews that document the traditions, leadership, scholarship, service, and spirit of the Aggie community. Gifts help fund interview recording, transcription, digital preservation, and long-term access, ensuring that these firsthand accounts remain available for research, teaching, exhibitions, and future generations.

For more information about supporting the Oral History Program, please contact Adelle Heddleston.

Make a Gift

The Donation Process

If you believe your materials may be appropriate for the University Archives:

  1. Contact the University Archives and describe the materials you wish to donate
  2. An archivist will review the information and may request additional details or photographs
  3. If the materials are appropriate for the collections, Archives staff will coordinate delivery or pickup
  4. Donors will be asked to complete a Deed of Gift transferring ownership of the materials to Texas A&M University
  5. The materials will be accessioned, preserved, and processed for long-term access and research use
The west gate entrance to campus, circa 1920, with the Academic Building in the distance
Not everything that matters can be priced.
Appraisals

We can’t provide monetary appraisals

The University Archives cannot provide monetary appraisals or determine the financial value of donated materials. Donors seeking tax deductions or charitable contribution documentation should consult an independent qualified appraiser or tax professional.

Questions?

Together, we can preserve these stories

Every potential donation is unique. If you have materials that document the history of Texas A&M University or the experiences of the Aggie community, we encourage you to contact the University Archives. Our staff are happy to discuss your materials and help determine whether they may be appropriate additions to the collections.

Adelle Heddleston

University Archives Contact Giving opportunities & support

archives@library.tamu.edu

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