Transfer Electronic/Digital Records

Acceptable methods of transferring electronic materials to the University Archives include both electronic and storage device delivery. It may be necessary to convert certain files to a format more accessible to Archives’ users.  Early consultation with the Archivist is strongly encouraged for all such materials.

Please email Assistant University Archivist Chris Prom with your electronic submissions and the Records Transfer Form.

Chris Prom
Assistant University Archivist
prom@illinois.edu
(217) 333-0798

Acceptable Electronic Record Formats

  • Scanned Images: the preferred formats are Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) and Portable Network Graphics (PNG). Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) and Basic Image Interchange Format (BIIF) and Portable Document Format (PDF) are also acceptable.
  • Data files and Databases: Convert tables to files with fixed-length fields or fields defined by delimiters. Acceptable formats are data spreadsheets files (XLS, XSLS, ODX, etc), and database formats (DB, FP7, MDF, MDB)
  • Digital Photographic Records: includes Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), File Interchange Format (JFIF, JPEG), and Bitmap (.bmp).
  • Web Records:  Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and other formats such as TIFF or PDF that are embedded in the HTML or referenced by it.
  • Email: including email attachments.
  • Non-text records: Non-text records (including audio/visual file formats, such as MP3, AVI, WAV, MPEG-4, AAC) may require specific software that must accompany the records.  Please contact the University Archives for further information.
  • Text-records:  Includes any text-based or word-processing documents (DOC, DOCX, ODF, ODT, TXT).  Text documents may also be in Portable Document Format (PDF), though it is not recommended.
  • Presentation Materials: PowerPoint and other presentation file formats (PPT, ODP).

Storage Device Delivery

Preferred physical devices for the delivery of records in electronic format include:

  • USB Flash Drive or Thumb Drive
  •  Hard-drive
  •  Memory card
  • Compact-Disk, Read Only Memory (CD-ROM).
  • DVD-R/W for audio; DVD-R/W for film is currently accepted on a limited basis.  Please contact the University Archives for further information.
  • Floppy disk

CD-ROMs and DVD-R/W should be appropriately labeled.  Information should include the creator name, dates, and a description of the contents.  Place USB flash drives, hard-drives, memory cards, and floppy disks in an envelope labeled with identifying information.

Please email the tracking number for the package to the University Archives.  With your package, please include a Records Transfer Form.  If you have questions about shipping or shipping materials, please contact the University Archives supervisory staff.

Deliver to:

University Archives
Room 146 Library (MC-522)
1408 W. Gregory Dr.
Urbana, IL 61801

Electronic Delivery

The University Archives accepts material through several electronic methods:

Email

  • Files and folders must relatively small in size.
  • Include the Records Transfer Form as an email attachment

U of I Box Cloud Service

  • Contact us to request that we create a Box folder for you. You will receive an email notification giving you access to the folder.
  • Upload your files and folder to Box (keeping everything in original order).
  • Include the Records Transfer Form in the submitted materials.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

  • Usually for larger-sized records
  • Include the Records Transfer Form as an email attachment