Appraisal (n) process of determining whether records and other materials have permanent (archival) value.

Selecting what files to keep and ultimately transfer to the Archives is your decision, and it's an important one because what you select will ultimately tell the story of your Residential College as it exists today. So when appraising your files, consider what is absolutely necessary to tell that story but remember you can't (nor should you) save everything.

Be especially mindful of

• Duplicative information (one copy is plenty!).
• Anything that may jeopardize the privacy of your fellow residents or members.
• Always consider having photographed or filmed subjects sign a waiver before archiving them. Northwestern University's Global Marketing team has offered templates: Photograph Release Form and Multimedia Release Form.