American Society for Quality Archives

Transfer Guidelines

The American Society for Quality Archives was established in 1969 to provide a repository for documenting the history of ASQ and quality control.  The archives serves members of ASQ as well as national and international scholars interested in studying the history of quality control and the role that professional and technical organizations play in advancing the field.  The archives’ holdings include records pertaining to ASQ headquarters, divisions, committees, and sections.  Also included are ASQ national and local publications, as well as the personal papers of prominent members (those holding national offices, committee memberships or chairs, fellows and ASQ awardees).

Records of interest to the ASQ Archives collection include:

Official Documents

• Constitutions and by-laws
• Lists of current and past members and officers, member directories
• Meeting minutes and programs, educational materials, awards information
• Correspondence and memoranda (incoming and outgoing) and subject files concerning projects, activities, and functions
• Historical files documenting policies, decisions, committee reports, and surveys
• Publications (local and national): one record copy of all newsletters, journals, brochures, monographs, posters, and announcements
• Audio-visuals: photographs, films, and sound and video recordings
• Copies of newspaper articles documenting ASQ activities

Personal Papers

• Biographical information including resumes, vitae, bibliographies, memoirs, and published biographical sketches
• Official ASQ correspondence and files: outgoing and incoming letters and memoranda relating to ASQ business, committee minutes, reports, and files
• Personal Correspondence with other ASQ members
• Publications: one copy of all articles, books, reviews
• Audio-visuals: photographs, films, and sound and video recordings

Documents that generally should not be transferred without prior consultation include:

• Detailed financial records, canceled checks, and receipts
• Duplicates and multiple copies of publications: keep only the original and heavily annotated copies
• Books, research papers, journal articles, and reprints written by persons not affiliated with ASQ
• All blank forms and unused printed or duplicated materials

All information formats (e.g., published, typescript, audio-visual, and electronic data, such as computer disks and files) are appropriate for consideration for transfer.  For documents in formats requiring any form of machine intervention, such as videotapes and computer files, consideration should be given to transferring the equipment needed to access the documents or, preferably, converting the documents to a format accessible to the archives' users.  Early consultation with the ASQ Archival Assistant is encouraged for all such materials.

This list is intended as a general guide.  If there are questions about records not listed here or questions about the retention or disposal of specific items, please contact the ASQ Archival Assistant.

Copyright Ownership Note

The American Society for Quality Archives welcomes donations of all materials that give evidence to the history of the Society and its divisions, sections, and members. The Archives has recently expanded its services to accept electronic materials as many divisions and sections no longer print their newsletters, meeting minutes, and other historically significant materials. However, the ASQ Archives will not be able to accept electronic materials unless the depositor can provide proof that they have received copyright permission from the owner. The exception to this are materials authored by ASQ employees in the course of their ASQ work assignments, including the publications of ASQ units.