College Archives

The Thomas Nelson Community College Archives serves as the official repository for the non-current permanent records, and other materials of historical significance or continuing value to Thomas Nelson Community College, which includes things like meeting minutes, college newsletters, reports, correspondence, and the papers of all past college presidents. Collections also include historic promotional materials, memorabilia, photographs, scrapbooks, and audio-visual materials.

The Archives' primary purpose is to document the history of the college and to provide source material for administrators, faculty, students, alumni, and other members of the college community.

Currently about one-half of the archives' collections can be searched via ArchivesSpace. The rest are being added gradually as time permits. Several portions of the legacy materials have also been digitized and are available through our Digital Collections site. 

Mission:  The Thomas Nelson Community College Archives serves as the official repository for the non-current permanent records, and other materials of historical significance or continuing value to Thomas Nelson Community College.  Its primary purpose is to document the history of the college and to provide source material for administrators, faculty, students, alumni, and other members of the college community.  The goals of the College Archives are as follows:

• Appraise, collect, organize, describe, make available, and preserve records of historical and administrative value to  Thomas Nelson Community College and the communities it serves.

• Provide adequate facilities for the retention and preservation of such records.

• Provide information services that will assist the operation of the college.

• Serve as a resource by making available and encouraging the use of its collection and to stimulate creative teaching and learning, by members of the college and the community at large.

• Promote knowledge and understanding of the origins, aims, programs, and goals of the college, and to be a resource for the development of these subjects.

Collection:  The College Archives staff attempts to collect as comprehensively as possible those items that have enduring value to documenting the history of the College; its programs and services and how they have developed over the years.  Types and formats of materials include: 

• Official papers and publications of Thomas Nelson Community College

  • publications

  • newsletters

  • catalogs

  • press releases

  • student items

  • College Board minutes

  • President's Cabinet minutes

  • Faculty Senate Minutes

  • Curriculum Committee Minutes

  • photographs

  • audiovisual materials

  • oral history interviews

  • blueprints

  • maps and drawings documenting the physical growth and development of the College

  • theatre programs, etc.

  • ephemeral materials and artifacts

Collection areas can include (but are not limited to):

• Accreditation reports, visitations, and supporting documents

• Artifacts and memorabilia of historical or cultural significance to Thomas Nelson

• Audio and visual resources produced by or about the college, its students, employees, programs, services, events, and facilities

• College event programs and promotional materials

• College records of administrative units, instructional departments, programs, services, and student activities

• Correspondence of historical significance or continuing value

• Maps, blueprints, and plans of the campuses and buildings

• Newspaper and magazine clippings highlighting Thomas Nelson students, employees, programs, services, events, and facilities

• Oral history interviews and transcripts


• Professional and personal papers (manuscripts) that document the careers and contributions of college administrators, staff, faculty, students, and others in the college community

• Publications created by or for the college for the purpose of marketing or information

• Records of college committees and associations, including agendas, minutes, reports, and correspondence

• Reports produced by the various offices and organizations of the college

• Student organization records

The Thomas Nelson Community College is seeking contributions to expand the archives collections. The archives is a continuously growing collection that serves to represent and display the history of Thomas Nelson Community College and its relationship to the greater Peninsula communities.

Please contact the archives if you have any of the following:

• Original historically and culturally significant documents
• College Publications
• Photographs
• Certificates and awards received by the college, departments, and/or individuals
• Student, Staff, and Faculty Publications
• Playbills, handouts, and fliers for events held at or sponsored by Thomas Nelson

Anyone interested in donating to the TNCC Archives Collection should read and complete the Deed of Gift form and submit it to the Director of Learning Resources.  This document formally establishes the transfer of ownership of archival materials to TNCC. 

The Director of Learning Resources or his/her designee will submit the completed Deed of Gift form to the Director of Development for approval according to the gifts in kind policy approved by the College Board and published in the Administrative Procedures Manual. 

Following notification of approval by the Director of Development, the Director of Learning Resources or his/her designee will coordinate with the donor to establish physical transfer of archival materials. The Director of Development will send an acknowledgement of the gift to the donor.