List items for Iowa City Branch Transition Timeline
The Iowa City Research Center will close to the public at the end of December 2025. The State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) Collections in Iowa City will be relocated to ensure continued access at the Des Moines branch or partner repositories across the state. This section provides key dates and updates so you can stay informed about the transition.
Iowa City Research Center closes to the public.
Collections remain accessible to researchers, students, and the public through the Des Moines branch or other partner repositories.
Deadline for transferring collections to other repositories.
Any items not transferred by this date will be relocated to the Des Moines branch.
Management of the Iowa City Centennial Building officially transfers to the University of Iowa (per the April 12, 1956 agreement).
The State Historical Society of Iowa will continue to update this page with details on the relocation process, transfer status, and where collections can be accessed. Please visit the Latest Updates section to stay up to date.
The State Historical Society of Iowa is legally required under Iowa Code 8A.701 to manage the collections held at the Iowa City branch as part of its public trust responsibilities to Iowans. Mass disposal of collections will not occur. Decisions about which collections will move to the Des Moines branch and which may be transferred to other institutions will follow all applicable state rules, policies, and current professional standards and ethics, including Iowa Administrative Rule 223.13 (6).
In addition, the State Historical Society, Inc. (SHS, Inc.) will be consulted and given the opportunity to advise the State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) on any transfer proposals for collections accessioned at the Iowa City branch—including those acquired before January 1, 1974—per the August 4, 1983 agreement between the State Historical Society of Iowa Trustees and SHS, Inc.
The State Historical Society of Iowa will continue to collect new and manage existing history collections from across the State of Iowa, including Johnson County and the Iowa City area.
All collections will be relocated to the Des Moines branch. However, any collection before or after its relocation that meets certain criteria outlined in administrative rule may be transferred to another institution or deaccessioned. Deaccessioning is the official process to remove item(s) from the listed holdings of the state's collection.
How Collections Are Managed, Relocated, and Transferred
As part of our responsibility to preserve Iowa’s history, SHSI follows professional standards to manage and, when appropriate, relocate or reappraise collections. All collections from the Iowa City branch will move to Des Moines unless they meet official criteria for deaccessioning. Below is an overview of when and why items may be considered for deaccession.
Items with little or no contextual connection to Iowa history or to major historical events (regional, national, or international) affecting its citizens
Materials converted into another widely available format preserved elsewhere
In these cases, SHSI will assess the item’s condition and availability elsewhere in Iowa and the U.S. before taking action.
If an item presents a danger (such as pests or mold), SHSI evaluates the threat and checks availability elsewhere before making a decision.
After reappraisal, some items may be determined to fit better with another educational or collecting institution.
Before transfer, items must be formally deaccessioned in accordance with state rules and professional ethics.
How the Deaccession and Transfer Process Works
We follow a careful, step-by-step process to ensure that any item considered for deaccession is reviewed thoroughly, with opportunities for advisor and public input. Each stage follows established professional standards, state rules, and Board of Trustees oversight.
Identify collection series or items that may meet deaccession criteria and conduct a reappraisal.
Review all relevant legal documentation (donation files, accession logs, deeds of gift, etc.).
Consider donor or descendant intent in the event of a possible deaccession, if known.
Identify and contact potential repositories that might accept a transfer.
Staff discusses the potential deaccession and transfer with the State Archivist.
The State Archivist may convene a public meeting of advisors.
Advisors would provide input on both the merits of a specific deaccession and the suitability of the proposed transfer institution (if known).
Members of the public are welcome to attend and listen to the discussion.
The State Archivist may place the proposal on the staff collections committee agenda.
Note: Initial proposals are for discussion only.
If the committee supports moving forward, the State Archivist will post a Notice of Intent to Deaccession on the SHSI website.
At the next meeting, the staff collections committee will vote to either advance or reject the proposal.
The SHSI Board of Trustees Collections Committee considers the deaccession proposal in a public meeting and votes on whether to recommend approval.
If approved, the full SHSI Board of Trustees reviews and votes on the deaccession proposal in its public meeting.
If approved by the full Board of Trustees:
Staff begin working with the identified organization to arrange the physical transfer.
If an alternate or alternative outcome for the deaccessioned collection is approved, staff will proceed with that decision.
Understanding the Transition: Your Questions Answered
Have questions about the Iowa City Research Center closure and collections transition? We’ve gathered the top questions and answers to help explain what’s happening, why, and what it means for public access. Check back for updates as the process moves forward.
In May 2025, the State Historical Society of Iowa learned of a budget shortfall. To preserve collections and continue serving Iowans statewide, the State of Iowa decided to consolidate research services in Des Moines.
Yes. With a $5 million storage modernization project scheduled for completion in 2026, the State Historical Building will provide over 35,000 linear feet of space—enough to house the Iowa City collections and allow for future growth.
Yes. All State Historical Society of Iowa facilities meet or exceed professional standards for security, temperature, and humidity control. During the transition, some collections may be stored with approved partners but will remain safe and accessible.
No items will simply be thrown away. Collections not transferred to partner repositories by June 30, 2026 will be relocated to Des Moines. Items reappraised as outside the Historical Society of Iowa's collecting mission will undergo an industry-standard, professional review process before possible deaccessioning. When that occurs, the Historical Society makes every effort to transfer materials to other public institutions with public trust responsibility. The State Historical Society of Iowa has no intention of selling items to private buyers.
Books and materials directly related to Iowa history will be preserved. Duplicate titles, out-of-state publications, and outdated reference works may be reappraised for possible deaccessioning using professional standards.
Yes. The shelving project will begin in fall 2025 and finish in fall 2026. Throughout the project, collections will remain safe, though access to some materials may be more limited. By October 2026, all collections will be housed at the State Historical Building and fully accessible in Des Moines.
Yes. The State Historical Society of Iowa has 25 permanent staff members, including librarians, archivists, historians, collections managers, and additional team members, with more than 250 years of combined professional experience.
All special collections will be preserved by the State Historical Society of Iowa and accessible to the public at the Iowa History Research Center at the State Historical Building in Des Moines. If a special collection is reappraised, deaccessioned and transferred to another institution, we will share those details including the new repository location with the public.
No. Iowa’s newspapers remain the State Historical Society of Iowa's holdings and are digitized in partnership with Advantage Archives. County records remain in the legal custody of each of Iowa’s respective 99 counties. The Historical Society continues to support Iowa Counties to preserve these records in partnership with FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com to ensure long-term public access.
The Research Center in Des Moines will remain open to the public, with collections preserved and accessible so future generations can study and learn from Iowa’s history. Many materials—including photographs, documents, and government records—are already digitized and available for researchers to access from home. We will continue to expand these online collections in the months and years ahead.
Learn more about what’s available by visiting our collections page.
Iowa’s history belongs to all of us across all of Iowa's 99 counties. Together we can ensure history continues to inspire future generations. If you’d like to be part of this work—by volunteering, advocating, donating, becoming a member, or supporting in other ways—please visit our Support page to learn how you can help keep Iowa History alive for future generations.
