The EKU Archives Postcard Collection is an artificial collection compiled from a variety of sources including donations of individual postcards, postcards that may have been weeded or separated from other collections (and we have not been able to determine their original donor) and some that may have been purchased. The postcards in this collection are global in scope.

For the most part this collection is comprised of picture postcards (which have a photomechanical or printed image). The terms photochrome (for color photo cards) or photo card (for B&W photo cards) have been used to identify those cards containing real photographic images. Some of the black and white images that appear to be photographs are actually photomechanical reproductions. There are also several images that are only color photocopies of postcards (their source is unknown and they are only copies of the front of the card).

Boxes in this collection actually refer to photo albums or boxes as the Kentucky postcards are sleeved and housed in albums, where the United States and International cards are foldered and in boxes.