Overview of Archival Processing
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Overview of archival processing, for Society of Indiana Archivists Fall Workshop 2011
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- 1. Overview of Archival Processing Or where on earth do I start
with this stuff? A hands on exercise. By jennifer whitlock,
archivist at Indianapolis Museum of Art for the Society of Indiana
Archivists Workshop October 7, 2011
- 2. What is an archive?Archives are the non-current records of
individuals, groups, institutions, andgovernments that contain
information of enduring value.Examples of Types:College and
UniversityCorporateGovernmentHistorical
SocietiesMuseumsReligiousSpecial CollectionsOther
- 3. Category Libraries Archives Published Unpublished Nature
Discrete items Groups of related items Independent significance
Significance from relationship to Available elsewhere other items
Unique records Creator Many different individuals or organizations
Parent organization or institution Method of Separate, independent
actions Organic: normal course of business creation Method of
Selected as single items Appraised in aggregate receipt Decisions
revocable Decisions irrevocable (destruction is forever)
Predetermined subject classification Provenance and original order
(relationArrangement to structure and function) Level of Individual
items (books) Aggregate (record group or series)Description Built
into the published item (title Must be prepared by the
archivistDescriptive page, table of contents, index) media Card
catalog, online public access Guides and inventories, online system
(OPAC) systems Access Open stacks Closed Stacks Items circulate
Items do not circulate Adapted from Developing and Maintaining
Practical Archives by Gregory Hunter
- 4. What does an archivist do?Triple
threat:OrganizesPreservesProvides accessBut thats not all
- 5. How does an archivist doit?Key archival concepts and
activities:1. Surveying the collection Provenance or respect du
fonds Original order2. Appraisal long-term research value not $$
value3. Arrangement & Description not cataloging! Controlled
vocabulary4. Preservation5. Access
- 6. Format is irrelevant!!What is a record? Audio visual
materials Data or information Digital files Hand-written or typed
or ink-jet in a fixed form that is Architectural plans created or
received Photographs in the course of Letters Manuscripts
individual or Publications institutional activity Brochures and set
aside Ephemera Drawings (preserved) Invoices, forms, reports as
evidence Meeting minutes of that activity 3-D objects Clippings for
future reference. Websites Emails Punch cards Musical score Etc
etc
- 7. Accessioning and surveying thecollection
- 8. What do we have here? Get the context of the materials: Who
made this collection? What is the size and scope? Can any
organizational scheme be found? Answering these questions as you
process will guide the arrangement and description of the
- 9. ProvenanceRespect du fondsRespect for Original Order
- 10. Appraisal Long-term research value, NOT $$$$$$$Usually
takes place prior to donation or at accessioning:Do we want this?
Make a collecting policy and missionstatement! Other appraisal
considerations : Provenance Content Authenticity Reliability
Completenes s Condition
- 11. Record Values Primary Value Administrative Value Fiscal
Value Legal Value Historical Value Secondary Value Evidential Value
Informational Value Other Values Research Value Intrinsic
Value
- 12. Appraisal Small appraisal decisions happen during
processing: Often called weeding Is this a duplicate? Does this gum
wrapper have any research value? Can we keep these explosive
nitrate films? Why did someone save this?
- 13. Arrangement
- 14. Description
- 15. Preservation
- 16. Access
- 17. Fundamentals books from SAA:Boles, F. (2005). Selecting
& appraisingarchives & manuscripts.Kurtz, M. J. (2004).
Managing archival &manuscript repositories.OToole, J. M., &
Cox, R. J. (2006).Understanding archives & manuscripts.Pugh, M.
J. (2005). Providing referenceservices for archives &
manuscripts.Ritzenthaler, M. L. (2010). Preserving archives&
manuscripts.Roe, K. (2005). Arranging & describingarchives
& manuscripts.
- 18. Internet resources for Archival theory &practiceSociety
of American Archivists Statement of
Principleshttp://www.archivists.org/news/custardproject.aspSociety
of American Archivists Code of
Ethicshttp://www.archivists.org/governance/handbook/app_ethics.aspGlossary
of Archival and Records
Terminologyhttp://www.archivists.org/glossary/index.aspMore
Product, Less Process: Pragmatically revampingTraditional
Processing Approaches to Deal with Late20th-Century Collections by
Greene &
Meissnerhttp://ahc.uwyo.edu/documents/faculty/greene/papers/Greene-Meissner.pdf
- 19. Internet resources for Preservation Northeast Document
Conservation
Center(NEDCC)http://www.nedcc.org/resources/introduction.php
Library of Congress Preservation
http://www.loc.gov/preserv/preserve.html National Archives and
Records Administration(NARA) http://www.archives.gov/preservation/
LYRASIS
http://www.lyrasis.org/Preservation/Resources-and-Publications.aspx
Holliger/Metal Edge Archival Supplies
- 20. Questions??Lets get started!(this is the hands on exercise
part)