Managing Small Archives provides an overview of establishing and running an archives service for a small institution. It discusses establishing authority and a mission statement, as well as developing policies for acquisitions, physical control of collections, and intellectual control through inventories, appraisal, accessioning, arrangement and description. The document outlines best practices for storage conditions, disaster planning and handling of archival materials. Intellectual control ensures that collections are organized and described to provide access and understand the context in which they were created.
The document provides information on preserving collections through proper storage, handling, and protection from disasters. It discusses five levels of physical protection for collections from the storage location down to individual item housing. The ideal is stable temperature and humidity, inert materials, and archival housing. Light, pests, and improper handling can cause damage so monitoring and security are important. A disaster plan should be created and materials stored safely to prepare for events like floods, fires or insect outbreaks.
Construction projects in cultural heritage institutions can be challenging for their collections. This 5 part presentation offers some suggestions for a successful build.
This document provides an overview of a class on preserving oversized materials like posters, maps, and drawings. It is divided into 4 sections that cover the longevity factors of these materials, including their chemical composition and storage conditions. Section 1 discusses the stability of their substrates like paper, fabrics, and plastics, as well as the stability of different types of inks. It emphasizes the importance of understanding a material's composition to properly care for and store it.
This document provides guidance on preserving posters, maps, and drawings. It discusses encapsulation methods like ultrasonic welding and edge welding to protect frequently handled single sheets. Encapsulation increases bulk and weight so storage space is important. Items should be deacidified before encapsulation. Scanning is recommended over exhibits to protect fragile originals while providing access. Proper lighting, matting, and filtering of UV light is needed during exhibits. Handling policies help prevent damage and theft.
This document provides guidance on preserving oversized materials like posters, maps, and drawings. It discusses storage basics like controlling temperature and humidity, avoiding direct sunlight, and using flat file cabinets or rolled storage. Specific supplies and their terminology are defined, such as archival quality, acid-free, buffered, and photo-safe. Guidelines are given for proper rolled storage and use of folders. General rules recommend storing like items together and separating items by process type.
- The document summarizes a presentation on archival preservation given by Deirdre Joyce from the Northern New York Library Network on October 11 & 12.
- It discusses common archival materials like paper, ink, photographs, and how to properly store and handle them to prevent damage from environmental factors like temperature, humidity, light and biological agents.
- The presentation provides guidance on storage materials and facilities, basic preservation practices for different types of collections, and integrating preservation into the overall archival workflow.
The document provides information on preserving collections through proper storage, handling, and protection from disasters. It discusses five levels of physical protection for collections from the storage location down to individual item housing. The ideal is stable temperature and humidity, inert materials, and archival housing. Light, pests, and improper handling can cause damage so monitoring and security are important. A disaster plan should be created and materials stored safely to prepare for events like floods, fires or insect outbreaks.
Construction projects in cultural heritage institutions can be challenging for their collections. This 5 part presentation offers some suggestions for a successful build.
This document provides an overview of a class on preserving oversized materials like posters, maps, and drawings. It is divided into 4 sections that cover the longevity factors of these materials, including their chemical composition and storage conditions. Section 1 discusses the stability of their substrates like paper, fabrics, and plastics, as well as the stability of different types of inks. It emphasizes the importance of understanding a material's composition to properly care for and store it.
This document provides guidance on preserving posters, maps, and drawings. It discusses encapsulation methods like ultrasonic welding and edge welding to protect frequently handled single sheets. Encapsulation increases bulk and weight so storage space is important. Items should be deacidified before encapsulation. Scanning is recommended over exhibits to protect fragile originals while providing access. Proper lighting, matting, and filtering of UV light is needed during exhibits. Handling policies help prevent damage and theft.
This document provides guidance on preserving oversized materials like posters, maps, and drawings. It discusses storage basics like controlling temperature and humidity, avoiding direct sunlight, and using flat file cabinets or rolled storage. Specific supplies and their terminology are defined, such as archival quality, acid-free, buffered, and photo-safe. Guidelines are given for proper rolled storage and use of folders. General rules recommend storing like items together and separating items by process type.
- The document summarizes a presentation on archival preservation given by Deirdre Joyce from the Northern New York Library Network on October 11 & 12.
- It discusses common archival materials like paper, ink, photographs, and how to properly store and handle them to prevent damage from environmental factors like temperature, humidity, light and biological agents.
- The presentation provides guidance on storage materials and facilities, basic preservation practices for different types of collections, and integrating preservation into the overall archival workflow.
This document provides an introduction to fundamentals of book repair. It discusses the services offered by LYRASIS Preservation including workshops, consulting, and loan programs. It then covers the objectives of introductory book repair training which are to learn book anatomy, decision making criteria for repairs, and quality supplies. Key aspects of book structure like the endpapers, spine, and board attachments are defined. Considerations for identifying materials needing repair include use patterns and condition. Decision making involves prioritizing repairs based on significance, use, and cost effectiveness. Options for treatment range from minor repairs to reformatting or rehousing. Proper terminology and standards for archival supplies are also introduced.
This document provides an overview of exhibit standards and best practices for libraries and archives. It discusses the importance of proper environmental conditions like temperature, humidity and light levels to preserve collection items on display. Specific guidelines are presented for housing artifacts in cases and displaying sensitive materials like photographs, books and works on paper. The use of technology in virtual and digital exhibits is also reviewed. The document concludes with references for further information on exhibition preservation and conservation standards.
Preservation assessment by Tamara Lavrencic. Presented at the 2016 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops.
This document discusses the types of materials that should be considered for preservation enclosures like boxes and wrappers. It outlines items that are suitable for boxing, like special collection materials, fragile bindings, and damaged volumes. Items unsuitable for boxing include very acidic papers and materials with potential for mold growth. The document then discusses the benefits enclosures provide, like physical protection from damage during handling and transportation. It also notes how enclosures can help delay chemical deterioration and protect from light, pests, dust and fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Finally, it outlines different types of enclosures like drop-spine boxes, phase boxes, and wrappers, noting their advantages and disadvantages.
Preservation needs assessment by Tamara Lavrencic. Presented at the 2017 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops
Preservation and conservation in your local museumKieran1982
This document provides an overview of preservation and conservation for volunteers. It defines preservation as managing the environment an artifact is held in and conservation as directly treating the artifact. Preservation is important to halt deterioration and allow access while minimizing damage. Factors like temperature, humidity, light, and biological agents cause deterioration. Proper storage and handling (extrinsic) can control the effects of inherent material properties (intrinsic factors). The document recommends preventative techniques like good housekeeping, housing materials, and repairs to implement preservation. Education is also presented as a low-cost way to involve volunteers and raise awareness.
Just digitise it by Daniel Wilksch of the Public Records Office Victoria. Presented at the 2016 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops.
This document provides an overview of LYRASIS Preservation Services and their short class on the basics of caring for and handling library materials. LYRASIS offers various preservation services including education and training, information and referrals, loan services of environmental monitoring equipment, publications, disaster assistance, and consulting. The class objectives are to gain knowledge on proper care and handling to minimize damage, identify issues damaging materials, and train staff and users. It covers preservation activities, threats to collections like environment, use and handling, and provides best practices for collection storage and shelving.
A Powerpoint for those interested in genealogy and family history - a "how to" get started and what to do and what to avoid to ensure the longevity and ease of access to your treasured heritage!
Solidarites International provided shelter responses in Bangladesh following cyclones SIDR and AILA. Their approach was to design shelters that were contextually adapted, community-oriented, and tailored to each situation. Lessons learned included involving communities in construction, using local materials and skills, and planning for the local construction season. Challenges included wood quality, availability, and finding skilled laborers, while successes included voucher programs and community coordination. Coordination and technical standardization across response organizations was recommended.
Preservation aims to maintain materials in their original condition, while conservation treats damaged materials. Both involve carefully controlling the storage environment to prevent deterioration from factors like temperature, humidity, light and pollution. Materials may need repair or binding replaced if covers or spines are loose or torn. Conservation treatments include fumigation to remove insects, deacidification to reduce acidity, and lamination and binding to repair damaged pages and structures. Proper shelving, ventilation, and security systems help protect collections.
This document provides guidance on properly storing and handling collections. It discusses identifying what materials are in a collection, their condition, and available resources. It then outlines five levels of physical protection: storage location, building, room, furniture, and housing of individual items. For each level, it provides recommendations for ensuring a safe and secure storage environment through controlling factors like light, pests, mould, temperature and humidity. Handling procedures are also covered, stressing cleanliness and support of fragile items. The importance of security, documentation and tracking materials is emphasized.
The document discusses preservation policies and methods for libraries. It begins by outlining why preservation is important, both economically and for serving future users. The preservation department aims to identify materials of significance to preserve and protect from deterioration. This involves discussions with other departments to select important works. The department also ensures standards are met for storage, handling, display and maintenance to reduce damage. Specific methods covered include maintaining proper environmental controls like temperature, humidity and light levels. The document also discusses book repair, binding, rebinding and the book binding process.
Preservation needs assessment process by Tamara Lavrencic (Museums and Galleries NSW). Presented at the 2015 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops.
Preservation and conservation of library materialsJohny Prudencio
This document discusses the preservation and conservation of library materials. It defines preservation as maintaining resources to prevent decay, and conservation as treating physical items to extend their life through repairing, restoring, or preventing loss, damage, or neglect. Some key factors that damage library materials include improper handling, uncontrolled environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, light, and pollutants, security issues that cause theft or mutilation, and disasters. The document provides recommendations for preventing damage, such as using proper storage, controlling the environment, increasing security, and creating a disaster plan. It emphasizes that conservation aims to keep materials in their original format as long as possible through remedial treatments, collection treatments, and stabilization methods that do not further damage items
An introduction to using archives for family historians, presented on May 4th, 2013, at a one-day conference organized by the Toronto branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.
This presentation shows the different risks and solutions an archivist can do to maintain his archives. It can help both librarians and archivist in caring for their preserved materials.
This document provides an overview of best practices for exhibiting archival materials. It discusses exhibit standards related to preservation and conservation, including guidelines for environmental conditions, lighting levels, and display materials. Specific topics covered include acceptable temperature and humidity levels, the concept of lux for lighting artifacts, using barrier materials in exhibits, and digital exhibition options. The document also gives examples of specialized equipment used in major museums to securely display famous works, such as the cases housing the Mona Lisa and the Declaration of Independence.
Practical tips for kickstarting your collection care program; "Preserving VA" conference, Virginia Africana 2014 at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; November 7, 2014
This document discusses the key agents of deterioration that pose risks to collections, including physical forces, thieves and vandals, dissociation, fire, water, pests, pollutants, light and UV, incorrect temperature, and incorrect relative humidity. It emphasizes understanding these risks and taking steps to minimize their effects through proper storage, security, documentation, environmental monitoring and control, and a risk management approach. Risk management provides a systematic framework to assess vulnerabilities, identify hazards, treat risks proportionately, and evaluate risk mitigation efforts.
This document discusses preservation and conservation of library materials. Preservation aims to maintain materials in their original condition by preventing decay, while conservation treats physically damaged materials to extend their lifespan. Key threats include improper handling, lack of environmental control of temperature and humidity, lighting, pollution, pests and security issues. Proper storage conditions, pest control and security systems can help prevent damage. A disaster plan should assess risks, form response teams, prioritize materials, and maintain supplies. Conservation focuses on keeping materials in their original format through repairs, collections treatments, and prudent management practices. The goal is long-term accessibility, not cosmetic changes.
This document provides an introduction to fundamentals of book repair. It discusses the services offered by LYRASIS Preservation including workshops, consulting, and loan programs. It then covers the objectives of introductory book repair training which are to learn book anatomy, decision making criteria for repairs, and quality supplies. Key aspects of book structure like the endpapers, spine, and board attachments are defined. Considerations for identifying materials needing repair include use patterns and condition. Decision making involves prioritizing repairs based on significance, use, and cost effectiveness. Options for treatment range from minor repairs to reformatting or rehousing. Proper terminology and standards for archival supplies are also introduced.
This document provides an overview of exhibit standards and best practices for libraries and archives. It discusses the importance of proper environmental conditions like temperature, humidity and light levels to preserve collection items on display. Specific guidelines are presented for housing artifacts in cases and displaying sensitive materials like photographs, books and works on paper. The use of technology in virtual and digital exhibits is also reviewed. The document concludes with references for further information on exhibition preservation and conservation standards.
Preservation assessment by Tamara Lavrencic. Presented at the 2016 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops.
This document discusses the types of materials that should be considered for preservation enclosures like boxes and wrappers. It outlines items that are suitable for boxing, like special collection materials, fragile bindings, and damaged volumes. Items unsuitable for boxing include very acidic papers and materials with potential for mold growth. The document then discusses the benefits enclosures provide, like physical protection from damage during handling and transportation. It also notes how enclosures can help delay chemical deterioration and protect from light, pests, dust and fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Finally, it outlines different types of enclosures like drop-spine boxes, phase boxes, and wrappers, noting their advantages and disadvantages.
Preservation needs assessment by Tamara Lavrencic. Presented at the 2017 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops
Preservation and conservation in your local museumKieran1982
This document provides an overview of preservation and conservation for volunteers. It defines preservation as managing the environment an artifact is held in and conservation as directly treating the artifact. Preservation is important to halt deterioration and allow access while minimizing damage. Factors like temperature, humidity, light, and biological agents cause deterioration. Proper storage and handling (extrinsic) can control the effects of inherent material properties (intrinsic factors). The document recommends preventative techniques like good housekeeping, housing materials, and repairs to implement preservation. Education is also presented as a low-cost way to involve volunteers and raise awareness.
Just digitise it by Daniel Wilksch of the Public Records Office Victoria. Presented at the 2016 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops.
This document provides an overview of LYRASIS Preservation Services and their short class on the basics of caring for and handling library materials. LYRASIS offers various preservation services including education and training, information and referrals, loan services of environmental monitoring equipment, publications, disaster assistance, and consulting. The class objectives are to gain knowledge on proper care and handling to minimize damage, identify issues damaging materials, and train staff and users. It covers preservation activities, threats to collections like environment, use and handling, and provides best practices for collection storage and shelving.
A Powerpoint for those interested in genealogy and family history - a "how to" get started and what to do and what to avoid to ensure the longevity and ease of access to your treasured heritage!
Solidarites International provided shelter responses in Bangladesh following cyclones SIDR and AILA. Their approach was to design shelters that were contextually adapted, community-oriented, and tailored to each situation. Lessons learned included involving communities in construction, using local materials and skills, and planning for the local construction season. Challenges included wood quality, availability, and finding skilled laborers, while successes included voucher programs and community coordination. Coordination and technical standardization across response organizations was recommended.
Preservation aims to maintain materials in their original condition, while conservation treats damaged materials. Both involve carefully controlling the storage environment to prevent deterioration from factors like temperature, humidity, light and pollution. Materials may need repair or binding replaced if covers or spines are loose or torn. Conservation treatments include fumigation to remove insects, deacidification to reduce acidity, and lamination and binding to repair damaged pages and structures. Proper shelving, ventilation, and security systems help protect collections.
This document provides guidance on properly storing and handling collections. It discusses identifying what materials are in a collection, their condition, and available resources. It then outlines five levels of physical protection: storage location, building, room, furniture, and housing of individual items. For each level, it provides recommendations for ensuring a safe and secure storage environment through controlling factors like light, pests, mould, temperature and humidity. Handling procedures are also covered, stressing cleanliness and support of fragile items. The importance of security, documentation and tracking materials is emphasized.
The document discusses preservation policies and methods for libraries. It begins by outlining why preservation is important, both economically and for serving future users. The preservation department aims to identify materials of significance to preserve and protect from deterioration. This involves discussions with other departments to select important works. The department also ensures standards are met for storage, handling, display and maintenance to reduce damage. Specific methods covered include maintaining proper environmental controls like temperature, humidity and light levels. The document also discusses book repair, binding, rebinding and the book binding process.
Preservation needs assessment process by Tamara Lavrencic (Museums and Galleries NSW). Presented at the 2015 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) Preservation and Collection Management Training Workshops.
Preservation and conservation of library materialsJohny Prudencio
This document discusses the preservation and conservation of library materials. It defines preservation as maintaining resources to prevent decay, and conservation as treating physical items to extend their life through repairing, restoring, or preventing loss, damage, or neglect. Some key factors that damage library materials include improper handling, uncontrolled environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, light, and pollutants, security issues that cause theft or mutilation, and disasters. The document provides recommendations for preventing damage, such as using proper storage, controlling the environment, increasing security, and creating a disaster plan. It emphasizes that conservation aims to keep materials in their original format as long as possible through remedial treatments, collection treatments, and stabilization methods that do not further damage items
An introduction to using archives for family historians, presented on May 4th, 2013, at a one-day conference organized by the Toronto branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.
This presentation shows the different risks and solutions an archivist can do to maintain his archives. It can help both librarians and archivist in caring for their preserved materials.
This document provides an overview of best practices for exhibiting archival materials. It discusses exhibit standards related to preservation and conservation, including guidelines for environmental conditions, lighting levels, and display materials. Specific topics covered include acceptable temperature and humidity levels, the concept of lux for lighting artifacts, using barrier materials in exhibits, and digital exhibition options. The document also gives examples of specialized equipment used in major museums to securely display famous works, such as the cases housing the Mona Lisa and the Declaration of Independence.
Practical tips for kickstarting your collection care program; "Preserving VA" conference, Virginia Africana 2014 at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; November 7, 2014
This document discusses the key agents of deterioration that pose risks to collections, including physical forces, thieves and vandals, dissociation, fire, water, pests, pollutants, light and UV, incorrect temperature, and incorrect relative humidity. It emphasizes understanding these risks and taking steps to minimize their effects through proper storage, security, documentation, environmental monitoring and control, and a risk management approach. Risk management provides a systematic framework to assess vulnerabilities, identify hazards, treat risks proportionately, and evaluate risk mitigation efforts.
This document discusses preservation and conservation of library materials. Preservation aims to maintain materials in their original condition by preventing decay, while conservation treats physically damaged materials to extend their lifespan. Key threats include improper handling, lack of environmental control of temperature and humidity, lighting, pollution, pests and security issues. Proper storage conditions, pest control and security systems can help prevent damage. A disaster plan should assess risks, form response teams, prioritize materials, and maintain supplies. Conservation focuses on keeping materials in their original format through repairs, collections treatments, and prudent management practices. The goal is long-term accessibility, not cosmetic changes.
It is the responsibility of the library manager to initiate, coordinate, and implement the development of a security policy within the library.
When drafting such a policy other libraries, police, and staff should be consulted.
Conservation Theories, Modern Principles and Guidelines.pptxVirag Sontakke
This Presentation is prepared for the Graduate Students. A presentation consisting of basic information regarding the topic. Students are advised to get more information from recommended books and articles. This presentation is only for students and purely for academic purposes.
Conservation Theories, Modern Principles and Guidelines.pptxVirag Sontakke
This Presentation is prepared for the Graduate Students. A presentation consisting of basic information regarding the topic. Students are advised to get more information from recommended books and articles. This presentation is only for students and purely for academic purposes.
This document outlines a collections management policy for Whallonsburgh Grange Hall Collections Care and Conservation Alliance. It discusses defining the collection development, developing a collection development policy and plan, ensuring collections align with the organization's mission, using selection criteria, and assigning responsibility for selection. It also covers documentation, acquisition, disposal, access, care, risk management, security, and inventory controls for collections.
This document discusses guidelines and considerations for bulk disposal of museum collections. It addresses what constitutes a bulk collection, procedures for bulk disposal, and challenges that can arise. Key points include:
- Bulk collections typically consist of large quantities of similar objects that are of low quality and found in other collections. They may require simpler disposal procedures than significant objects.
- When disposing of bulk collections, it is important to document ownership status, consult experts, and consider alternatives to destruction like transferring objects to other institutions.
- Challenges of bulk disposal can include the time needed to study collections, costs, lack of documentation, and procedures requiring information that is unavailable for some collections. Simpler processes may be needed for
This document provides guidelines for good storage practices for medical supplies and essential medicines. It discusses routine warehouse tasks that should be done daily or weekly like cleaning, ensuring proper ventilation and stacking, and monthly tasks like inspections. It emphasizes applying a first-to-expire, first-out policy when arranging supplies to facilitate proper stock rotation. Special storage conditions are also outlined for secure, temperature-controlled, or hazardous materials like flammables and corrosives.
This document discusses the process for conducting a preservation needs assessment for a collection. It covers choosing a qualified conservator to perform the assessment, what information to provide them, the factors they will examine like building conditions and storage methods, and the end goal of developing a prioritized preservation plan and report. The assessment evaluates preservation policies, identifies specific risks and needs, and recommends actions to develop a long-term strategy for caring for the collection.
Slides for a presentation at the conference of the Association of Canadian Archivists in Victoria, British Columbia, in June 2014. The talk was about an event aimed at bringing communities together. It grew out of a finding aid of historical documents which had been used to support a First Nations land claim in Eastern Ontario (http://www.archeion.ca/culbertson-tract-land-claim-supporting-documents-collection;rad).
Beyond the Cenotaph: a 21st century commemorationAmanda Hill
This document describes research into men from Deseronto, Ontario who served in World War 1. Over 290 names were identified, many more than the 34 listed on the original war memorial. Sources like ancestry records and newspapers helped uncover more names. The research scope expanded to include men born in Deseronto or with similar-sounding place names. Additional pilots who trained in Deseronto were also included. The researcher plans to create an online memorial by blogging about each individual's service. Freely available online archives are valuable resources but managing project scope is important.
Presentation given at an Archives Association of Ontario Professional Development Committee workshop on February 7th, 2014. Explains how to create records describing archive creators and the archives themselves using Archeion, Ontario's archival network, which runs on the AtoM software from Artefactual Systems.
Working outside the walls: from gatekeeper to keymasterAmanda Hill
The document discusses how archivists are becoming increasingly invisible as they make resources available online, reaching larger audiences. It argues that as long as users can easily find and understand information, and stakeholders understand the value of archives, then having a low public profile does not matter. The document advocates for archivists to transform from experts behind institutional walls to mentors in the community. It suggests engaging community members in archives and lowering standards for inclusion to involve more people.
How dinosaurs broke our system: challenges in building national researcher id...Amanda Hill
The document discusses the Names Project in the UK, which aims to create unique identifiers for UK researchers. It began in 2007 using data from a research assessment exercise. The Names Project takes a hybrid approach, using automated matching and manual disambiguation. It also allows researchers to directly input information. The project seeks to improve data quality and integrate with other national and international identifier systems like ISNI. Key challenges include gaining agreement on national researcher identifier services.
This document provides information about the Archeion Workshop. Archeion is Ontario's archive information network that holds over 8,000 archival descriptions from more than 70 institutions across Ontario. The workshop discusses the structure of Archeion, including how it separates institutional information, archival descriptions, and record creator information. It also reviews how to create and edit records in Archeion, including institutional records, authority records for creators, and archival descriptions at different levels. Tips are provided for writing concise and accessible summaries.
Introduction to arrangement and description (feb 4&5, 2012)Amanda Hill
This document provides an overview of archival arrangement and description. It discusses key principles such as provenance, original order, and respect des fonds. It explains how archivists arrange records into logical groupings like fonds and series. The document also covers descriptive standards like RAD and key elements of archival description at the fonds and series level. The goal of arrangement and description is to provide intellectual control over archival materials and enable access for users.
The document discusses the Names Project, which aims to create a name authority service to help disambiguate author names in digital repositories. It notes the challenges of retrieving materials when an author's name is entered inconsistently. The project works to identify unique individuals, assign them identifiers, and enhance records with information from other sources. It has developed a prototype and is now working to expand it, test matching algorithms, update data mappings, and collaborate with potential users and data providers. An RDF version is also being developed.
Exploring Strange New Worlds: Archives TNGAmanda Hill
Presentation on the impact of using Web 2.0 technologies in a small municipal archives, given at the Association of Canadian Archivists' conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 2010.
The Names Project is a JISC-funded initiative run by Mimas in collaboration with the British Library. It aims to connect different variations of researchers' names to enable more accurate retrieval of materials deposited in institutional repositories. Phase 1 involved requirements gathering and developing a prototype. Phase 2 expands this into a pilot system and considers future options as a service. It works to disambiguate common names by uniquely identifying individuals using Linked Data principles.
The document discusses the Archives 2.0 activities of the Deseronto Archives in Ontario, Canada. It provides context on the small staff and budget of the archives. It then details how the archives created accounts on Flickr, Twitter, and a blog to engage with users and raise its profile. It measures the basic activity on these channels, such as over 350 photos posted to Flickr with over 8,000 views. The archives has seen positive impacts, including user comments, new accessions of materials, and contact with those who have information to share. However, maintaining an Archives 2.0 presence requires ongoing effort from archives staff.
The document discusses the Names Project, which aims to create a name authority service to help improve metadata and search across institutional repositories. It notes that repositories currently have issues with inconsistent author names leading to incomplete search results. The project conducted scoping work and is building a prototype database based on the FRAD model that assigns unique identifiers to individuals and institutions. This would allow repositories and search services to link information about authors more precisely across repositories.
Presentation given at <a href="http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/themes/access_management/federation/federation_events/programmtgjune08.aspx">JISC Identity Management: Future Directions Day</a>, 30 June 2008
The document discusses the Names Project which aims to create a name authority service to help disambiguate author names when depositing materials in institutional repositories. It notes that people depositing content need to add accurate metadata about creators and affiliations but these are entered inconsistently. The project will develop a prototype database of name records over 17 months to test solutions and work with repositories to integrate name disambiguation. It will seek input from an expert panel and aims to make it easier for creators to assign unambiguous identities when submitting materials.
A Question Of Interpretation: the role of archivists in an online ageAmanda Hill
This document summarizes the changing role of archivists in the digital age. Technology and user expectations have changed the way archivists provide access to archival materials. Archivists are no longer gatekeepers as users can now find archival materials online through search engines and platforms like Archives Hub. Archivists must adapt by improving online finding aids, using less jargon, and better understanding different types of online users to ensure valued archival materials remain accessible and interpreted for new audiences.
The document discusses the Archives Hub, a union catalogue of finding aids for archives held in UK universities, colleges, and other organizations. It has over 20,000 finding aids from 150 institutions. The Archives Hub developed open source software called Cheshire for Archives to allow institutions to host and manage their own finding aid data through a shared infrastructure. This provides interoperability without effort and gives control back to repositories while also making the data more accessible.
LAND USE LAND COVER AND NDVI OF MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UPRAHUL
This Dissertation explores the particular circumstances of Mirzapur, a region located in the
core of India. Mirzapur, with its varied terrains and abundant biodiversity, offers an optimal
environment for investigating the changes in vegetation cover dynamics. Our study utilizes
advanced technologies such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and Remote sensing to
analyze the transformations that have taken place over the course of a decade.
The complex relationship between human activities and the environment has been the focus
of extensive research and worry. As the global community grapples with swift urbanization,
population expansion, and economic progress, the effects on natural ecosystems are becoming
more evident. A crucial element of this impact is the alteration of vegetation cover, which plays a
significant role in maintaining the ecological equilibrium of our planet.Land serves as the foundation for all human activities and provides the necessary materials for
these activities. As the most crucial natural resource, its utilization by humans results in different
'Land uses,' which are determined by both human activities and the physical characteristics of the
land.
The utilization of land is impacted by human needs and environmental factors. In countries
like India, rapid population growth and the emphasis on extensive resource exploitation can lead
to significant land degradation, adversely affecting the region's land cover.
Therefore, human intervention has significantly influenced land use patterns over many
centuries, evolving its structure over time and space. In the present era, these changes have
accelerated due to factors such as agriculture and urbanization. Information regarding land use and
cover is essential for various planning and management tasks related to the Earth's surface,
providing crucial environmental data for scientific, resource management, policy purposes, and
diverse human activities.
Accurate understanding of land use and cover is imperative for the development planning
of any area. Consequently, a wide range of professionals, including earth system scientists, land
and water managers, and urban planners, are interested in obtaining data on land use and cover
changes, conversion trends, and other related patterns. The spatial dimensions of land use and
cover support policymakers and scientists in making well-informed decisions, as alterations in
these patterns indicate shifts in economic and social conditions. Monitoring such changes with the
help of Advanced technologies like Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems is
crucial for coordinated efforts across different administrative levels. Advanced technologies like
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
9
Changes in vegetation cover refer to variations in the distribution, composition, and overall
structure of plant communities across different temporal and spatial scales. These changes can
occur natural.
Main Java[All of the Base Concepts}.docxadhitya5119
This is part 1 of my Java Learning Journey. This Contains Custom methods, classes, constructors, packages, multithreading , try- catch block, finally block and more.
How to Fix the Import Error in the Odoo 17Celine George
An import error occurs when a program fails to import a module or library, disrupting its execution. In languages like Python, this issue arises when the specified module cannot be found or accessed, hindering the program's functionality. Resolving import errors is crucial for maintaining smooth software operation and uninterrupted development processes.
How to Setup Warehouse & Location in Odoo 17 InventoryCeline George
In this slide, we'll explore how to set up warehouses and locations in Odoo 17 Inventory. This will help us manage our stock effectively, track inventory levels, and streamline warehouse operations.
Beyond Degrees - Empowering the Workforce in the Context of Skills-First.pptxEduSkills OECD
Iván Bornacelly, Policy Analyst at the OECD Centre for Skills, OECD, presents at the webinar 'Tackling job market gaps with a skills-first approach' on 12 June 2024
A workshop hosted by the South African Journal of Science aimed at postgraduate students and early career researchers with little or no experience in writing and publishing journal articles.
বাংলাদেশের অর্থনৈতিক সমীক্ষা ২০২৪ [Bangladesh Economic Review 2024 Bangla.pdf] কম্পিউটার , ট্যাব ও স্মার্ট ফোন ভার্সন সহ সম্পূর্ণ বাংলা ই-বুক বা pdf বই " সুচিপত্র ...বুকমার্ক মেনু 🔖 ও হাইপার লিংক মেনু 📝👆 যুক্ত ..
আমাদের সবার জন্য খুব খুব গুরুত্বপূর্ণ একটি বই ..বিসিএস, ব্যাংক, ইউনিভার্সিটি ভর্তি ও যে কোন প্রতিযোগিতা মূলক পরীক্ষার জন্য এর খুব ইম্পরট্যান্ট একটি বিষয় ...তাছাড়া বাংলাদেশের সাম্প্রতিক যে কোন ডাটা বা তথ্য এই বইতে পাবেন ...
তাই একজন নাগরিক হিসাবে এই তথ্য গুলো আপনার জানা প্রয়োজন ...।
বিসিএস ও ব্যাংক এর লিখিত পরীক্ষা ...+এছাড়া মাধ্যমিক ও উচ্চমাধ্যমিকের স্টুডেন্টদের জন্য অনেক কাজে আসবে ...
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
Walmart Business+ and Spark Good for Nonprofits.pdfTechSoup
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A review of the growth of the Israel Genealogy Research Association Database Collection for the last 12 months. Our collection is now passed the 3 million mark and still growing. See which archives have contributed the most. See the different types of records we have, and which years have had records added. You can also see what we have for the future.
2. Workshop outline
• Establishing an archives service
• Physical control
• Intellectual control
• Reference services
• Outreach and promotion
3. What are archives?
• Archives are collections of records which have been
selected for permanent preservation because of their
value as evidence or as a source for historical or other
research
• Records are recorded information in any form or
medium, created by the activities of organizations and
people; they serve an active purpose while in current
use and some of them are later selected and preserved
as part of an archival collection
• Archival collections are usually unique. They need to
be carefully stored and managed to protect and preserve
them for current and future use
4. What is an archives?
• An institution dedicated to preserving
archival collections for the long term…
• …and making them available for use
• Can be a building, a room, or even a
closet
5. Establishing an archives service
• High-level issues
CABHC: HS 2-26 (front) Alsace - Panorama of Massereaux valley by
French Pictorial Service, c. 1918
6. Authority
• Archives should be established by an
institution, with a commitment to:
– continuous and regular (but not necessarily
daily) operation and office hours
– appropriate funding levels
7. Mission Statement
• A one-sentence declaration of the role of
the archives for the community it serves
Activity: Write a mission
statement for your archives
8. CABHC mission statement
• The Community Archives provides
professional archives services by
identifying, acquiring, preserving and
promoting access to records documenting
the economic, political, geographic,
cultural, and social development of
Belleville and Hastings County.
9. Mandate
• Archives should have a clear policy on what
they will acquire. An acquisition policy
should:
– State the geographic, subject or institutional basis
for acquisitions
– Avoid competition with other collecting
institutions
– Assist potential donors
– Be shared publicly
• in Ontario, collecting policies can be shared online as
part of an institution’s profile on Archeion (archeion.ca)
10. Activity: Writing an acquisition policy
Handout: Tips and example acquisition
policies
CABHC: 2016-70
Records of the
Women’s Study Guild
of Belleville
11. AAO’s Provincial Acquisition
Strategy for Ontario
1.0 STRATEGY STATEMENT
Ontario archives will acquire archival materials on a
cooperative basis
2.0 STRATEGY OBJECTIVE
The objective of this strategy is to ensure and promote the
cooperative acquisition and preservation of Ontario’s
archival heritage at the local, regional and provincial levels
and to lay the foundation for a provincial documentation
strategy aimed at filling in the gaps in the province’s
documentary memory
Handout: Provincial Acquisition
Strategy
12. Working with a Board/management
• Communicate regularly: keep your Board
up to date with the archives’ activities to
keep their interest
• Be honest: show your Board members
where you need help, they want to know
that they can assist you
Discussion: what would you like to share about
your Board/management experiences?
13. Working with volunteers
• Invaluable for a small archives
– Can achieve amazing things
• Need training and regular supervision
– Can be time-consuming
• Recognition is important
Discussion: questions/observations about
working with volunteers?
14. Budgeting
• Hopefully, you have funding from parent institution
– You can do a lot with very little
– Don’t skimp on preservation materials
– Monitor expenses
• External fundraising
– Have project plans ready for potential funding sources
as they arise
– Make use of Federal/Provincial grants schemes
• Young Canada Works (YCW)
• Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP)
16. What are the biggest threats to
archival collections?
• Water
• Fire
• Theft
• Animals
• Light
• Handling
17. Avoiding water issues (1)
• If the building is in an area known to be at risk of
flooding, archives should be stored on the second floor
or above. Ideally, they should be relocated to another
building less at risk
• Shelving should be raised off the ground to avoid
damage from minor flooding or leaks
• Roofing, eavestroughs and drains for rainwater should
be in good condition and regularly checked and
maintained to prevent water entering the building
• Water tanks and pipe work inside the building should be
in good condition and regularly checked and maintained
to prevent leaks
18. Avoiding water issues (2)
• Pipe work should not run through storage
areas
• Storage areas should not be directly below
water tanks or pipe work
• Basement storage should be avoided.
Where used, it needs special attention to
prevent flooding. If possible, it should not
be near to storm drains or sewage pipes.
• Never store archives on the floor
19. Fire protection (1)
• Never use open fires, stoves, gas, radiant
electric or paraffin heaters in an archive
building
• Storage areas should have fire-resistant
doors, walls, ceilings, floors and windows
• Most offices have 20-minute fire resistant
doors. The ideal for archives is four-hour
fire resistant doors
20. Fire protection (2)
• Electric wiring circuits should be routed
through metal conduits
• Master switches for electrical circuits
should be outside the storage areas
• Smoke detectors should be fitted inside
and outside the storage areas
• Smoke detectors should link to the
building’s main alarm system and, where
possible, the Fire Department
21. Theft prevention (1)
• Storage must be lockable and kept locked
when not in use
• Access to the storage area must be
controlled and monitored
• If storage areas have to be shared,
archives should be clearly separated and
only handled by people responsible for
their care
22. Theft prevention (2)
• No item should be moved or removed
without the permission of those people
responsible for their care
• If an item is moved or removed, a note must
be left with details of where it is and who has
it
• A register of withdrawals and returns should
be kept
• A separate area for viewing and using the
archives should be set aside if possible
• All areas should be monitored when in use
23. Storage areas (1)
• Shelving should preferably be open metal racking. To
prevent damp it should not be fixed directly to exterior
walls.
• Wooden shelving or cabinets sealed and treated with fire
resistant solvent-free paint or water-based varnish is
acceptable for boxed material or bound volumes
• Wood can give off acetic acid, which causes chemical
damage to archives and can make them deteriorate
faster
• Newer wood usually gives off more acetic acid. Older
wood can give off less, but continues to give off acetic
acid over time
24. Storage areas (2)
• Open shelves allow circulation of air and allow easy
inspection and cleaning. The lowest shelf should be
around 15cm from the floor
• The top of the shelves should be at least 30cm from
overhead lights to prevent heat damage
• Shelving should be open-fronted and easy to access. The
shelves should be large enough to fully support the
archives stored on them
• The shelves should be strong enough to fully support the
weight of the materials placed on them – and the floors
need to be able to support the shelves!
25. Storage areas (3)
• High temperatures and high relative humidity
speed up chemical changes in the materials
archives are made from. This speeds up
degradation
• Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the
air at particular temperatures - measuring it tells
us how moist the air is in a particular room or area
• Changes in temperature and relative humidity can
also increase degradation of the materials the
archives are made from
• A stable environment where the temperature and
humidity does not change much is best
26. Storage areas (4)
• When relative humidity is above 65%, mould can
germinate and spread through collections causing
extensive damage
• Paper and parchment should not be stored below 40%
relative humidity for long periods of time as it can
become dry and brittle. This increases the risk of
damage through mishandling
• Photographs and film benefit from storage at a lower
relative humidity of 30-35%
• Avoid natural light from outside in your storage area
• Keep lights on for a minimum amount of time, and
only when staff are inside your storage area
• Keep food and drink out of the archives
27. Avoiding light damage (1)
• Store archival materials away from light. Keep them in a
windowless room or cover the windows with heavy black
curtains and blinds.
• Keep the lights off or low whenever possible and reduce
the wattage of bulbs.
• Install ultraviolet filters over fluorescent lighting. These
filters are plastic covers that slip over the fluorescent
tubes, screening out ultraviolet rays.
• Inspect materials regularly, checking for fading or drying.
Closely monitor any items stored in the open or without
proper containers
• Wrap materials in archival tissue and box them in
lightproof containers if they need special protection
28. Avoiding light damage (2)
• Avoid using original items in displays or exhibits. if
possible, replace them with copies, either
photographic reproductions or photocopies
• Packaging is an extra layer of protection for
archives. It should protect the contents from light
and pollution. It also provides some protection from
damage, pests, and changes in light or humidity
• Use archival boxes, folders, sleeves and other
packaging materials wherever possible.
• Archival boxes and packaging are low in acid and
lignin and designed to protect the archives to
professional standards
29. Storing materials
• If you cannot afford archival-quality boxes or
packaging, use clean, lidded cardboard boxes
for temporary storage. Cardboard file storage
boxes or file folders can be used for short-
term storage
• Always label boxes clearly, so that you know
what they contain
• Never over-fill boxes, especially where this
makes them too heavy to handle. This can
cause damage to the contents and is a health
and safety risk to staff
30. Handling archival materials (1)
• Handle archives as little as possible
• Ensure hands are clean and dry
• Examine archives for signs of damage before
making them available
• Use only pencil for taking notes
• Never use adhesive items to mark pages (or
Post-it notes)
• Be careful when moving heavy items, use a
cart and don’t store them on high shelves
31. Handling archival materials (2)
• Never moisten or lick fingers to turn pages
• Never carry heavy, awkward or large items
on your own
• Support documents at all times – large
items need a large table. Bound volumes
need supports such as foam wedges or
pillows so that they don’t open too far
• Use soft, flexible weights to hold pages in
place
32. Handling archival materials (3)
• Photocopying and scanning can cause
damage to documents through exposure
to strong light and closing the lid to flatten
the document
• Scan rather than photocopy, then print
further copies from the digital file
• Document feeder trays on photocopiers
and scanners can damage documents and
should not be used
33. Disaster planning
• Three stages:
1. Planning/prevention
2. Response
3. Recovery
Ambulance at Camp Rathbun, Deseronto
CABHC: HC000074
34. Planning
• Identify possible risks
• Produce a floor plan with location of collections
and emergency equipment (sprinklers, fire
extinguishers etc.)
• Preparing evacuation procedures for staff and
researchers
• Identifying collection priorities for recovery
• Identifying appropriate recovery/salvage
techniques for all collection media
• Developing a contact list of volunteers,
conservators and others with expertise in various
aspects of disaster recovery
35. Disaster Supplies
• Dehumidifier
• Metal cart
• Plastic containers
• Flashlights
• 50-ft. extension cord
(grounded)
• Portable electric fan
• Wet vacuum
• Blank newsprint
• Freezer or wax paper
• Plastic trash bags
• Plastic buckets and trash can
• Paper towels
• Sponges
• Mop
• Monofilament nylon (fishing)
line
• Broom
• Gloves (rubber/leather)
• Rubber boots and aprons
• Safety glasses
• Plastic sheeting (stored with
scissors and tape)
• First aid kit
• Clipboards, paper, pens,
markers
36. Response (1)
• Contact people on contact list
• Enter when safe
• Stop flow of water
• Reduce temperature
• Set up dehumidifiers
• Protect collections with plastic sheeting
• Remove unaffected materials from areas
where they are at risk
• Freeze wet documents, volumes, and
parchment for later freeze drying
38. Recovery
• Clean and (if necessary) decontaminate
building
• Replace damaged equipment/furniture
• Clean or repair collections
39. AAO support
• Archives Emergency Response Network
– Coordinated by Archives Advisor
– Regional response groups based around
Chapters
– Voluntary mutual assistance in event of a
disaster
40. Activity: Writing a disaster plan
Handout: Outline of disaster plan
CABHC: 2016-81/4 "Belleville Flood 1936 Front St. "
43. Is there an inventory?
• Shelf-by-shelf listing of the contents of the
archive
• If there isn’t one, creating one is a great
way of getting to know what your archives
actually holds
• If there’s a chance you will move your
archives in the future, it is essential!
47. Appraisal
• Is this material worth preserving?
– Always a subjective decision
• Relevance to acquisition policy
• Evidential value
• Quantity
• Uniqueness
• Condition
• Likelihood of use
• Political considerations
48. Monetary appraisal
• Avoid if possible
• Just not feasible for small archives to
administer Canadian Cultural Property
Export Review Board appraisals
49. Selective appraisal
• You don’t have to take everything offered
– Fine to accept only part of a collection
– Or to take a sample of a large set of records
• Sometimes people really only need
permission to throw things out
50. Re-appraisal
• A process of looking back at earlier
accessions and seeing if they are earning
their space on the shelves
• If not, they may be candidates for
deaccessioning:
– Return to donor
– Transfer
– Confidential destruction
– Sale
52. Transfer of ownership
• Important to document every new
addition to the archives
• May receive records through:
– External donation
– Transfer from parent body
– Loan (temporary or indefinite)
53. Deed of Gift
• For external donations
Discussion: what information do you need to
record in a Deed of Gift?
54. Deed of Gift information
• Donor’s name and contact details
• Archives’ name
• Description of the materials donated
• Statement about transfer of copyright
• De-accessioning statement
• Date of donation
• Signatures of donor and archivist
Handout: CABHC Deed of Gift form
56. Loans
• Archives used to accept collections on
‘indefinite loans’
• …but not encouraged now…
• Short-term loans for purposes of copying
or exhibit are fine
Handout: CABHC Loan form
57. Using ownership forms
• Complete immediately on receipt of items
• Keep forms in your accessions filing
system
• Give a copy to the donor/transferer/lender
• Write a thank-you letter or email to donor
59. Accession Number
• Each new addition to the archives has its
own accession number
– Even if it is an addition to an earlier collection
• Accession numbers usually contain a date
element, e.g.:
– 2017-39
– 017.39
60. Accession Register
• A record of new accessions
Discussion: what information do you need to
record in your Accession Register?
61. Accession register details
• Accession number
• Date of receipt
• Location
• Donor name and address
• Title
• Description
• Extent
• Restrictions
62. Example Accession Register
• The Accession Register logs summary information
about incoming materials and donor’s details
(including contact information)
• This information is not made available to the
public
• Finding aids (more detailed public archival
descriptions) are created from Accession
Register information
64. Why do we arrange and describe
records?
– To know what we’ve got and where it is
– To make materials accessible to potential
users
– To explain the context of the creation and use
of records
65. Arrangement is the intellectual and/or
physical processes of organizing documents in
accordance with accepted archival principles
Description is the creation of an accurate
representation of the archival material by the
process of capturing, collating, analyzing, and
organizing information that serves to identify
archival material and to explain the context and
records systems that produced it.
Rules for Archival Description (revised version, 2008)
67. Provenance
• Chain of custody is important for
demonstrating the authenticity of archival
material
• We need to know the context and use of
materials over time in order for them to have
archival integrity
• Materials from one source or creator should
not be mixed with materials from another
68. Provenance
• Chain of custody is important for
demonstrating the authenticity of archival
material
• We need to know the context and use of
materials over time in order for them to have
archival integrity
• Materials from one source or creator should
not be mixed with materials from another
CABHC: DA 2014.01 (1) Unidentified family
69. • Context is crucial to understanding records
• Aim to preserve or recreate the arrangement
of materials to maintain the context of their
creation and use
Original order
71. Definition of a fonds
All of the documents, regardless of
form or medium, naturally generated
and/or accumulated and used by a
particular person, family or corporate
body in the conduct of personal or
corporate activity
International Council on Archives (1992)
’Statement of Principles Regarding Archival Description’
Archivaria 34
72. Acc.
No.
Records received Nature of Receipt
A The minute book of the Guelph Chapter of
the Imperial Order Daughters of the
Empire, dating 1955-1960.
Donated in May, 1980 by Georges
Babineau, who found it in the attic of the
house he purchased.
B 2 m of minutes, correspondence and other
textual records, dating 1966-1975, of the
Galt Chapter of the Imperial Order
Daughters of the Empire.
Donated in May, 1988 by Estelle Trethewey.
She was the last recording secretary of the
chapter, which folded in 1975.
C 212 loose photographs taken by Estelle
Trethewey, dating 1971-1982, showing
events of the Galt Chapter of the IODE,
and also other social and family occasions
in the Galt/Cambridge Area.
Donated in June, 1996 by Johanna
Trethewey, the granddaughter of Estelle
Trethewey.
D A second minute book of the Guelph
Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters
of the Empire, dating 1960-1966.
Donated in October, 1999 by Marlys
Cabbalie, daughter of the a member of the
Guelph Chapter of the Imperial Order
Daughters of the Empire.
Activity: Identifying fonds in accessions
73. Fonds
• Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire,
Guelph Chapter fonds (Accessions A and
D)
• Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire,
Galt Chapter fonds (Accession B)
• Estelle Trethewey fonds (Accession C)
74. More terminology!
• Fonds are usually subdivided into series
• A series is a group of records within a fonds which are
related to each other in some way
• Series contain files or items
75.
76. Collections
• Materials that were not generated as part of the
activity of a person or organisation
• For example:
– A group of postcards of a local town
– Records relating to a particular subject,
assembled by an individual
• These are not fonds, but collections
• Their provenance and original order may have been lost,
but they can be arranged and described as a discrete
group of records in the same way as a fonds
79. 1. Gather background information
• Find out as much as you can about the creator
of the materials you are going to be processing
– Accession records and correspondence
– Internet searches
• Sometimes you may have very little information
on the creator, which makes Step 2 even more
important…
80. 2. Survey the material
• Look through the fonds/collection
• Get a sense of what it contains
• See if there is any obvious original order
• Identify materials which can be disposed of
– Make a note of anything you do discard
81. 3. Physically arrange the material
• Group related materials together
– reflecting original order if that is possible
– bearing the end user in mind
– following any local conventions
82. Example of a
repository with
an arrangement
and numbering
scheme for
certain types of
records
88. Boxes in the Basement
• 89 boxes – materials had already been
used by researchers: box numbers were
known and records could not be re-
arranged
• Had to sort items within each box
– Original boxes were replaced
with archival packaging
– Each box filled around 3 archive boxes
90. 4. Prepare material for storage
• Package materials in acid-free containers
– Less essential if your storage area is climate-controlled
• Remove rubber bands
• Remove metal fastenings, if this is your
institution’s policy
– This may not always be appropriate, depending on the
bulk of material involved
• Label materials and packaging with reference
numbers
91. Important!
• Bearing in mind the principles of provenance,
original order, and making life easier for users…
– There is no ‘right way’ to arrange materials
– Common sense counts for much!
– Making archives available for use is the key thing
92. Summary
• If it is possible to do so, arrange materials in a
way that reflects the way they were originally
generated and used
• If not, think about the best arrangement from
the point of view of the users of the materials
94. Description
• A means of establishing intellectual control over
materials held in archives
– What we have
– Where to find it
• A way of sharing information with potential
users about what our records contain
95. Archival description
• Defined by Canadian Rules for Archival
Description as:
“…the creation of accurate representations
of archival material. Archivists capture,
collate, analyze, and organize information
about material that serves to identify it and
to explain its context and the systems that
produced it.”
Rules for Archival Description (revised version, 2008)
96. Standards for archival description
• No standard way to describe archives until late
20th century
• Then: a flurry of descriptive standards
– In Canada: Rules for Archival Description (RAD) – 1990
(revised 2008)
– Internationally: International Standard for Archival
Description (General) (ISAD(G)) - 1994
97. Series System
• Developed in Australia in 1960s and widely
used by archives of all kinds there
• In Canada it is mainly used to describe
government records such as those held by
the Archives of Ontario
98. Key principles for archival
description
• Describe from the general to the specific
• Arrangement defines description: once
the material is arranged in a logical fashion,
the description should be straightforward
– Start with the fonds or collection level, then
describe each series, with its associated files
or items
• Do not repeat information unnecessarily
• Contain information relevant to the level of
description
100. Level of description Contents Reference
number
Fonds Overview of entire fonds 2008.33
Fonds-level description only
Title: Grantchester Women’s Institute
Reference: 2008.33
Dates: 1966-2003
Extent: 133cm
Repository: Smalltown Community Archives
Scope and Content: Minute books, correspondence and other records relating
to Grantchester Women’s Institute.
Administrative History: Grantchester Women’s Institute was organized in
December 1966. It closed in 2003.
101. Level of
description
Contents Possible
number
Fonds Overview of entire fonds 2008.33
Series 1 Description of minute books 2008.33/1
Series 2 Description of
correspondence
2008.33/2
Series 3 Overall description of ‘other
materials’
2008.33/3
A more detailed finding aid
102. Title: Grantchester Women’s Institute
Reference: 2008.33
Dates: 1966-2003
Extent: 133cm
Repository: Smalltown Community Archives
Scope and Content: Minute books, correspondence and other records relating
to Grantchester Women’s Institute.
Administrative History: Grantchester Women’s Institute was organized in
December 1966. It closed in 2003.
2008.33/1
Minute books
1966-1975
The minute books record the activities of the Institute and decisions made by its
committees
2008.33/2
Correspondence
1987-2003
2008.33/3
Other materials
103. Level of description Contents Possible number
Fonds Overview of entire fonds 2008.33
Series 1 Description of minute books 2008.33/1
Item 1 Description of minute book 1 2008.33/1/1
Item 2 Description of minute book 2 2008.33/1/2
Series 2 Description of
correspondence
2008.33/2
File 1 Description of administrative
correspondence
2008.33/2/1
File 2 Description of thank-you
letters
2008.33/2/2
Series 3 Overall description of ‘other
materials’
2008.33/3
Textual layout of detailed finding
aid
In this example, the numbering reflects
the hierarchy of the arrangement.
104. Title: Grantchester Women’s Institute
Reference: 2008.33
Dates: 1966-2003
Extent: 133cm
Repository: Smalltown Community Archives
Scope and Content: Minute books, correspondence and other records relating
to Grantchester Women’s Institute.
Administrative History: Grantchester Women’s Institute was organized in
December 1966. It closed in 2003.
2008.33/1
Minute books
1966-1975
The minute books record the activities of the Institute and decisions made by its
committees
2008.33/1/1
Minute book
1966-1969
2008.33/1/2
Minute book
1969-1975
…
105. What level of description is
appropriate?
• Depends on:
– Nature of the materials
– User demand
– Time and expertise available
• Anything is better than nothing!
106. What should we describe?
Discussion: what information do we need to
record in a fonds/collection-level description?
107. Descriptive standards
• Archival description standards break down
descriptions into a set of key elements
• This helps archivists describe materials in a
consistent way
• …and helps users know what to expect from an
archival description
108. Some core elements of description
Fonds/Collection level
Repository
Title
Name of creator
Dates
Size/extent of materials
Information about creator
Description of materials (scope and content)
Restrictions on access
Reference number
Custodial history of the material
These elements are
common to most
archival descriptive
standards
114. The Series System
• For certain types of records, particularly
those of governments, it is easier to
describe records at the level of series,
rather than as a fonds
• The creating body may change frequently
(e.g. with government reorganizations),
while the records continue to be created
according to their original purpose
116. Tools for archival description
• Word-processing
• Spreadsheets or databases
• Dedicated archival software
How do you
plan to
share your
descriptions
with your
users?
117. Some things to look for
• Support for archival description standards
• Ability to publish descriptions online
• Ability to export descriptions to a different
system in future
• Integration with accessioning process
118. In summary
• Descriptions of archives help archivists and
end users:
• Find materials
• Understand how and why they were created
• Using descriptive standards makes
sharing information easier
• Even a very summary description is better
than none!
120. Share information
• Make your finding aids available
• Provide regular opening hours
– and stick to them!
– use an appointment system, if necessary
• Welcome new users and assume they are
new to using archives
– listen to their research request
– explain how to use the archives
121. General guidelines
• Have a clean, tidy, space suitable for
consulting archives
• Provide equal access to all
• Supervise archives users (discreetly!)
• Don’t let users into storage areas
unsupervised
• Keep a log of visitors, phone calls, email
queries
– Useful for compiling statistics
122. Visitor log
• Used to be kept as a visitor book in many
archives
– but gathering personal information like
addresses and and having it available to
anyone to read is problematic
• Better to get researchers to fill in
individual forms and keep those
126. Managing queries
• Keep a log
– could be in the form of a journal
– or a register in a spreadsheet
127. Dealing with copies
• Scan, rather than photocopy, if possible
• Create a filing system for scans which
mirrors your physical system
128. Link copies to queries
• Using shortcuts, to save storage space
129. Services
• Decide on your policy relating to use of
cameras in the reading room
• Consider asking people for donations
rather than charging set fees for making
scans/copies
130. Using archives
• Don’t give researchers too much material at
once
• Don’t let food or drink near archival materials
• Insist on the use of pencils
• Provide white gloves for handling
photographs
131. Discussion: do you have any tips or experiences
about reference services to share with the group?
133. In-person promotion
• Talks to community groups
• History walks
• Community events
• Doors Open
• Press/radio/local TV
134. Make connections
• Cultivate good relationships with
– PR department of parent body
• be prompt in responding to image requests
– Local media people
• who are generally hungry for content
– Local educational institutions
• good source of volunteers
135. Outreach by pen
• Newsletters
• Blog posts
• Posters/exhibits/displays
• Brochures
137. Outreach by pixel
• Some sort of internet presence is essential
• Keep it up to date
• Use free services if you have no budget
– Omeka.net
– Flickr.com
– Wordpress.com
138. Social media
• Twitter and Facebook are great tools for
connecting with users and fellow
professionals
139. Make it easy…
• …for people to find and use your materials
• Digitize as much as possible
• …share images online with permissive
licences when they are out of copyright
Mention oath at Bodleian: "I hereby undertake not to remove from the Library, or to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document, or other object belonging to it or in its custody; not to bring into the Library or kindle therein any fire or flame, and not to smoke in the Library; and I promise to obey all rules of the Library."
Has anyone ever looked at an item that was accepted by a predecessor and asked themselves “Why did they keep that?”
Together, the principles of maintaining provenance and original order form the concept of respect des fonds in archival theory.
e.g. duplicates, materials which do not meet your collecting policies
Example of listing scheme for parish records – also Rhodes House categories for records of colonial administrators