SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts &Archives · 121
in order to be used effectively by researchers. Over the three-year period, processing priorities have been refocused
to be in line with the collecting priorities of the Special Collections program, with a particular emphasis on areas such
as architecture, plant genetics and genomics, and history of computing. We have worked to integrate processing
and description efforts for general, special, and digital collections. Processing priorities have also been adjusted to
improve storage conditions for collections at risk and to make more efficient use of storage. Additionally, we have
supported enhanced access to collections needed for exhibits or other special events, such as departmental anniversary
celebrations. Improvements and streamlined processing procedures resulted in a wealth of new collections being made
available to researchers. Increased access is the direct result of a concerted effort to undertake arrangement adequate
to make the collection usable description at a level sufficient to facilitate use and minimal physical preservation.
Processing staff focused on getting more collections into the hands of users by generating appropriately concise, high-
quality access tools.
This department has experienced a large amount of change in the past few years (staff, collections, physical space, and
autonomy) and those recent changes have greatly affected the answers to this survey. Like most ARL Special Collections
departments we have more collections and obligations than our staff size can easily handle, but we are able to make
great progress on a project-by-project basis.
This survey was completed by the acting department head who is a librarian and not an archivist based on input from
two archivists and one support staff member.
Those who process range from full-time faculty, professional staff, temporary staff, and students many of whom
have completely different ideas on how deeply a collection should be processed. At the moment we are taking a
strategic approach to integrating all collection data into one content management system, then prioritizing the backlog,
and working more collaboratively within the archives. It has been very separate in the past Manuscripts, AV, Public
Policy, and University Archives. It is my goal to make us work together as the Archives.
Use of processing standards such as RAD.
We are in a time of transition with changes in personnel as well as philosophical changes regarding the processing,
access, and use of the collections.
We have been doing very little other than minimal processing for several years and I don’t see that changing.
We have just recently started to implement a limited MPLP project. We think that this project will provide us with further
impetus to better delineate processing priorities and levels of processing for all collections.
We will be transitioning to the Archivists’ Toolkit in the next year or so but the AT product has some serious deficiencies
(e.g., reporting and workflow sequence) that will make the change quite disruptive.
Western Archives is currently in a state of transition as a result of a functional review that realigned responsibilities and
reformed practices. A new Archives and Special Collections team is consolidating and coordinating activities and new
archives management software is being implemented.
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