18 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
description (EAD) records are completed in the Manuscripts Unit in the Special Collection Department. MARC records
are generated from EAD in the Manuscripts Unit, then transferred and completed for entry in the Library’s OPAC by the
Bibliographic Control Department.
Archives and manuscripts are described by archivists. Fonds and collection descriptions and finding aids are posted
at our Web site, ACHEION, and CAIN (the latter 2 are union lists for Ontario and Canada, respectively). Fonds and
collection descriptions are also accessible through the Library’s online catalogue with URLs to finding aids. Rare books
and journals are catalogued for the Library’s online catalogue outside of the department.
Books and serials are cataloged by Central Technical Services (CTS) “manuscript” and “archive” collections are
processed by Special Collections staff although CTS may create collection level records for the bibliographic database.
Each special collection processes its own manuscripts and archives. The University Archives is processed by the Western
History Collections.
For rare books and serials, Special Collections shares responsibilities with two cataloging units for complete processing
of these materials.
Formerly, the University Archives and Special Collections were in the same department. At present, although we share a
reading room and stacks space, we are two completely separate administrative entities.
IU Bloomington has 2 large special collection units on campus: The Lilly Library and the Indiana University Archives.
These units are separate from one another.
LSU Special Collections includes the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, a regional history collection
that includes published and unpublished/manuscript materials. Our “Manuscripts Processing Unit” processes those
collections. University Archives is also a part of Special Collections, and a separate unit processes the university records.
Manuscripts -manuscript unit &cataloging department. Archives -university archives unit. Rare Books -rare books
unit. Georgiana collection -cataloging department.
Manuscripts and archival materials are arranged and described in their appropriate Special Collections unit, and catalog
records are then prepared in the Special Collections unit of the Technical Services Department.
Most processing work is done in Archives and Special Collections. Cataloging and some metadata work is done in
technical services.
Our Special Collections department is made up of 5 units: Rare Books, Manuscripts, Film &Media Archive, Modern
Graphic History Library, and University Archives. All 5 units have archival collections that are processed by unit staff.
Printed books, serials, and ephemera are centrally cataloged manuscripts (codices, documents, papers, records, etc.)
and most photographs are cataloged by staff within the Rare Book &Manuscript Library.
Rare Book and Serial Cataloguing is a combined function of two library departments, Special Collections and
Cataloguing.
Rare books and serials processing are shared with Bibliographic and Metadata Services and Library Preservation.
Rare Books: 1 librarian for rare books 1 FTE support staff 1 PT book processor. Archives/Manuscripts: 5 FTE archivists
4 project-specific archivists 10 graduate interns 4-6 student employees 1-2 library program interns.
“Special collections” (an inherently problematic and fuzzy term) exist in many units of the library including University
Archives, Illinois History Collection, Rare Books, Music, History, Biology, etc.
Special Collections and Archives at Northwestern were combined formally only recently. In practice, we function