Processing Decisions for Manuscripts & Archives, SPEC Kit 314 (November 2009)

Hackbart-Dean, Pam; Slomba, Elizabeth

SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts &Archives · 69
Only used in very rare collections when material is homogenous.
Optimal level for many collections, particularly for University Archives.
Organize materials into an architectural format and structure for apprehending materials.
Our default Level is 2: series-level description.
Patron access needs. (5 responses)
Priority/value of the collection.
Processing policy.
Provides overview information on collection and may highlight value of one series over another.
Research value, staff time to process.
Series level description must suffice to provide patrons with a detailed account of the series content and its relation to
the collection as a whole.
Size and homogeneity.
Size of collection. (2 responses)
Size of collection staffing levels.
Size of fonds/collection and need to support patron access.
Size, research value.
Staff time and patron access needs.
Staffing, access needs, size.
The size of the collection and the content value are the two main factors in determining a series-level description.
Used as a pre-processing level for materials considered as very low use or for extremely small collections.
Used for large-volume Congressional office records.
Used for very large collections.
Usually create at least rough series.
Usually only with larger collections.
Collection-level N=54
A temporary description, used to alert researchers to existence of the collection.
All collections get this level of description it would be rare not to go beyond this level.
All collections receive collection level description small (~100 items or fewer) and/or uniform collections most likely to
only receive a collection level description.
All our collections get MARC records and Web site listing to send to storage.

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SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts & Archives (November 2009) resources

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SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts &Archives · 69
Only used in very rare collections when material is homogenous.
Optimal level for many collections, particularly for University Archives.
Organize materials into an architectural format and structure for apprehending materials.
Our default Level is 2: series-level description.
Patron access needs. (5 responses)
Priority/value of the collection.
Processing policy.
Provides overview information on collection and may highlight value of one series over another.
Research value, staff time to process.
Series level description must suffice to provide patrons with a detailed account of the series content and its relation to
the collection as a whole.
Size and homogeneity.
Size of collection. (2 responses)
Size of collection staffing levels.
Size of fonds/collection and need to support patron access.
Size, research value.
Staff time and patron access needs.
Staffing, access needs, size.
The size of the collection and the content value are the two main factors in determining a series-level description.
Used as a pre-processing level for materials considered as very low use or for extremely small collections.
Used for large-volume Congressional office records.
Used for very large collections.
Usually create at least rough series.
Usually only with larger collections.
Collection-level N=54
A temporary description, used to alert researchers to existence of the collection.
All collections get this level of description it would be rare not to go beyond this level.
All collections receive collection level description small (~100 items or fewer) and/or uniform collections most likely to
only receive a collection level description.
All our collections get MARC records and Web site listing to send to storage.

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68 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
Anticipated research use. (2 responses)
Archives: staff availability.
Can’t think of a collection that fits this description.
Complexity of collection and/or creating agency.
Complexity of the accession and degree of original order.
Corporate collections homogeneous records very large collections.
Currently, considering especially as we move through large collections.
Depends on what type of collection.
Don’t have time to do folder level, intellectual short cut.
Factors checked above are constantly applied against all levels.
Folder/box contents have a clearly describable relationship to each other.
Homogeneity of material in series, anticipated use and research significance.
Homogeneity of the series.
Homogeneity individual importance of items is generally less important than the significance of the series as a whole.
Homogeneous content and/or pre-arranged folders.
Identification of the genre types, formats, or subjects included as a rationale for level of processing (i.e., correspondence
has greater potential than newspaper clippings, but both are integral portions of collection).
If a collection has series, either originally or that we have created in arrangement most fully processed collections will
have series level “naturally occurring” series in minimally processed collections will receive description.
If a collection is large, we would likely need to/want to include series.
If series are small or homogeneous, then series-level description may be adequate.
If the collection is continuously added to, e.g., university department, patron access needs.
If the collection is university records, series level is the norm.
If the materials can be understood as an aggregate whole at the series-level and researchers will be able to get in the
right neighborhood for their research, then we describe at the series-level. Most minimally processed collections are
series-level.
Importance of materials and anticipated use.
Is the material uniform enough or small enough so that a series scope and content summary represents it adequately?
It is rare for us to use this level and would probably only be used for very large or unprocessed collections.
Maintaining original order.
Often done for.
Other collections with varieties of format or function are identified for series level processing.

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SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts & Archives (November 2009) resources

70 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
Always—collection level in both EAD-encoded finding aids and at least collection level for corresponding MARC
records.
Archives: staff availability.
Awareness/publicity that the collection is available for research even though access may be inhibited by lack of
organization.
Backlog, staffing level, preservation risks.
Basic inventory.
Collection level description must suffice to provide patrons with a detailed description of the collection as a whole.
Collection of low anticipated use/demand may initially receive this level of description, with the idea that description
could be expanded upon at a later date if the materials are requested.
Collection size (small) or homogeneity.
Collections consisting of one folder or of less that ca. 10 boxes of homogenous material are described at this level.
Done at accessing.
Done for all.
Essential to the most limited access every attempt is made to create at least a rudimentary collection-level description
on accession.
Expected patron use.
Factors checked above are constantly applied against all levels.
Generally, a stopgap description only, made available only until the collection has been properly described. A few
collections will remain more or less permanently at the collection level, usually because they are not of sufficient
research value to warrant greater investment.
Give researchers a brief but comprehensive view of what the collection contains and does not contain.
Homogeneity of collection.
If a collection is small and homogeneous or of low research value, then we might describe at the collection level. A
collection-level description might be an initial, temporary description to let potential users know that we have the
collection. If we receive inquiries, we could then do additional processing.
If no register needs to be created, then there will only be a collection-level cataloging record. Usually, the collection is
small and contains only one or two series.
If the collection is small and the materials can be understood at an aggregate level without compromising access, then
we describe at the collection-level. Some minimally processed collections are done at the collection-level.
If we can provide some access with a collection level record we do that. Most often with collections that are
homogeneous in nature.
Immediacy of access.
Importance of materials and anticipated use.
Initial processing beyond accessioning and until full processing is possible.

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Page 7Survey Results click to expand contents

Page 123Representative Documents click to expand contents

Page 125Job Description of Processing Decision Maker click to expand contents

Page 129Job Descriptions of Processing Staff click to expand contents

Page 133Processing Policy click to expand contents

Page 137Processing Procedures Manuals click to expand contents

Page 143Processing Worksheets click to expand contents

Page 151Procedures for Prioritizing Processing click to expand contents

Page 155Collecting Processing Statistics click to expand contents

Page 159Sample Statistics Reports click to expand contents

Page 163Selected Resources click to expand contents

SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts & Archives (November 2009) resources

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SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts & Archives (November 2009) resources

SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts & Archives (November 2009) resources