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

Hackbart-Dean, Pam; Slomba, Elizabeth

SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts &Archives · 91
something we ordinarily do not do. This item-level description has been considered part of the digitization process rather
than part of processing. As we go forward with digitization, we will consider creating metadata at the folder or series
level rather than the item level for some collections. These decisions about metadata will be similar to decisions we
currently make about processing and will be made in conjunction with processing decisions.
We have digitized already existing finding aids.
We have quite a few digital collections, but these are not directly influencing processing decisions (at least, not yet).
We have several large projects in place, as well as a goodly number of smaller ones. Nearly all draw good traffic and
frequent follow-up questions.
We might consider processing levels as we consider metadata for potential future digital projects, but have not yet done
so.
We’ve digitized quite a lot, although I don’t know that it has influenced our processing decisions.
When we make processing decisions, this is not important in our decision making.
While patrons expect everything to be online, we are careful in selecting appropriate collections for digitization.
With over 50,000 digitized items available in our Digital Archives, use and discoverability of materials has increased.
Management Tools
12. Is there a written processing policy for manuscript and archival collections? N=72
Yes 39 54%
No 33 46%
If no, does your unit/department/library have standard practices concerning processing that are
communicated to all processing staff? N=33
Yes 32 97%
No 1 3%
If yes, how are the practices communicated? N=31
Archives: verbally, usually archivist to student workers.
Processing procedures manual. (7 responses)
E-mail, in person.
Face to face, meetings and e-mail.
Handouts and verbal instruction.
Hands-on training with verbal instruction and practice.

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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 · 91
something we ordinarily do not do. This item-level description has been considered part of the digitization process rather
than part of processing. As we go forward with digitization, we will consider creating metadata at the folder or series
level rather than the item level for some collections. These decisions about metadata will be similar to decisions we
currently make about processing and will be made in conjunction with processing decisions.
We have digitized already existing finding aids.
We have quite a few digital collections, but these are not directly influencing processing decisions (at least, not yet).
We have several large projects in place, as well as a goodly number of smaller ones. Nearly all draw good traffic and
frequent follow-up questions.
We might consider processing levels as we consider metadata for potential future digital projects, but have not yet done
so.
We’ve digitized quite a lot, although I don’t know that it has influenced our processing decisions.
When we make processing decisions, this is not important in our decision making.
While patrons expect everything to be online, we are careful in selecting appropriate collections for digitization.
With over 50,000 digitized items available in our Digital Archives, use and discoverability of materials has increased.
Management Tools
12. Is there a written processing policy for manuscript and archival collections? N=72
Yes 39 54%
No 33 46%
If no, does your unit/department/library have standard practices concerning processing that are
communicated to all processing staff? N=33
Yes 32 97%
No 1 3%
If yes, how are the practices communicated? N=31
Archives: verbally, usually archivist to student workers.
Processing procedures manual. (7 responses)
E-mail, in person.
Face to face, meetings and e-mail.
Handouts and verbal instruction.
Hands-on training with verbal instruction and practice.

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90 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
More processing work: item-level description not previously done management of digital objects file versions.
Need to make sure that finding aid descriptions are detailed enough to reuse as metadata. Link images to finding aids
after the finding aid is completely tagged and the images have been loaded to contentDM.
No impact yet.
None. (2 responses)
Often requires more detailed description at the item level but this work is performed by staff in our digital library which
means their workload will impact decisions for this level.
On occasion drives the processing decisions and increases the visibility of a collection.
Pilot project digitizing 22 linear foot manuscript collection running 2008–2010, impact assessed upon completion of
project.
Put it up and they will come.
RBSC: requires accurate data set more detail in description.
Requires more item-level processing while we’re moving away from more detailed access, digitization is pulling us back
in this direction.
Significant impact.
The few digitization projects we’ve completed have increased use exponentially. We digitized 6,000–7,000 wax
cylinders with an IMLS grant and anyone can listen or download. There have been several million hits on the cylinder
Web site and access to some of the rarer items has resulted in major new directions for research in historical sound
recordings.
The Library’s pilot digitization projects have demonstrated the usefulness of repurposing metadata. The projects have
also raised the need for more effective content management, especially for cross collection searching and linking to
digital content.
The opportunity to add a collection to a list of digitization projects has a major impact on which collections get what
level of processing.
Things must be processed to the item level.
This conflicts with MPLP because especially for photos they really need item-level description to be useful to and
locatable by patrons.
This has a tremendous amount of impact. Obviously, it’s what our researchers want. It brings exposure to the archives
and gets users interested.
To be determined pilot projects just underway.
Top priority.
Useful for reference but inherent expectation that everything can and will be available electronically.
We are only digitizing from processed collections.
We digitize only processed collections, so decisions about what to digitize and what to process must be coordinated. In
general, we are digitizing collections in order to provide better access to important collections, and these are collections
that also have a high priority for processing. Digitization as we have done it so far requires item-level description—

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92 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
In consultation with Special Collections Cataloging, which is part of the cataloging department of the libraries.
In person during training. Via consultation in meetings as needed.
Oral instruction and following precedents.
Orally by supervisor, or by manual.
Part of staff training.
SAA, EAD, OAC, National Archivist Standards, staff meetings, and training.
Staff meetings, e-mail, training sessions.
Team/project discussions, by supervisors, and in department-wide meetings.
The existing processing manual is out of date. An EAD manual is in the planning stages.
The Head of Archival Processing communicates local standard practices orally, via written plans, or through e-mail.
Through one-on-one training and some locally produced handouts.
Training materials and guidelines.
Verbally and by demonstration and example. The librarians in charge of each collecting area are free to exercise their
own best judgment.
Verbally with hands-on instruction. (4 responses)
We have biweekly staff meetings and we discuss workflow and processing concerns at those meetings. With only 1.5
catalogers on staff it is very difficult to get collections processed to the item level. We concentrate on 2 collections —
Peabody Awards and WSB Newsfilm — those are the most used collections we have.
We have sets of instructions for individual steps in processing, from description to preservation.
We use RAD (Rules for Archival Description).
Written policies and practice are currently being revised for use by staff.
13. Does your unit/department/library have an in-house processing procedures manual for
manuscripts and archives? N=70
Yes 52 74%
No 18 26%
14. Is there a document that lists the workflow steps for “processing” a collection? N=71
Yes 51 72%
No 20 28%

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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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