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

Hackbart-Dean, Pam; Slomba, Elizabeth

96 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
Number of catalog records created/updated 52 75%
Number of items digitized 37 54%
Other 14 20%
Please describe other statistics category. N=14
AV items outsourced or duplicated.
Circulation and copy orders preservation photocopying.
Mainly for insurance purposes.
Number of collections processed.
Number of collections processed number and size of collections rehoused (if a collection, processed or unprocessed, is
only being rehoused).
Number of core records that are prepared, volume of cubic feet of accessions.
Number of inventories created, number of existing inventories converted to DACS format.
Number of pages of finding aids generate.
Preservation activities and number of hours per work completed.
Since we are at present engaged in retrospective conversion of existing finding aids to EAD, we have a spreadsheet to
track elements of that project (#pages converted, #finding aids created, #new MARC records generated, etc.)
Supplies costs: archival supplies used for each collection.
The source of accessions (gift/deposit/purchase/internal transfer/external transfer) items in arrearage items processed
items added to collections items transferred to other divisions in the Library items disposed of either by pulping or
return to donor.
We also maintain usage statistics for manuscripts and archival collections.
We track types of materials (photos, audiotapes, etc.) processed. Also preservation/conservation stats.
Please briefly describe how statistics are reported. N=68
An Excel workbook exists for each year, each month is a worksheet. Stats are entered and tallied. All staff see what the
other is processing.
Annual reports. (6 responses)
Annual reports created by our department, which are sent to the University Libraries administrative office.
Annual reports ARL preservation stats archival cataloging is compiled with other cataloging stats for the whole library.
Annually according to the Library online form. Also separate annual report published by University Archives online.
Annually, for internal planning purposes and externally for various organizations.
ARL and McLean’s magazine. Also for insurance purposes on an Excel spreadsheet.

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

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96 · Survey Results: Survey Questions And Responses
Number of catalog records created/updated 52 75%
Number of items digitized 37 54%
Other 14 20%
Please describe other statistics category. N=14
AV items outsourced or duplicated.
Circulation and copy orders preservation photocopying.
Mainly for insurance purposes.
Number of collections processed.
Number of collections processed number and size of collections rehoused (if a collection, processed or unprocessed, is
only being rehoused).
Number of core records that are prepared, volume of cubic feet of accessions.
Number of inventories created, number of existing inventories converted to DACS format.
Number of pages of finding aids generate.
Preservation activities and number of hours per work completed.
Since we are at present engaged in retrospective conversion of existing finding aids to EAD, we have a spreadsheet to
track elements of that project (#pages converted, #finding aids created, #new MARC records generated, etc.)
Supplies costs: archival supplies used for each collection.
The source of accessions (gift/deposit/purchase/internal transfer/external transfer) items in arrearage items processed
items added to collections items transferred to other divisions in the Library items disposed of either by pulping or
return to donor.
We also maintain usage statistics for manuscripts and archival collections.
We track types of materials (photos, audiotapes, etc.) processed. Also preservation/conservation stats.
Please briefly describe how statistics are reported. N=68
An Excel workbook exists for each year, each month is a worksheet. Stats are entered and tallied. All staff see what the
other is processing.
Annual reports. (6 responses)
Annual reports created by our department, which are sent to the University Libraries administrative office.
Annual reports ARL preservation stats archival cataloging is compiled with other cataloging stats for the whole library.
Annually according to the Library online form. Also separate annual report published by University Archives online.
Annually, for internal planning purposes and externally for various organizations.
ARL and McLean’s magazine. Also for insurance purposes on an Excel spreadsheet.

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SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts &Archives · 97
ARL annual report.
ARL annually requests a figure for total linear footage of manuscript and archival collections, which we provide. In
addition, there are quarterly MIS statistics which require the linear footage added to manuscript and archival collections.
By inclusion in the annual report of the department head to the Librarian.
Catalogers send me statistics of records. Archivist provides information on accessions with physical size. Three years
ago we did a full inventory of the collection to prepare for a move to a new building — these statistics have been
very helpful when deciding on processing and grant applications. We also have a workflow spreadsheet for digitizing
collections.
Collected by archivist and curator and reported to library admin annually.
Collected in-house for Departmental annual report.
Data informally maintained. Some data is reported to Assessment Librarian. (Archives).
Departmental annual report, ARL Stats.
For each fiscal year, the number of collections received, the total linear feet of growth, and the valuation of this annual
growth.
Form is submitted to supervisor (students to Library Assistant, graduate assistants to Manuscripts Processing Archivist,
LA’s and MSP Archivist to curator of manuscripts) and compiled for personnel evaluations and departmental annual
reports also entered into our accession and processing tracking database (Access) and periodically reviewed by Curator
of MS throughout the year qualitatively, all finding aids are reviewed by the Curator of MS before being published
catalog records are created by manuscripts processing staff and reviewed by the Special Collections Cataloger, who in
turn does all of the cataloging of university records.
Gathered monthly and reported quarterly to management.
Generally in the department annual report, as well as UC and ARL surveys.
In annual report or to lib admin. As requested.
In monthly reports by collection, annual report for department.
In the annual report, through publicity press releases and in listserves.
In the past we kept much more detailed individual and department statistics. Feeling that the work of maintaining
statistics was overtaking the work itself, we have since reduced our statistics to keeping only those we need for ARL
reporting.
Internal annual reports reported to Northwest Digital Archives (our regional consortial database of encoded finding
aids).
Internally to the statistics collector.
Linear feet processed and collection level MARC records are reported to the library administration each year.
Management uses are made of statistics. Accession records are included in various reports. A new “tracking”
spreadsheet will generate reports on size of records processed and number of descriptions (EAD and MARC) completed.
Annual performance evaluations include processing statistics.
Monthly and annually, in excel spreadsheets.

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

SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts &Archives · 95
Processing projects are reviewed by University Archivist.
Processing worksheets weekly, monthly and final reviews.
Processors’ work on materials is monitored to conform to general productivity expectations based on previously
established production rates.
Regular meeting and reports on progress.
Review of all finding aids by department head review of all EAD and MARC records by metadata archivist statistical
summaries of processing activities.
Statistics of volume processed during a year.
Students fill out a paper form as they process. This information is then entered into a MS Access database.
Supervising archivists have this responsibility. They review all or most work that’s done.
Supervision by the Manuscripts Librarian, University Archivist, and Accessioning and Processing Archivist.
Supervisors monitor and evaluate on a project-by-project basis.
The Head of Archival Processing and Cataloging conducts weekly, or as needed, meetings with processing staff and
students.
Use of Archivist’s Toolkit for monitoring activities. Supervisor evaluation of processor’s activities.
We don’t have formal tools, but we are constantly monitoring and evaluating processing activities. This happens within
the Technical Services Department (especially as we continue to standardize processes across the Department) and with
colleagues outside the Department, particularly curatorial and public services staff members.
We have a tool to check/evaluate our EAD finding aids against a set of required criteria. We also evaluate performance
against annual goals for both individuals and the department. Other than that, we have no formal tools.
We have updates at staff meetings, and I ask for statistical information from catalogers and archivist. We also keep
track of our digital transfers and file creation.
16. Does your unit/department/library collect statistics about processing manuscript and archives
collections? N=72
Yes 68 94%
No 4 6%
If yes, which categories of statistics are gathered? Check all that apply. N=69
Number of accessions including physical size 63 91%
Physical size of collections processed 62 90%
Number of finding aids digitized/encoded 58 84%

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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