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The Library is responsible for the care and security of its collections. End-processing manuscripts is an essential activity through which that responsibility is met. Consequently, maturity is expected of all staff, involving the ability to focus, follow through, be organized, follow rules, ask appropriate questions, and keep work spaces neat. Ideally, all new staff working with manuscripts and collections should be clear about (preferably written) duties and expectations agreed upon with their supervisor. Before diving into the work, read the Goals and Responsibilities, and especially these Guidelines for all. Your supervisor should provide you with things you need to do the work. Please ask them if you feel you are missing any of the basics, or if anything about your workstation requires adjustment.
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- Do not try to flatten random creases or dogears (bent corners).
- Interleave or otherwise segregate harmful or delicate material. Ask the end processor about what type of interleaving to use.
- Do not try to remove pressure sensitive tape or adhesions from manuscripts, keep a list of such items and consult the end processor and your supervisor.
- Do not use pressure sensitive (scotch, etc.) tape to mend or construct enclosures of any kind.
- Do not attached "post-its" directly to manuscript material of any kind.
- Keep erasure spread minimized so it doesn't get into the folders.
- Ask the end processor for assistance with anything that does not fit in standard supplies (file folders and boxes)
- Always notify your supervisor or the end processor if you see something fragile or otherwise problematic.
- Consult the end processor if custom labels or housing seem to be needed
- Do not invent your own solutions for anything problematic, ask first
- Use only archival paper strips (provided at student workstations) when a marker is required
IF YOU ARE WORKING ON A COLLECTION (rather than a single item)
Talk to your supervisor about these BASIC PROCEDURES, WARNINGS, AND TIPS:
APPLYING FOLDER LABELS AHEAD OF TIME
Sometimes collections will need to be refoldered. Do not apply labels in advance to empty folders in order to "save time" as this can cause one to mistake an empty folder for a finished one and it can throw off the numbering of all the folders. Also some items may turn out to be oversize and shelved separately, requiring a different size folder. If there happen to be many such items, the wrong size folder will continue to be labelled and supplies will go to waste. Applying labels slowly and carefully matching them with the items one at a time makes this less likely to happen, and provides an extra measure of "proofing" of everyone's work.
BINDING MATERIALS
Sometimes a group of papers is bound together with brads or staples or sewing along the edge. Always ask your supervisor whether to remove them. And consult the end processor if you intend to proceed. For the most part we don't spend time removing these things. So do not proceed without clear instructions from your supervisor. It might be that the materials should be left in if they are part of a formal-looking "binding", or in a pamphlet. Sometimes the binding can have research or artifactual importance. And, sometimes brads and thread are removed as they can more readily damage the paper during digitization. Certain kind of brads are not removable with ordinary tools, so they are left in. However, it is best to ask first, as the curator sometimes has a specific reason for wanting to keep the binding intact or wanting brads or staples removed. Before going ahead and removing staples, get instruction from the end processor. See "REMOVING STAPLES"
BOX LABELS
For flat boxes, place a label holder on the center of the short end of box about 1/16" away from bottom, rubbing it down with a teflon folder as instructed. That way the label won't be obscured on boxes having a short lid. Apply label holder vertically on upright boxes, an inch or two from bottom. Or use self-adhesive box label holders to make temporary labels that list the call number/box number. Do not use post-it notes because they fall off. Do not label the tops of boxes because they will be obscured when shelved. Do not write directly on the boxes. This slide show, called Temporary housing for preservation projects.ppsx, shows why.
FOLDER LABELS
Always ask for a demonstration from the end processor before applying labels to folders. How to make, whether to make, who will make, what text to include, and orientation of labels are questions answered in coordination with end processing before you begin. This is an important step even if only using a penciled "label". Labels always go near the folded edge of the folder. And the fold is situated in the box along this (long) "drop down" side. This allows for thumbing through the folders easily. There are different conventions for oversize folders shelved in drawers.
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