Table of Contents maxLevel 1 absoluteUrl true printable false
| maxLevel | 1 |
|---|---|
| absoluteUrl | true |
| printable | false |
Background
Houghton Library has rich photographic collections spanning three curatorial areas: Printing and Graphic Arts, Modern Books and Manuscripts, and Harvard Theatre Collection. Description of these materials has been inconsistent across our cataloging and description systems (Alma, ArchivesSpace, and JSTOR Forum). Varying practices has led to complicated discovery for our users, requiring them to search multiple discovery systems (HOLLIS Images, HOLLIS, HOLLIS for Archival Discovery) to find all photographic material held by Houghton Library. Standards around photographic description will center around the needs of all image researchers to simplify discovery for our users.
Decisions on description of photographs have been made considering the image researcher study conducted by Amy Deschenes and Song Ha Kim in the Spring of 2020. One key finding that ground these recommendations is that our image researchers expressed the need to search for all visual materials, including restricted and non-digitized images. Description recommendations should apply to all our photographic material, whether there is a current plan to digitize or not.
...
Photograph collections and single-item photograph acquisitions will be accessioned through the Manuscript Section.
Photograph Collections
...
The accessioning archivist transfers photograph collections to the photograph librarian after creating Alma and ArchivesSpace records. The photograph Librarian will complete collection level processing, add container information in ArchivesSpace and Alma, then send to HD.
...
, single-item photographs, and photograph albums
The accessioning archivist will transfer single-item accessions to the photograph librarian after creating a baseline MARC record for itemprocess new photograph collections like any other incoming manuscript collection, with collections receiving finding aids and single items receiving MARC records. When the collection or single item is determined to be a priority it will be processed at a later date by the Photograph Librarian.
Single-item accruals
Single-item accruals to legacy collections will continue to be added to the finding aid by the accessioning archivist. Examples of this include HTC-2.
Collections with photographs
...
Other instances in which the Photograph Librarian should be involved include preservation consults.
Photograph accessioning
...
Description
The Photograph Librarian will consult best practices and standards when describing photographic material in Alma, ArchivesSpace, and JSTOR Forum. Note that JSTOR Forum will be used in addition to Alma and ArchivesSpace. This will allow us to utilize the strengths of all our cataloging systems and casts a wider net for discovery. While this might appear to duplicate effort on our part, this will reduce the burden on our users to search multiple discovery systems for our photographic material. Consistent description across our systems will be developed using DACS and DCRM(G) to aid in repurposing description across Alma, ArchivesSpace, and JSTOR Forum. This decision was made following a discussion between the Photograph Librarian, Associate Librarian of Houghton Library for Technical Services, Head of Manuscript Section, Head Rare Book Section, and the Digital Projects Manager.
...
Processing of photograph collections should follow the same processing guidelines as other collections at Houghton Library. Please consult the Houghton TS Manuscript Section wiki for current processes.
Single Item Photographs and Photograph Albums
Single item acquisitions will be cataloged in Alma and JSTOR Forum.
...
Digitization
In most cases, project digitization of photographs, photograph albums, and photograph collections will be managed by the photograph librarian.
...
Digital objects in the DRS will be linked to directly in ArchivesSpace, Alma, and JSTOR Forum. Past practice has been inconsistent, but we will no longer be linking to HOLLIS Images in Alma or ArchivesSpace. This decision was made to provide a consistent experience for our users and to lessen our reliance on a separate discovery system.
Documentation
2020 Image Researcher User Study