Obtaining correspondence file
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If your collection is quite new, you should check with curators Kathy Jacob or Kenvi Phillips to Jenny Gotwals, Patrice Green, and Victor Betts to see if they have any other information in a personal file on the collection.
Access HOLLIS Bibliographic Record
Print out the bib records from HOLLIS. The brief bio and scope notes provide a useful starting point.
Next, update the catalog record in ALMA in order to notify potential researchers that the material is not available until it is processed.
If the collection had an item record, delete it so that the collection cannot be requested through Aeon. See Creating and Deleting Item Records in Alma.
You must update both the 500 and 506 fields (see below).
Open the bibliographic record. If there is a 500 field stating "Unprocessed but available for research," delete it.
In the holdings record, either add or alter existing 506 line:
506 1b $aClosed while being processed.[b=blank; $=delimiter]
Save to the database. Look at the record in HOLLIS to make sure it is correct. (See Updating records Editing an existing bibliographic record in Alma for more information.)
Review, Complete and Re-file the Accession/Control Card(s)
The blue accession/control cards (usually referred to as the "blue cards") contain the most complete information on each collection before it is processed. These cards (located in the brown metal 5x8 card file in the accessioning area on the Library 3rd floor) note donor/collection name; date, quantity (including formats), previous locations (no longer valid), and existence of finding aids. The initials PI (found in the location column) stand for Preliminary Inventory; more recent lists are denoted CL, for Container Lists (see below). Pull the blue card(s) for the collection from the "Unprocessed Collections" section. Enter your name and the date you begin processing. Photocopy the card(s) for future reference when pulling materials from the vault(s), ordering material from the Harvard Depository (HD), the offsite repository, and entering accession information in finding aids. Refile blue card(s) in the "Work in Progress" section of the card file (also filed alphabetically by collection).
Review The Preliminary Finding Aids & Container Lists
Some collections have Preliminary Inventories (PIs) as noted on the accession card; while we no longer use this term, or create preliminary inventories, the information they contain is helpful. Hard copies of preliminary inventories are interfiled alphabetically with finding aids for processed collections in the lateral files outside Room 420. They were typed/printed on yellow paper, to distinguish them from the finding aids for processed collections. Copies (on white paper only) of both final finding aids and PIs are also in the black binders in the reference area (2nd floor), and in the Reading Room. Notify Public Services when you begin processing a collection so they can remove these copies.
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Obtain a Manuscript Collection Number (MC#) and EAD ID #
After collecting the above background information, assign the collection a MC#.
First consult the MC shelf list (white 4x6" cards) located in the "Shelf List" drawer of the card file located in the accessioning area on the 3rd floor of the Library. The card in the back of the MC section has the list of assigned numbers; use the next one. The format is: MC ###. Be sure to enter the next number and your collection name on the card.
At this point, if undertaking a very large collection, consult with your team lead Kelcy about ordering a rubber stamp bearing the collection name and MC number. A pre-made stamp saves time in labeling folders; stamping empty folders is far more efficient than stamping full ones.
Each collection must also have an EAD ID # assigned by Paula Aloisio. This unique identification number is required by the OASIS site at Harvard to mark up your finding aid in XML. The format appears as three lower case alpha characters, representing each institution, followed by five numerals (e.g., sch10342).
Background Research
To obtain familiarity with the subject of your collection and gain rudimentary information for the biographical note, consult a variety of sources; start with Notable American Women, and Who's Who (both available in Public Services), and any existing biographies (available at Harvard). Consult online resources as well, including: World Biographical Information System Index, http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.eresource:wbiogind.