DESCRIPTION
One of the challenges inherent in archival processing is determining the level of description a set of archival records needs. Generally, at the Schlesinger, if we are processing something that is because we want a very good folder-level inventory and description of the contents, as well as a higher-level description of the scope of the papers or records. Researchers benefit when archivists can provide subject description at the folder level, especially in a run of chronological or even alphabetical correspondence.
Examples of correspondence well-described at the folder level (identified by Research Services staff):
Ames family historical collection (Series III and IV are well-described, many others have no description yet)
CREATING FOLDER TITLES
See also Stylesheet for specific instances.
If the majority of folders have titles supplied by the donor, retain those titles (and say so in the scope and content note). Add your own additions to donor titles, or pertinent information, in brackets
EXAMPLE: 4.7. Scrapbook [Erasmus Hall High School], 1937.
In such a situation, folders where you create the title should also be denoted by quotations or brackets.
EXAMPLE: 7.11. [Fund for a Conservative Majority], 1983
If only a few or no folder titles were supplied by the donor, create your own folder titles. In this situation, any folder titles created by the donor should be demarcated by quotation marks. This should also be spelled out in the scope and content note.
EXAMPLE: 8.2. Diary: "African notebook #3," April 1993 - March 1994
If the material is undated or a folder contains dated as well as undated material, "n.d." should appear after the title, following the dated material
EXAMPLE: 5.3. Correspondence, 1968, n.d.
If you can provide an approximate date for materials, write the date using "ca." for circa, and DO NOT put a space between the period and the year.
EXAMPLE: 6.9. Cape Cod Fish Net Industries publicity contacts in New York City, notes, ca.1939
Keep folder titles simple. They should not contain extensive information about formats already provided in the scope and content note. In other words, if the scope and content note states that most folders in an "Engagements" series contain correspondence, notes, programs, clippings, etc., it is unnecessary to repeat the listing of genres in each folder title. However, you may point out items that fall outside the scope of listed materials for that group (e.g., "includes diary").
You WILL want to point out notable content in folders. If a folder has been titled "Correspondence 1902" by the donor, and you find it contains love letters, say so in the folder title. If a folder is primarily about a trip to California, and also contains commentary on the suffrage battle there, say so. (see above re: description)
If a diary is entirely about a person's health and the weather, but one day also details the death of President Kennedy, you can note the entry about JFK at the folder level, and more generally describe the quotidian nature of the diary in the Scope and Content.
See the stylesheet for more detail about colons, semicolons, and how to structure folder titles with added comments about content.
Always capitalize the first word in each folder title.
Labeling Folders With Descriptive Headings
In the upper left corner of a legal-sized folder tab, either write the MC # and collection name (in pencil) or for larger collections, use a custom-made rubber stamp. Once the collection is completely processed and ready to be numbered, the file unit number (consisting of the container number and the folder number) will be written underneath the MC #. The folder heading follows the MC # an inch or so to the right. E.g.:
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