Obtaining correspondence file
Correspondence files for all collections are field in A-Z order by collection name in the filing room on the first floor.
If your collection is old or hasn't been added to in a number of years, the correspondence file may have been moved to the pool vault. You can find it there by searching in the
Schlesinger Library records to see if it is listed, and then locating it in SL Tracker.
If your collection is quite new, you should check with Kathy Jacob to see if she has any other information in her 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 Aleph in order to notify potential researchers that the material is not available until it is processed. 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 Aleph 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 on top of the lateral files outside Rm. 420) note donor/collection name; date, quantity (including formats), previous locations (no longer valid), and existence of finding aids.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.
If a PI exists in electronic form, it was transferred to a computer disc; its disc number will be noted on the blue card (e.g., Disc #68). These discs are located near the accession card file cabinet. If a collection has numerous accessions, or has a lengthy PI, the electronic file(s) can be copied back onto the computer to aid searching. Some of the files may no longer be readable by MS Word. If not, try opening them in either Notepad or Wordpad, but if they are gibberish, exit without saving, and consult the Technical Specialist to see if she can convert the document from its old software to Word. If that fails, scan the printed PI (with OCR) using the scanner on the 3rd floor.
Check OASIS to see if the preliminary finding aid has been posted as part of the retrospective conversion project. If the PI is posted in OASIS, contact the Technical Specialist and give her the EAD ID number for the preliminary finding aid (found at the end of the OASIS document). She will download the inventory for your use while processing the collection. In addition, she will request that you edit the inventory to reflect that the collection is closed while being processed. This entails deleting any information posted in the Access Restrictions section and adding "CLOSED WHILE BEING PROCESSED." Delete the entire rest of the finding aids, including biography and scope notes, inventory, etc.
Occasionally, there is more than one preliminary inventory posted on OASIS for a collection that you will be consolidating into one finding aid. In this case, you will edit one (it doesn't matter which one) of the inventories to indicate that the entire collection is closed while being processed. This temporary OASIS finding aid should reflect the dates and accession number for all the inventories that were once posted on OASIS. The Technical Specialist will request that OIS delete the additional inventories from OASIS, and will redirect the URNS from the deleted finding aids. When you are finished with the collection, we will overwrite this temporary finding aid with the new finding aid. If several container lists are being deleted from OASIS, check VIA to see if photographs have been cataloged from one of the deleted container lists. If so, notify Joanne Donovan.
Some collections also have Container Lists (CL) and/or accessioning notes not found in the lateral files outside Room 420 or 2nd floor reference binders. Located in the lateral file cabinet outside of Room 421, they are filed alphabetically by collection name, in a section of the drawer called "Collection Notes." As of fall 2004, newly created container lists exist both in hard copy and in electronic format; see G:\SCHLES\COLLECTION SERVICES\Container Lists. CL's created before that date exist only in hard copy and many are handwritten; additionally, these early CL's are not noted on the blue cards. Always check both lateral files before beginning to process!
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 outside of Room 420. 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 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.