What's left from the old processing manual

Processing Levels
Collections may be processed to provide one of several levels of physical and intellectual control, as outlined below. Discuss with the Senior Archivist what level of detail your assigned collection will receive. After completing an initial survey, meet with her again to discuss any findings that might necessitate a greater or lesser level of processing. At present, the library's processing standard is to achieve physical and intellectual control over the contents of most collections, (i.e., processing level 4). The guidelines and procedures outlined in this processing manual have been developed accordingly.
Level 1: Accession Level Control
Consists of title, approximate size, rough span of dates, and list or summary of types of papers found in the collection, perhaps with names of a handful of prominent correspondents, principal writings, or list of significant subjects addressed. This level is usually established at the time a collection is accessioned and may be accompanied by a preliminary list or inventory of contents.
Level 2: Box Level Control
At this level, papers may be roughly sorted as to series or form of material (correspondence, writings, personal papers, photographs, etc.), and listed at box level. This occurs when a box-level container list is created after accessioning.

Level 3: Folder Level Control
At this level, a container list of individual folders, based on the headings provided by the creator, is created. Documents are neither placed into new folders nor treated for general preservation issues (i.e., staples are not removed and papers not unfolded, etc.) but very serious preservation issues are assessed (extremely brittle papers may be closed). Collections are screened for privacy issues at this level.
Level 4: Full Physical and Intellectual Control
Papers are sorted and arranged by series and subseries. The collection is completely re-boxed and re-foldered according to archival preservation standards. Although the collection is described at the box and folder level in a completed finding aid, papers within folders are not usually arranged chronologically or alphabetically. The finding aid includes front matter (title, access and copyright statements, administrative information, biographical/historical note, scope and content notes), the box and folder list, subject added entries, and correspondence indexes as needed. A catalog record is created and necessary conservation measures have been taken.


Artwork or graphic [non-photographic] materials
Graphic materials and artwork may encompass the following types of formats: drawings in pencil or pen; watercolor, pastel or oil paintings; engravings, etchings, lithographs, or photomechanical prints.
Researchers often request material that is visually interesting (for example, posters or caricatures) and/or that is topically as well as visually interesting (suffrage cartoons, women's liberation flyers). In order to aid their search, processors should try to point out or describe such material as they find it.
Only use the term graphic material when you could imagine the image/artwork used as an illustration (as opposed to something more ephemeral, like doodles). If you have any questions, ask the Photograph Cataloger and Librarian for Visual Resources, or the Senior Archivist. When the material is created by an established artist, make sure to note that.
Preservation issues
Most framed items can be unframed. Ask the Conservator for assistance. In cases where something cannot be unframed [e.g., an oil painting] or where the frame has some sort of importance, treat the item as memorabilia, because it is 3-dimensional.
Some graphic formats require special handling and housing. For example, pastel drawings require the use of special interleaving paper, so as not to "pick up" or smudge the colors. Ask the Conservator for advice, as each situation is likely to be different.
Numbering
Graphic materials will NOT be numbered during processing. They will be numbered, in the same convention used for photographs, as they are digitized by researcher request.
Arranging and describing
When you encounter graphic material, you should arrange it as you would anything else (taking into account any special preservation needs), making sure to note it in the folder title.
Use the following language, similar to that used for photographs, when there are other materials present: "includes graphic material (form/genre)." If only graphic material is present, omit the word "includes."
Within the parentheses, use our established form/genre (655) heading list (on the G: drive) to describe the format, and any other descriptive information you think is necessary. For reference purposes, try to include the form/genre term in the general scope note and in the series description as well.
When you have entire folders full of graphic material, please include the number of pieces and the form/genre term in the folder title, as you do with photographs. This will assist with plans for digitizing.
Fictional Examples:
30.8-30.9. D general, 1915-1965; includes Ruby Darrow, Alois Derso, Florence Deshon, Thomas Desmond; includes graphic material (cartoons and comics by Alois Derso)
2.4. "Friendship's Tablet," autograph album owned by Mary Ellen "Mollie" Hudson Henderson,1856-1875; includes graphic material (drawings, engravings)
F+D.6. Graphic material: Mexican suffrage posters with images of women voting, n.d. (6 posters)
4.6. Graphic material: "Voyage of the Heavenly Twins," 1921: album of pen and ink drawings of scenes from Buell's trip to Europe with cousin Mary Anderson (52 drawings)

Create a Shelflist Card (filed by MC#)
For MC-collections, create a 4x6" white shelflist card using the template (see APPENDIX J in G:/Manuscripts/shelf list/"shelflist_card.doc," and file it shelflist drawer (next to blue cards) by collection number. Be particularly conscious of spacing.
(In the past, the # of the floppy disc containing the finding aid with its file name were put at bottom of the shelflist card in pencil. In April 2005, the OASIS site began housing the archival copies of our finding aids; floppies are no longer necessary.)
Consult Joanne about updating T-# and Vt-# shelflist cards as needed.

Affixing labels, barcodes, and plastic sleeves

• Center labels and barcodes on the end of file boxes and cartons. On file boxes, place them on the end with the string.
• Place small labels and barcodes on the top of file boxes, the large label on the bottom.
• Affix all labels and barcodes on the base of cartons; do not attach labels or pockets to the lid.
• Position labels and barcodes horizontally across the short side of folio, folio+, and oversize boxes in the following order: large label, barcode, small label.
• Attach plastic pockets on the far right of the top of the front of file boxes
• Place plastic pockets to the right of the label on cartons
• Position plastic pockets in the right hand corner closest to the label on the top of folio, folio+, and oversize boxes.

Typical file box and carton labels and barcodes (See also Appendix O for samples):

1. Filing containers:
   • Put appropriate card in the clear pocket: blue "New to HD" card for containers going to HD, or the green "Refile" card for those being stored in one of the vaults. Check off the appropriate vault on the "Refile" card.
   • Put containers going to HD in room 126 on the shelves farthest from the door on the right hand side. If the collection is large, consult the Administrative/Curatorial Assistant who may instruct you to leave the containers in the 4^th floor hallway. If you are sending boxes to HD which are oversized, please note not only the "size" (e.g., folio, folio+, supersize, oversize) but the physical measurement of the box.
   • Johanna will tell you where to shelve collections going to the vaults. Once the box is on the shelf, write the shelf location information on the bottom of the large container label in pencil. Also write it in the "location" blank on the barcode sheet.
   • Return the barcode sheet to Johanna.

Shelving The Processed Collection
Consult the Head of Public Services, Ellen Shea, to ascertain if the collection will reside onsite or at HD.
Fill in the appropriate form so that the students can either 1) shelve the material in Vault 1 or 2) barcode the box(es) for shipment to HD.
If the collection is being shelved onsite but has enough oversized material to fill its own box(es), consult Johanna Carll.
Put boxes, oversized materials, and any fragile or restricted files into the vault in the proper location. Give photographs to Joanne. File memorabilia after consulting with Johanna Carll.

 



APPENDIX D.
BASIC PROCESSING METHODS (CHEAT SHEET)

• Sort with used folders while processing. Do not transfer any materials of questionable retention into labeled archival folders (which then have to be erased).

• Use new, clean, acid-free legal folders and legal boxes for all final housing. "Square" folders along bottom crease as necessary.

• While processing, write brief labels in center of the folder, leaving top left corner for collection number and box/file unit number, and right top for possible stamped information (e.g., Closed until 20xx, or Written Permission Required).

• FLAG: fragile originals for preservation photocopying (usually done by students) with white paper; restricted items for removal with red paper; photographs with blue paper; and oversize items to unfold with green paper.

• Remove hardware (paper clips, staples, rubber bands, string, etc.); replace with acid-free bond paper "inserts" to maintain separate identity of material when in folder with other items. If the sequencing of multiple leaves is particularly problematic, paginate them using a soft pencil, marking the number in brackets in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

• Put numbered photographs for cataloging into acid-free folders; flag negatives for eventual transfer.

• Remove material from original wrappers, binders, etc., wherever possible; retain any with original or provenance markings on them, at least for the present. Some wrappers may have artifactual or association value and will be retained, if only for exhibition purposes.

• When first removing/unfolding letters in envelopes (often delegated to students), put the envelope in front of the letter to which it belongs. Put envelopes without letters at the end of the folder or sequence of folders. See Appendix P for information on retention and disposal of envelopes during final processing.

• Unfold and flatten whatever folded items you can safely; flag others for humidification and flattening by the Conservator.

• Flag or set aside anything to be routed to the Conservation Studio (mending, boxing, tape removal, encapsulation). Consult the Senior Archivist and/or the Conservator, as necessary, to determine appropriate treatments.

• Materials, once identified, should be sent for treatment ASAP so that they stand a reasonable chance of being returned before all other work on the collection has been completed.

• If you supply a date on a document, use pencil, in square brackets in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

APPENDIX O.
EXAMPLES OF FILE BOX AND CARTONS AND LABELS


1. Labels on a typical file box









2. Labels and sleeves on a typical carton (includes HD's accession label with date)

APPENDIX P
UNFOLDING LETTERS
Goal: To unfold letters to preserve them (paper tears along fold lines over time), without
losing any information we would have had if the letter had remained in the envelope.
General instructions: Check return address and addressee. When there are multiple letters to the same recipient, compare addresses. If all information is the same, and if letters are fully dated (month, day, year), and if there are no other notes on the envelope, envelopes can be set aside and returned to manuscript processor (do not discard). For all other situations, see below. If you are very careful about numerical designations for months (e.g., Sept. = 9), and space on the item is limited, use U.S. standard dating: 6/3/1921. Otherwise, please write out: June 3, 1921. Remove rusty staples and paperclips (see note re: multiple, unattached pages, below).
Problem: Letter missing date, place, etc., that appear on envelope. General solution: Transfer missing information to letter IN PENCIL, inside square brackets [ ].
Specific Problems Solutions

Student assistants should keep all envelopes for review by processor. In general, processors should keep envelopes only if they provide information not otherwise included on the enclosed documents (date, year, address, annotations), and/or are first day covers related to women. Set aside envelopes with other valuable stamps for return to donor or potential sale. Consult the Senior Archivist before discarding. Keep enclosures with letters, and pencil in square brackets [enclosed with m/d/y] on enclosure. Fold acid-free paper around the letter and its enclosure(s); do not use clips.