Top Containers and Locations in ArchivesSpace

Owned by Adrien Hilton
Last updated: May 16, 2022
3 min read

Overview

All archival materials that receive a finding aid will be handled in the following ways:

  1. Top containers must be created in ArchivesSpace and associated with all archival objects

    1. Each circulating unit should be a distinct Top Container, no ranges, if more than one box is associated with a unit, more than one Top Container should be attached to the archival object. 

    2. Due to volume, oversized folders as Top Containers may be described as a range, e.g. Folders 1-21 as a single Top Container

    3. Top Containers can be associated to collection level finding aids

  2. A Container Profile must be associated with each Top Container

  3. A Location in ArchivesSpace must be associated with each Top Container

  4. There are only two sub location codes (852$$c) in Alma for archival collections, HD and AS

  5. Each circulating Top Container in ArchivesSpace receives an Item Record in Alma. 


Examples

  • Archivist processes two box collection that’s going to HD

    • Associates Top Containers, Box 1 and Box 2, with each unit of description in finding aid;

    • Assigns a Container Profile to each Top Container (e.g. Paige #14 and Document Box);
    • Assigns a location of HOU Harvard Depository to each Top Container (if immediately going to HD) OR assigns a location of Pusey Library, 1 Technical Services (Accessioning) if not sending immediately to HD;
      • The Holdings record in Alma should match the location associated to the Top Containers in AS (either HD or AS)
    • Creates two item records in Alma;
    • Preps the collection for HD;
    • Sends the collection to HD and updates the 852 $$c to HD;
    • Updates locations associated with containers in ArchivesSpace to HOU Harvard Depository if need be.


  • Accessioning archivist minimally processes one box and two oversized folder collection, oversized folders remaining onsite

    BOX going to HD
    • Accessioning archivist

      • Associates material in box to Top Container, Box 1, in finding aid;

      • Assigns a Container Profile (e.g. Paige #14) to Top Container;

      • Prepares box for shipment to HD;

      • Assigns Top Container, Box 1, a Location in ArchivesSpace of HD;

      • Creates item record in Alma;

      • Creates one Alma holdings record with 852$$c HD once box is ready to go to HD.

FOLDERS staying onsite

      • Associates Top Containers, Folder 1 and Folder 2, to the units of description in the finding aid; assigns location “Pusey Technical Services end processing” to top containers;

      • Creates a second holdings record in Alma with an 852$$c AS;

      • Fills out end-processing tracking form; 

      • Routes Aeon transaction to End-Processing for housing and shelving. 

    • End processing

      • Following any re-housing, assigns Container Profiles to the Top Containers, Folder 1 and Folder 2;

      • Shelves the material in the flat files on P1;

      • Assigns the exact location to each of the Top Containers in ArchivesSpace;

      • Creates two item records in Alma for Folder 1 and Folder 2;

      • Closes the Aeon transaction. 


Other information points

For Harvard Depository, use this location: https://arstaff.lib.harvard.edu/locations/43151

How to handle volumes within a collection (not single items)

Volumes can be handled much as they are now. Collections management and/or end-processing will shelve the volumes appropriately, assigning locations in ArchivesSpace, with 852$$c AS holdings information. The only difference is that collections that just happen to be in volume format will no longer be shelved within items that are single items and managed in Alma. 

Single items

Single items should continue to be shelved in call number order and according to size, with appropriate 852$$c codes.

Single items should no longer be stored in the same box as collections 

What to do when storing two or more collections in the same box

ArchivesSpace allows for different collections to be in the same box, however Alma does not. 

As information is migrated to ArchivesSpace for legacy collections, the Alma holdings records will be changed from B, PF, GEN, F, PPF, PFD, VAULT, etc. to AS