Item Records

Archivists are responsible for creating item records. Below are best practices.

• Whether something is going to the Harvard Depository [HD] or not, each separate volume, enclosure, or container of a collection or single item, must have a barcode and an item record in Alma.
• Descriptive information belongs in the finding aid. Only the container indicator should go in the item record.
• Type should match the corresponding byte 6 in the LDR of the bibliographic record, e.g. "Mixed Materials" for pca, or "Manuscript" for tma, dma, fma, kma, OR rma, or "Photograph" for kma and kca. DO NOT USE OTHER MATERIAL TYPE CODES.
• When working with legacy material, please change the Item Record material type to either Mixed Materials, Manuscript, or Photograph.