III. Workflow

If receiving the collection direct to HD and processing it there, see Addendum at the bottom of this documentation. Curator or Tech Services acquisitions staff delivers material to accessioner (or notifies of location of material) along with completed manuscript accessioning tracking sheet and other relevant background material.
Begin recordkeeping and the MARC record:
1. If item/collection is a gift or deposit, assign an accession number in the relevant spreadsheet and begin a MARC record from template.
2. If item/collection is a purchase, assign accession number in the relevant spreadsheet and call up the already-created stub MARC record noted on the accession tracking sheet.
3. Decide on format of MARC record according to primary format found in item/collection. See the collection-level and single-item manuals for detailed guidance.
4. If the record is for a collection that you will be sorting, rehousing, and/or box-listing, provide enough detail in the MARC record to identify the item/collection uniquely, including the holdings record, until the box-listing is complete.
5. If the record is for an item, complete the record immediately. If the item can be wrapped into an existing catchall, follow the catchall item guidelines included in the MARC bib and holdings details below and add item to the relevant finding aid.
Assign a call number UNLESS:
1. The collection is an "accrual" for a person or organization from whom we receive ongoing lots (in most cases, over years). The rationale is that all the accruals will be cataloged together; the call number should be assigned when all the pieces can be assembled.
2. The material is on deposit (curators can advise on exceptions).
3. The material will be cataloged into a catchall or added to an existing collection, in which case it will take the catchall call number.
4. The determination of the proper classification would take more time and/or research than is appropriate at the accessioning level.
Prepare a box list (if collection; see Box List section for guidance).
If a single item, mark inside with the accession number in pencil in the approved place (see technical services staff).
If the material is going immediately to a cataloger, to end-processing, or to conservation, create an Aeon call slip to accompany it.