Note: The Archival Collection Processing Manual contains step-by-step written instructions to assist archivists in the duties and workflow of labeling and housing (end processing) collections. This work was formerly done by the Manuscript End processor supervising several student assistants.

See the Archival Collection Processing Manual :  Step-by-step guide: Unprocessed to End Processed and End processing for processed archival collections.

When in doubt, talk to end processing!

It is important to collaborate with the end processor on the orientation of a collection before you begin processing, so you don't waste time or supplies having to redo work. The first thing to do is check in with the end processor about what kind of boxes you should use. Be sure you understand how to label the boxes and the folders, no matter what the configuration. It may be especially important to collaborate on existing or hybrid level collections that are being enhanced or redone. For example, the Hofer inner office has flat files full of various non-standard sizes of folders that don't follow conventions for sizes or locations. When uniquely processed collections like this need to be re-housed, there are considerations about where to shelve, what becomes of remaining material that will one day need re-shelving, what might be a good use of the unconventional drawer sizes, perhaps to solve some other unrelated housing concern, what size supplies to use, etc. in order to make the collection more standardized and accessible according to our current conventions. Once the basic wishes of the curator are known and discussed, it is best to simply inform and hand over the housing for the end processor to "preprocess" the material in the most concise way possible, and get it shelved in accordance with some previously, and some newly-established shelving practices. Having the end processor do the preliminary work makes things simpler for everyone.

Boxed Collections - Basic Procedures, Warnings, and Tips

Boxed collections are housed in two different ways. Either they are in acid-free file folders with a reinforced tab that stand upright inside legal-sized flip-top document boxes, or they are in 2-flap acid-free folders without any tab that rest flat in a box with an attached lid (called a clam-shell box) or a removable lid box (slightly shorter) which we call a "metal edge box".  Most often, collections that present few special housing considerations and are not frequently used are stored upright and sent to HD. Photographs can be housed either flat or upright, according to their condition and the individual requirements of the collection. Often, also, collections that are mainly papers are housed upright unless they have certain preservation concerns. Bound volumes can often be successfully stored upright on their spines inside flip-top document boxes. In fact that can be a strategy for storing volumes with inserts that overlap the size of the boards. If enough pressure is created by the use of spacers so that the volume doesn't move around inside the box, it can keep the inserts from touching the edges of the box. The end processor can provide assistance with such things.

The basics : use the right size folder

Upright document boxes have a flip top and come in both letter and legal size. There are folders that fit the width of each box. They fit the height too, but that is often not the most important concern, since gravity keeps things from falling out of the folders, as long as they are handled correctly.  Flat boxes come in various sizes that are standard to our unit. The basic "regular" flat manuscript box has an attached lid (clamshell style) and a drop-side. A variation on that is our slightly shorter metal-edged box with a full removable lid and a drop side. In fact all our boxes have a drop-side, except in rare cases where certain items might be prone to fall out. It is very difficult to safely find finger space to remove folders from boxes without a drop side. The only "flat" boxes we stock without a drop-side are card file (index card) boxes.

The basics : orient folders correctly in box

To open a regular flat clamshell box, sit with the short end (labeled end) facing you. The left, long side of the box is the one that drops down when you open the lid. The lid will open from left to right and the drop side will lean over a little bit as it is opened, exposing the folded edges of the folders. The folded edge of the folders is always where the labels go. It is important that the folders be oriented with the fold along the drop edge in order to easily flip through the labels and remove the desired folders. This is a tip that staff should always feel free to pass on to one another and to readers, since it doesn't seem to be intuitive. We should also always be aware of replacing folders correctly inside the box. And if a box seems severely overstuffed, have it sent to end processing to do some adjustments. We normally do NOT flip folders upside down to make them fit in the box.

The basics : spacers and inner boxes, etc.

Upright boxes come with a variety of commercially available "spacers" for boxes that aren't quite full enough to keep the contents of the folders from moving around. Flat boxes do not have custom spacers, so inner boxes can sometimes help.

Collections with a lot of small objects, small bound volumes, or decks of playing cards, etc. should be handed over to the end processor, as we have various small boxes that fit perfectly inside of the basic flat clamshell boxes, and could provide a solution. Certain sizes of prefabs can also be made to serve as inner containers.  A box full of "mundane" objects, such as staplers, tape dispensers, rulers, scissors, etc., from an author's desk, for example, could be arranged quickly in zip-lock bags for easy viewing and handling during an unanticipated reader's need. On the other hand, such objects could be stored carefully in inner boxes with tissue, carefully labeled, etc. It would depend on how we expect readers to approach the items both intellectually and physically. As with any other non-standard material in a collection, problem items should go to end processing.

The basics : Paige box use : storing volumes

A collection of papers stored upright inside a #14 paige box is organized very simply and hopefully will usually fall inside the maximum weight for the box, which is printed on the box itself. (There is a scale if needed, in the Preservation Alcove). However, bound volumes stored upright (or a combination of upright and flat) in Paige boxes can lend themselves to disorganization and excessive weight. This will often cause the box to be returned to the end processor because it is starting to break apart. Or the contents have become a puzzle that can't be fit back in. Unless the organization has some thought or standards applied, volumes can be put back into the box by patrons or staff on their front boards, which will cause their detachment over time. This is why boxes containing volumes stored in Paige boxes need to sometimes have a label that requires people not to return them to the box on their front boards. And, it is why some basic standards may help in filling such boxes especially when smaller volumes are combined with larger ones in the same box. SEE ******

Volumes of a similar (smaller) size can sometimes be stored in wide document boxes.  But they may first benefit from some inner folders. Ask the end processor for some help. SEE ALSO****

• BOXES : UPRIGHT
  
  • folders
  • bound volumes

• BOXES : FLAT
  • folders
  • bound volumes

sample folder label created in ArchivesSpace:

(Goes on upper left of reinforced edge of archival file folder, or upper left, next to fold, and parallel to top of the white acid-free 2-flap file folders used in flat boxes. Use a teflon folding tool to smooth down the labels with pressure)

sample box label created in ArchivesSpace: for both flat and upright boxes

(The top margin is big so that text can be read below our partially lidded clamshell boxes)

HOU HD and HOU THE (for theatre) stickers are available from the end processor. Containers that remain onsite do not need these stickers.

sample box label : for HALF-HEIGHT boxes (flat)

Labels for half-height boxes are the same ones used for manuscript folders. Ask the end processor for help. For details in the end processor's guidelines, see

Labels for half-height boxes are the same ones used for manuscript folders. Ask the end processor for help. For details in the end processor's guidelines, see

I. End-processing an upright collection.

APPLYING SELF-ADHESIVE LABELS TO ACID-FREE FILE FOLDERS
Position manuscript material away from the reinforced tab of the file folder.
Work slowly so label doesn't accidentally adhere to manuscripts.
Label should cover any penciled text on the upper left tab and sit about 1/16" below top edge
Text that might protrude should be erased before the label is affixed to avoid smearing ink.
Use white Mars plastic Staedtler erasers for folders, sweep work area frequently into wastebasket.
Be consistent with placement in a given collection, once the location is chosen.
Do not reapply spoiled labels as they can smear and eventually fall off : it is better to reprint them.

FILLING AN UPRIGHT DOCUMENT BOX
There are acid-free board "spacers" for Record Storage boxes (Paige boxes) and Document boxes (Hollinger boxes) available to prevent this from happening. There is also a thinner, a wider, and a taller version of the document box available. If you cannot slip your hand into the back of the box, it is overfull. But it is also important not to under-fill the box. The folders and their contents will start to slip and curl at the bottom if the box is not adequately full. They can be seen to "slouch" over in the box, as illustrated below.

Paige boxes not completely full, with folders "slouching".

Spacers for Paige boxes (below). They come in both letter and legal size, depending on the orientation of the folders in the box.

Gray corrugated spacers (below) for use with flip-top document boxes. And, corrugated single sheets (dividers) in both letter and legal size, for "fine tuning" the fit. We no longer use the tabbed ones because the tab sticks up slightly too high. (Shown on bottom shelf are white acid-free inner folders for both letter and legal size manuscript folders).

FILLING AN UPRIGHT FILE FOLDER AND WHEN TO CREASE BOTTOM OF FOLDER
In addition to the crease along the bottom of the folder, there are some additional score lines that could be folded to adjust the thickness of the folder when necessary. If in doubt about where to crease the folder, it may be better not to crease it at all, but to ask for help. Use the guidelines below:

• IF UPRIGHT FOLDER IS NOT FULL ENOUGH bottom of folder might stay flat, but pressure from other folders in the box can cause bottom to "fan out" which causes adjacent folders to curl at bottom. Also causes bottom edges of contents to curl over time.
• IF UPRIGHT FOLDER IS NOT FULL ENOUGH surrounding folders can create pressure causing folder to push up the contents unevenly and rest on the edge of one crease rather than laying flat. This can cause contents that would otherwise fit in the folder to stick above the top of it. Also, bottom edges of contents can eventually start to curl or cause adjacent folders to curl.
• FOLDER IS FILLED PROPERLY if there is a small amount of contents that do not require an extra crease at the bottom. Folder is also filled properly when the thickness of the material matches thickness of the folder. Sometimes it is necessary to add a custom crease in order to match the thickness of the material. Ask for help if needed.

UPRIGHT FILE FOLDERS WITH THICK CONTENTS IN UPRIGHT DOCUMENT BOX
Folders with thick contents are the most likely to curl if the creases at the bottom of the folders are not folded to make the bottoms flat. However, one should not fold the bottom of a folder flat if there are only a few sheets inside the folder, because this too will cause the folders to slip down and become deformed. Please ask for a demonstration of the meaning of this as it is important to understand for the safety of the materials.

Fill the box with properly creased folders that fit the papers well. Well-fitting folders match the width of their contents and thus remain flat on the bottom. This allows for support and ease of removal.

This is how they should look (above).

Folders that are too wide (above), or too narrow for their contents will not stay flat on the bottom.

They will become distorted (above), and rest on top of one another, making them hard to remove from the box.
Sometimes pulling a poorly-fitted folder out can even result in the folder behind it, unexpectedly coming out.

A thinner folder (above) that rests upon the base of a poorly-fitting thicker folder, besides possibly popping out unexpectedly, will also protrude at the top of the box. A well-filled box should have folders evenly lined within it, and all folders should go in and out easily.
The following videos show how to choose the best crease for each folder by examining problems that arise when folders are not creased properly.

Creasing folders with thick contents, part I
Creasing folders with thick contents, part II

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VOLUMES STORED UPRIGHT
Collections going offsite that are primarily volumes can include a variety of sizes. Multiple smaller volumes can sometimes go upright in a document box if oriented sideways. For larger volumes, if the bottom of the text block is flush or slightly longer than the bottom edges of the boards they should be stored flat, or on their spines, if possible, to prevent wear on the pages. 
*IMPORTANT: If they are stored with the spines up, it will put pressure on the boards and they will eventually detach.

End processing a flat collection.

APPLYING SELF-ADHESIVE LABELS
Position manuscript material away from the upper left corner of the folder, to create a flat surface on which to rub down the label, and so as not to put pressure on the material itself. Return manuscript material neatly to its final location within the folder. Work slowly so label doesn't accidentally adhere to manuscripts.
Label should cover any penciled text on the upper left corner and sit about ¾" below top edge and about ¾" from the left (folded) edge.Text that might protrude should be erased before the label is affixed to avoid smearing ink. Be consistent with placement in a given collection, once the location is chosen. Do not reapply spoiled labels: keep a list of reprints needed.

ODD-SHAPED OR THICK ITEMS OR VOLUMES IN BOX
If you find an object, an unusually thick folder, or a volume in a box to be foldered, make a note of it or tell the supervisor who will take care of any custom housing for it. Often a volume will have a custom, stiff 3-panel folder made to fit the width of the volume and the height of the box. It will then be stored on the top of the pile, with a premade label that says KEEP ON TOP. This will keep it from sliding too much in the box.

KEEPING ORDER INSIDE THE FOLDER
Keep sheets as square as possible inside the folder, but do not try to pick them up and tap the edge on the table, because often they are fragile. Instead, for badly disarrayed sheets, lay them on top of each other one at a time slowly and carefully. But do this only if they are badly disarrayed or it will just waste a lot of time. Most collections probably won't even need to be neatened up. Keep the original order of the material, make sure no sheets are upside down (unless you can determine that this is part of the correct order).

Basic procedures, warnings and tips : upright collection

DOCUMENT BOXES
For upright document boxes, use archival corrugated board "spacers" boxes that are not all the way full. Document boxes come in half width, tall (12 ¾"), and wide (7"). We use the wide and tall rarely so as not to have too many different types of supplies to stock, store, and keep track of. Occasionally we use letter-size boxes, when it better suits the material. But we have only standard and half width of these. We custom make folders out of scrap for the tall document boxes, cutting them to the full height of the box.

UPRIGHT MANUSCRIPTS TALLER THAN FOLDER
Use a custom inner folder, which we cut from white acid-free folder scrap and store in a legal-sized document box (Hollinger). Unlike the legal-sized folders, these folders are the full height of the box and provide protection for manuscripts that would otherwise protrude from the top of the folder. These inner folders do not have tabs. We use these custom folders for protection, even though they cover the label on the reinforced tab of the outer folder. If vendors made folders the full height of the boxes, we wouldn't need to make our own. If such folders were available, we would use them exclusively, because it is safer to have the folders all of equal height. Occasionally we might use the custom folder alone rather than as an inner folder. In that case, we would put the label on the outside front of the folder so it is visible.

UPRIGHT MANUSCRIPTS TALL ENOUGH TO COVER FOLDER LABEL

UPRIGHT MANUSCRIPTS TOO TALL FOR DOCUMENT BOX
For a collection that is going to HD, use an extra tall (12 ½") Hollinger box for items that are best stored upright but do not fit into the regular size document box. DO NOT use a tall document box for HTC items that will be stored onsite, as they exceed the dimensions of the shelving. Use of the tall document box may be re-evaluated so that the number of different kinds of boxes and supplies can be minimized. In that case, we may decide to use flat boxes for those oversize items.

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Basic procedures, warnings and tips : flat collection

FITTING OUT A BOX
Here are some examples of boxes fitted out for minimal movement of contents during transport to HD. In future this level of customization may be reserved for extraordinarily fragile items. (see sample box fitted out for transport).

INTERLEAVING A FLAT COLLECTION
Interleaving is used to protect manuscripts from items within the collection that may cause damage, such as acidic newspaper clippings, or pressure sensitive tape. We often use Apollo or permalife paper, folding a larger sheet into quarters before cutting to size. Always measure your first several cuts by putting them inside a folder to make sure you are cutting correctly before cutting a large batch. Or use the template (sample) on file.We don't want them to be the exact size as the inside of the folders because they would be likely to slide past the folds and get their edges bent when the folder is closed up, or stick out of the edges of the folder. They should be just slightly (1/8" approx.) smaller in dimension than the inside of the folder. They should be almost full-size, because it keeps whatever is behind it from touching other material. We don't use 8 ½ x 11" Perma-dur or Perma life sheets, for example, because manuscripts protrude from behind it. Cut all 4 sides, in order to make them as square as possible on the paper cutter.
Especially for flat collections, we might also use thicker folder stock, acid-free board, or corrugated board to separate items that may damage each other with their bulk, unevenness, or protrusions, such as a spiral notebook. To avoid the effects of gravity on the materials, since they rest against each other, we put very fragile items, such as tintypes, or brittle photographs inside pre-fabs and store that on the top of the pile inside the box, using a pre-printed label that says "KEEP ON TOP".

2-FLAP ACID-FREE FOLDERS
We currently use white 2-flap acid-free folders, cut to the size of the box, for most flat manuscript collections.

3-FLAP FOLDERS
We are using up the supply of these sturdy custom folders on collections of photographs or collections that have many small delicate pieces to be kept together. The Reading Room uses spoiled 3-flap folders to transport materials for reproduction, because they keep things from falling out. We no longer buy them because they are a bit difficult and time-consuming to fold, their thickness uses up a lot of space, and they are a bit cumbersome in the Reading Room.

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Autograph files and Catchalls

AUTOGRAPH FILES
The large collections referred to thus far are mainly closed groupings of items from the same source, such as gift or bequest of a certain individual, or purchased with a particular fund. But some collections are composed of items that each have a different source. They are grouped together either because they provide examples of handwriting and signatures of famous literary figures (hence the name Autograph file), or because they are miscellaneous and unrelated (usually) single sheets.There is a rather large Autograph file at Houghton and in the Theatre Collection. They were begun in the early years of the library and we continue adding to them. Their call numbers are : "Autograph file" and "HTC Autograph file". Items in these two collections, are filed alphabetically by author. They do not have item numbers like most other collections do. We have not added barcodes to the boxes for the Autograph files because each item, within its folder, has its own item record (see: Item Records and Bar codes). The number of boxes cannot be determined by looking at the item records for these collections. If a box is added, the finding aid should be updated. That is how one would know the number of boxes on the shelf.

CATCHALLS
Catchalls are also collections of single items that are related in subject matter, but that have come to the library from a variety of sources. Normally each item does not exceed one folder. Older collections are often filed alphabetically, but newer ones tend to have item numbers to which items are continually added, out of alphabetical order. Keeping the official list of all Autograph files and catchalls is part of the manuscript accessioning process. Most catchalls have normal-looking call numbers, but some do not. Examples are: 

Lowell Autograph file (old collection that was originally alphabetical but was given item numbers and closed; filed by item numbers)

Portrait file (filed alphabetically; no item numbers)
The portrait file is in the process of being sent offsite as the boxes fill up. They are no longer one long alphabetical sequence, but have box and folder numbers instead from 2024 on.

HTC Programs 2 (filed by item number; items are added continually, out of alphabetical order)

bMS Thr 511 (filed by item number; items are added continually, out of alphabetical order)
This is a collection of Tennessee Williams typescript compositions, 1936-1979 and undated, from various different sources. One of its box labels appears in the sample book.

 Consult ArchivesSpace Container Management module to determine box & folder size.

Printing Labels for Archival Collections

See the Archival Collections Processing Manual : End processing for processed archival collections