Collections and Single Item Manuscripts

Manuscripts are cataloged either as single items in ALMA or as collections with many items, boxes, or volumes, both in ALMA and with a finding aid in ArchivesSpace. Single items are often a single volume or prefab, but sometimes need to be shelved flat in one or two boxes (usually not more than two). They can also have a separate "volume 1" and "volume 2", but usually not more than that. Whether something is a single item or a collection is determined before it comes to end processing. Because of the way our stacks were originally configured, and the fact that ArchivesSpace's system of record keeping uses a shelf-location numbering system, rather than shelving according to consecutive call numbers, single items are shelved consecutively, but separate from collections. The Manuscript Tracking form allows archivists to indicate whether something is a single item or a collection.

Item records and barcodes in Alma

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. The default permanent location setting is onsite (GEN), with the material type as "Manuscript" for single items, or "Mixed Materials" for collection material (see below). The only other material type allowed is "Photograph", a term that is chosen by the cataloger and should not be changed by the end processor. GEN means a volume shelved upright. So obviously this will often need to be changed after end processing is compete. The only other use for the term GEN is for framed items that are hung on the walls in one of our buildings. Material that is going to HD must have "HD" as the permanent location or it cannot be accepted.

For further information, see:  Understanding past locations practice and Item Records for Single Items in the Archival Collection Processing manual. See also: Locating material with ArchivesSpace : call numbers and shelving.

SINGLE ITEM MANUSCRIPTS

Basic steps for the archivist and the end processor regarding single item manuscripts are covered here:

• III. Manuscript Workflow (Single Item Level Processing) (for the archivist)
• Single item manuscript end processing for the end processor

ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS

Once a collection has been accessioned (level I processing), it can become a candidate for further processing at levels II or III. The accessioning archivists will have already affixed box labels with numbers and barcodes. But the type of boxes and folders could very likely change. Archivists will print and affix their own labels onto archival folders, using a script in ArchivesSpace. This constitutes "end processing" and includes all of the steps involved in final housing, updating records, and sending material to HD. They will consult the end processor at any time during the process for assistance or advice regarding housing, preservation, labeling, or record keeping when needed. And they will hand off any material to the end processor to complete and shelve that must stay onsite.

To learn what steps the archivists take during this process, see the section in this manual called: V. End Processing for Archivists (Levels II and III)