DESCRIPTION

One of the challenges inherent in archival processing is determining the level of description a set of archival records needs. Generally, at the Schlesinger, if we are processing something that is because we want a very good folder-level inventory and description of the contents, as well as a higher-level description of the scope of the papers or records. Researchers benefit when archivists can provide subject description at the folder level, especially in a run of chronological or even alphabetical correspondence.

Examples of correspondence well-described at the folder level (identified by Research Services staff):

Stark family papers

Ames family historical collection (Series III and IV are well-described, many others have no description yet)

Louise Walker McCannel papers

Using a Scope and Content tag for description at the folder level

Schlesinger practice has been to provide extra descriptive information about a folder as part of the folder title (generally after the date). Another option is to create a <scope> tag at the folder level and include more robust description of material within that tag. Decisions about how best to handle description should be considered as part of the appraisal and processing plan creation process. Some collections lend themselves to robust description (diaries, A-Z correspondence folders with many correspondents of note), some do not. Should you decide to use this approach, please treat punctuation the same way as any other note within a folder <c>: End the folder title with a period, capitalize the beginning of the scope description, and end that with a period as well.

EXAMPLE: from Ti-Grace Atkinson papers

29.13. [Interviews:] Beatrice K. Reynolds, "Ti-Grace Atkinson: Her Speeches and Speechmaking--An Interview," 1973.
Scope and Contents: Clippings re: Atkinson, offprint of "Ti-Grace Atkinson: Her Speeches and Speechmaking," published in Today's Speeches. Paper includes transcription of interview Reynolds conducted with Atkinson on February 2, 1973.

other examples of recently-processed collections where folder-level scope notes were used extensively include:

Betty Gram Swing papers

Using a Physical Description/Physical Facet tag for description at the folder level

If you are describing the physical object in a folder and not the contents of the folder, you should use a <physdesc><physfacet> tag at the folder level (mirroring our practice with memorabilia and audiovisual materials).

EXAMPLE: from Mary H. Page papers

2.4 Suffrage campaign? diary, n.d.

<physdesc><physfacet>White leather diary with pencil. Green and purple seal on front, and purple and green strap enclosure suggest this may have been English suffrage memorabilia? Only one page written on, with a note about "Mrs. Leonard." </physdesc></physfacet>

White leather diary with pencil. Green and purple seal on front, and purple and green strap enclosure suggest this may have been English suffrage memorabilia? Only one page written on, with a note about "Mrs. Leonard."

CREATING FOLDER TITLES

See also Stylesheet for specific instances.

If the majority of folders have titles supplied by the donor, retain those titles (and say so in the scope and content note for the collection, series, or subseries, as relevant). Add your own additions to donor titles, or pertinent information, in brackets

EXAMPLE: 4.7. Scrapbook [Erasmus Hall High School], 1937.

In such a situation, folders where you create the title should also be denoted by quotations or brackets.

EXAMPLE: 7.11. [Fund for a Conservative Majority], 1983

If only a few or no folder titles were supplied by the donor, create your own folder titles. In this situation, any folder titles created by the donor should be demarcated by quotation marks. This should also be spelled out in the (collection, series, and/or subseries) scope and content note.

EXAMPLE: 8.2. Diary: "African notebook #3," April 1993 - March 1994

If the material is undated or a folder contains dated as well as undated material, "undated" should appear after the title, following the dated material

EXAMPLE: 5.3. Correspondence, 1968, undated

If you can provide an approximate date for materials, write the date using "ca." for circa, and DO NOT put a space between the period and the year.

EXAMPLE: 6.9. Cape Cod Fish Net Industries publicity contacts in New York City, notes, ca.1939

Keep folder titles simple. They should not contain extensive information about formats already provided in the scope and content note. In other words, if the scope and content note states that most folders in an "Engagements" series contain correspondence, notes, programs, clippings, etc., it is unnecessary to repeat the listing of genres in each folder title. However, you may point out items that fall outside the scope of listed materials for that group (e.g., "includes diary").

You WILL want to point out notable content in folders. If a folder has been titled "Correspondence 1902" by the donor, and you find it contains love letters, say so in the folder title. If a folder is primarily about a trip to California, and also contains commentary on the suffrage battle there, say so. (see above re: description)

If a diary is entirely about a person's health and the weather, but one day also details the death of President Kennedy, you can note the entry about JFK in a scope note at the folder level, and more generally describe the quotidian nature of the diary in the Scope and Content.

See the stylesheet for more detail about colons, semicolons, and how to structure folder titles with added comments about content.

Always capitalize the first word in each folder title.

Labeling Folders With Descriptive Headings

In the upper left corner of a legal-sized folder tab, either write the MC # and collection name (in pencil) or for larger collections, use a custom-made rubber stamp. Once the collection is completely processed and ready to be numbered, the file unit number (consisting of the container number and the folder number) will be written underneath the MC #. The folder heading follows the MC # an inch or so to the right. E.g.:

MC 442 Ragland Correspondence, 1920-1925

1.12

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