Overview

The Center uses MD, an in-house database designed to be a collections-centered time and labor management tool with the potential to be a collaborative benchmarking instrument for:

• assessing the effectiveness of workflow
• tracking the impact of processing decisions
• targeting areas of workflow improvement 
• comparing workflow of multiple processors, both in-house and across multiple locations
• predicting costs associated with processing collections

This type of data can help us:

• make the best decisions for our researchers
• develop more accurate requests for resources to funders
• understand the likely financial impact of acquiring a collection, at the point of acquisition

All processors and interns are required to capture metrics on their processing activities, and will be provided instruction on its use. 

Consult the 10_Tracking Tasks table for a list of all activities with scope notes. Please track the following activities during processing, as applicable (in approximate order of workflow):

• Collection Review and Processing Planning
• Item Listing
• Folder Listing
• A/V Logging
• Electronic Media Barcoding and Logging
• Electronic Records: Disk Imaging and File Extraction
• Electronic Records: Processing and Description 
• Rearranging
• Folder List Export and Tagging
• Preservation Tasks (Misc.)
• Reboxing
• Preservation Photocopying
• Description (includes encoding descriptive elements in EAD
• Finding Aid Review (Processing Staff): Reviewing your own finding aids or your intern's finding aids
• Barcoding and labeling
• EAC-CPF Record Creation
• MARC/Bib Record Creation/Revision
• Promoting In-Process and Processed Collections

In addition, processors should track the following activities: 

• MD Tracking
• Intern Management 
• Editing and Publishing Finding Aids (Peer Review): Reviewing your peers' finding aids
• Finding Aid Remediation: Description
• Finding Aid Remediation: Reboxing
• Finding Aid Remediation: Restrictions Review

The CSA should track the following:

• Editing and Publishing Finding Aids (CSA)

For an overview of the database, please see the PowerPoint presentation attached to this page or locate the files at: 

N:\Administration_CHoM\Policies_and_Policy_Development\Processing\Processing_Manual\MD Staff Presentation

Related information about the Processing Metrics initiative can be found at the Processing Metrics Collaborative: Database Development Initiative page of the Countway wiki.

The database is located here:  

N:\Collections\07_Collections_Databases_and_Lists\MD2011.mdb. Only one user can be logged in to MD at a time.

Current MD Practices 

Processors should use MD to track time spent on processing and cataloging tasks (and other projects, as assigned). 

Track time to the quarter hour. 

Track at the collection level, unless determined otherwise at the time the CSA reviews the processing plan.

Open "01_Collection Level Tracking Form - USE THIS" and navigate to the collection you're working on. Use the Activities Log tab to record the collection name, your name, the date, the activity description, and the time.

If a collection or staff name is missing from the controlled list, inform the CSA.

If you are doing substantial revisions on a finding aid, use "Description: Finding Aid Remediation" as the activity. Do NOT log time for small fixes (under 15-30 minutes) that are explained in a processing note. DO log time for larger-scale revisions that will result in archiving the old finding aid.  

MD: Complete 

Tables in the Database

• Employee Names
• Contains names and titles for employees using the database. Populates drop-down lists.
• Enter new names in the name_employee column.
• Convention: Job Title (Last Name, First Name)
• Collection Names
• Contains title of collections being processed. Populates drop-down list.
• Enter the new collections in the name_collection column. Include creator name, title, dates, and collection number.
• Convention: Butler, Allan Macy. Papers, 1916-1986, bulk 1930-1969. (H MS c313)
• Series Names
• Contains names of all series, dependent on the collection.
• First choose the collection from the drop-down menu in the lookup_name_collection column, then enter the series name.
• Convention: Butler, Allan Macy. Papers, 1916-1986, bulk 1930-1969. (H MS c313): Series 1: Professional Activities Records.
• Subseries Names
• Contains names of all subseries, dependent on the series name.
• First choose the series from the lookup_series_name column, then enter the subseries name.
• Convention: Butler, Allan Macy. Papers, 1916-1986, bulk 1930-1969. (H MS c313): Series 1: Professional Activities Records.Subseries 2: American Expeditionary Forces
• Sub-Subseries Names
• Contains names of all sub-subseries, dependent on the subseries name.
• First choose the subseries from the subseries_lookup_name column, then enter the sub-subseries name.
• Convention: Butler, Allan Macy. Papers, 1916-1986, bulk 1930-1969. (H MS c313): Series 4: Activism and Political Activities Records. Subseries 2: Correspondence. Sub-Subseries 2: Correspondence with U.S. Senators and Other Government Officials
• Collection Level Tracking
  • 0000582- Letter to Butler from Edward M. Kennedy.
  • 0000580- Letter to Butler from Vice President Richard Nixon.
  •  Assign complexity level 1-5, as determined in processing plan.
  • Pick the dominant record format found in the collection.
  • Pick the principal time coverage of the collection.
  • Pick the processing level the majority of the collection was processed to.
  •  Describe who worked on the project and did what. Include position titles.
  • Pick the type of collection from list.
  • Used to capture information not specific to any other field.
  • Automatically generated.
• This section is intended to track progress on the collection as a whole. It brings together pieces of the processing plan, including a checklist of deliverables, and processors’ commentary. There is a form available for entering this data.
• From the Forms menu, choose Form01_Collection Level Tracking to open the tracking form
• record_id: Automatically-generated number. No need to enter anything in this box.
• lookup_name_collection: Choose the collection from the drop-down menu. This list is populated from the Collection Names table, so this must be filled in first in order for it to show in this list.
• contents_collection: Provide a brief overview of the collection. This can be copied from the MARC 520 field and augmented as necessary.
•  volume_collection_start: Volume of the collection in cubic feet prior to processing (rounded up).
• volume_colection_finished: Volume of the collection in cubic feet after processing is completed (rounded up).
• review_initial_yesno: Check the box when the collection has received a preliminary review by the project archivist.
• review_initial_startdate: Enter the date the preliminary review of the collection was started by the project archivist.
• review_initial_enddate: Enter the date the preliminary review of the collection was completed by the project archivist.
• preprocess_arrangement: Describe the arrangement of the collection at time of retrieval, prior to any processing.
• preprocess_condition: Describe the physical condition of the collection prior to processing (cleanliness of files, presence of paperclips and staples, rust stains, document deterioration, etc.)
• preprocess_macroplan: Describe your initial processing approach as a result of preliminary review of collection, such as how many series you think will be needed, refoldering thoughts, preservation mesures necessary, etc.
• folder_yesno: Check the box when listing for the collection is complete.
• folder_startdate: Enter the date the box listing commenced.
• folder_enddate: Enter the date the box listing was completed.
•  folder_total days: Enter the total number of days it took to box list the collection (whole days only).
• postprocess_arrangement: Describe the arrangement of the collection after processing (provide a brief summary of actions taken with regards to physical and intellectual rearrangement). Explain if different from what you had thought you would do and why.
• postprocess_condition: Describe the physical condition of the collection after processing (summary of preservation and/or preventative conservation measures taken).
• postprocess_comments_PA: Provide a summary of the challenges and problems related to processing this collection and indicate what you might have done differently (Archivist).
• postlist_comments_PROA1/ postlist_comments_PROA2: Provide a summary of the challenges and problems related to processing this collection and indicate what you might have done differently (Processing Assistants 1 and 2).
• description_marcupdated: Check the box when the MARC record for the collection has been created.
• description_marcupdated_date: Enter the date the MARC record was created.
• descrip_folder_deposited: Check the box when the folder list is deposited in DSpace.
• descrip_folderlistlist_dspace_date: Enter the date the folder list was deposited in DSpace.
• descrip_dpace_collrecord: Check the box when the collection level DSpace record is complete.
• descrip_dspace_date: Enter the date the collection-level DSpace record was created.
• descrip_dspace_deposits: Check the box if any digital objects besides the folder lists has been deposited into DSpace.
• descrip_despace_describe: Describe the digital objects that have been deposited. Use the information contained in the scanning log (located at N:\Cataloging_and_Description_CHoM\Finding Aids\Collections Databases and Lists\CHoM Scanning Log). Enter the scan ID and the title of each digitized item.
• descrip_ead: Check the box when the EAD finding aid is complete.
• descrip_ead_date: Enter the date the EAD finding aid was completed.
• descrip_ead_testsite: Enter the date the EAD finding aid was uploaded to the test site.
• descrip_ead_production: Enter the date the EAD finding aid was uploaded to the production/live site.
• complexity_ranking_list
• principal_collectionformat_picklist
• principal_collectiondatespan_picklist
• principal_processinglevel_picklist
• staffing_description
• collection_types_picklist
• general_notes
• timestamp_created
• Box Level Tracking (only as assigned)
  • Reboxing
  • Refoldering
  • Folder Listing
  • Preservation Photocopying
  • Preservation Tasks (Misc.)
• Used to track progress by individual box. This data can be entered using the table view, the separate box-level tracking form, or via the tabbed window in the daily activities tracking log. Interns are advised to use the box-level tracking form. Only the following activities should be tracked at the box-level, to the quarter hour:

• Data Entry Guidelines for box level tracking (if assigned):
• record_id: Automatically-generated number. No need to enter anything in this box
• lookup_name_employee: Choose the person responsible for working on the box
• lookup_collection_name: Choose the collection you are working on from the drop-down menu. This list is populated from the Collection Names table, so this must be filled in first in order for it to show in this list.
• boxnumber: Enter the number on this box as retrieved from the stacks or storage.

Note: CLIR processors revised this field if the boxes were renumbered during the course of processing.

• If the processor ends up significantly rearranging the contents of boxes, he or she must create a separate word or Excel document in the collection's finding aids folder indicating the "final location" of records originally in a particular box. (For example, ".5 of box 1 is now in box 3.") This tracking should be plugged in to the box level tracking field "majority of contents mapped" field in the box-level tracking form when processing is complete. 
• Please see sample tracking worksheet attached to this page or at: 
• N:\Administration_CHoM\Policies_and_Policy_Development\Processing\Processing_Manual\ManualFiles_Current\BoxSpreadsheet.xls

Why?

• When processing is finished, the processor will make a list of all the boxes in each of the series and then add up the amount of time spent on all of the boxes in that series. Series times are approximate – we will never get 100% accuracy. It is just a way of noting if different types of records take significantly more time.
• boxlistinlLstartdate: Enter the date the box was started.
• boxlistinlL enddate: Enter the date the box was finished.
• boxlistinlLtotalhours: Enter the total number of hours spent on this box. The processor can get this number by adding all the times for the activities for the box that were entered in the Daily Activities and Tracking Log.
• folders totalcount: Enter the total number of folders in this box.
• preboxlisting condition: Describe the condition of the files in this box only prior to processing.
• decisions/notes: Detail the decisions you made for this box only with regards to processing this series (refoldering, putting loose papers in folders, leaving in paperclips, etc.)
• box volume: Use cubic feet.
• majcontents_mapped: If significant rearrangement has occurred (half of the box or more), use this field to indicate the new box number the majority of the materials originally in this box now reside.

Remember: .25=15 minutes / .50=30 minutes / .75=45 minutes / 1=1 hour

• Series Tracking (only as assigned)
• This section is intended to track progress by series. When processing is finished, the processor will make a list of all the boxes in each of the series and then add up the amount of time spent on all of the boxes in that series. Series times are approximate – we will never get 100% accuracy. It is just a way of noting if different types of records take significantly more time.
• Daily Activities and Tracking Log (required for all processing staff)
• This section is used to record daily activities and times spent on each activity.
• Formats
• Table of choices for selecting the primary format for a collection or a series. This list appears in Collection Tracking record and in Series Tracking records. Options are:

• Period of Record Creation
• Table of choices for selecting the major time period the records cover in Collection Tracking record. Options are:

• Processing Levels
• Table of choices for selecting the processing level selected for the majority of the collection in Collection Tracking record. Choices are:

• Collection Types
• Table of choices for selecting the type of collection for use in the Collection Tracking record. Choices are:

• Project Tracking
• A table (with corresponding form) for describing a special project, such as the 2011 AV survey. Special projects are entered in the Collection Names table to enable daily activities tracking.