Supplies guidelines

Owned by Betts Coup
Last updated: Sept 13, 2024 by Vicki Denby
8 min read

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Manuscript end-processing requires a wide variety of labels, containers, tools and raw materials, in order to accommodate a diversity of shapes, sizes, and formats. Independent of the Manuscript section, the Rare book team has its own end-processing workflow, with needs generally less diverse because of the comparatively more standardized nature of their material.

The Manuscript End-processor keeps a separate detailed record of all manuscript end-processing supplies and their locations that have been requested from the Technical Services Librarian and the Administrative Assistant. This is important, since needs, vendors, and preservation standards are constantly changing. And it is easier to find previous orders that way.

The Manuscript End processor is in a position to make use of old stock items, to help coordinate needs among TS department members, saving both time and money.

Manuscript End-processing supplies (database)

This report generated from the Manuscript Supplies (Access) Database, shows all supplies ordered by the Manuscript section up to May 3, 2024. It is periodically updated, but can also be updated on request. This report gives locations for most of the supplies ordered.

The Technical Services Librarian in Acquisitions orders all preservation processing supplies for the Technical Services Department, and the Administrative Assistant orders all other kinds of supplies. See their website explaining the process. Some general supplies, like facial tissue and plastic bins can be obtained by directly emailing the Administrative Assistant in the Librarian's office. There is a separate form for preservation supplies, and for office supplies. You can check the Preservation Supplies Order form responses, but you cannot check the responses for office supplies, because that could compromise the privacy of some individuals who place orders for personal needs.

LIBRARY-WIDE ORDER FORMS

PROCESSING TOOLS and SUPPLIES
Each workstation should be equipped with the following basic needs. Most of these things can be found on the wooden shelves next to the staff elevator, or in the Houghton Supply/photocopy area on the Ground Floor. The end processor can help with anything not found there. Be sure to check empty workstations for any unnecessary items left behind. Non-standard supplies and tools can be added to the Houghton Supply Closet/Area on Ground, and personal labels/names can be changed on tools. Particularly, the rolling measuring tapes, which are shared from one employee to the next. The end processor has a label machine for that purpose.

  • teflon folding tool
  • Mars staedler eraser
  • archival staple remover
  • exacto knife
  • measuring tape
  • lined pads
  • post it pads
  • pencils
  • scissors
  • waste bin
  • lupe
  • matt knife (can be provided if wanted:  we have shared tool kit along window ledge)

Also on the TS supply shelves are shared supplies of the following items. Tissues and gloves can be re-stocked by the librarian's office (Le Huong), but most of the other items may need to be requested via the order form, like bandaids, post it pads, etc. The kinds of supplies and the amounts are as standardized as possible, because space is at a minimum.

  • facial tissues
  • nitrile gloves (also in front area of TS - along with recycle box)
  • office supplies (paper clips, ear plugs,
  • FIRST AID KIT
  • bandaids and sterile alcohol pads

Wire shelf unit by Pusey 1 entrance.

  • Hand sanitizer (Librarian's office can restock)
  • paper towels (Librarian's office can restock)
  • small selection of tools specific to that area:
    • mat knives
    • scissors
    • pressure sensitive tapes
    • tape measure

OTHER SUPPLIES

  • For more specific needs of any kind that come up, ask the end processor to find or order for you.
  • For more private needs, talk to your supervisor if you prefer

Manuscript end-processing supplies.pptx


End-processing Supplies (boxes)

Supplies : boxes (presentation)

Supplies : standard sizes of boxes (for flat storage)

We stock the following sizes of boxes as well as folders for most of them. Most of the pf sizes were derived from standard frame sizes used at Weissman Preservation Center, determined by WPC staff. (See also: 2-flap folders below)

  • 11 x 15 (NEW CLAMSHELL BOX)
    • HOU
  • 11 x 14 (METAL EDGE BOX)
    • HOU
MANUSCRIPT BOXES (pfMS)
  • 14 x 18 x 3"
  • 14 x 18 x 1.5"
  • 16 x 20 x 3"
  • 16 x 20 x 1.5"
  • 18 x 24 x 3" (mostly for printed books department)
  • 18 x 24 x 1.5" (mostly for printed books department)
  • 20 x 24 x 3" (folders for this size are also used as half-drawer folders (pfd) in the Case Ranges on P1)
  • 20 x 24 x 1.5"
  • 22 x 28 x 3" (we cut our own folders for this size , see folder sizes below) - size not used frequently
  • 24 x 36" (we cut our own folders for this size as well)

Supplies : 2-flap folders (for flat storage)

Standard white archival folders used for collections housed flat in clamshell or metal-edge boxes.

Standard sizes for 2-flap folders are mostly the same as those listed in the printed book end-processing manual under: Supplies, Acid-free folders. (See the Houghton Technical Services Book End-processing Wiki. See also:  Acquisitions and Accessioning Special Topics : Broadsides for sizes specific to printed books section.) The correct standard sizes are listed below (consult with manuscript end-processor, as some of the ACTUAL sizes may vary by a few fractions of an inch to accomodate the particular interior structure of the various boxes):

STANDARD SIZES (May 2024)

Acid-free folders

to fit standard-size boxes (bMS):

  • 10 x 13" = small (old) black box (on wire shelf unit behind end processor work station)
  • 11 3/8 x 14 5/8" = fit METAL EDGE box
  • 11 3/8 x 15 1/4" = fit NEW CLAMSHELL box (can be trimmed to 11 3/8 x 14 5/8" to fit Metal Edge box below)

to fit standard-size boxes (pf)

  • 14 x 18" (pf)
  • 16 x 20" (pf)
  • 20 x 24" (pf) also pfd: half-drawer size for HTC and most drawers
  • 22 x 28" (pf) ask end processor to cut these down from heavy brown acid-free folders (30 x 40") in Case Range listed below
  • 24 x 36" (pf) ask end processor to cut these down from the large folders on top of HTC flat files, listed below

to fit standard drawer sizes (pfd, ppf)

  • 20 x 24" (pfd (half drawer) size for HTC case ranges) they fit side by side in one drawer (these also fit in standard pf box)
  • 28 x 38" (ppf: full-drawer size for HTC and most drawers) : supply kept on top of HTC flat files (Lewis orders large amount - in cardboard outer folders)

miscellaneous drawer folders

  • 30 x 40" (heavy brown folder stock, can be folded in  half to create folders for standard size 22x28" box.) in P1.CR4.3.20
  • 35 x 45" (ppf: largest full-drawer size for HTC and most drawers, except pf cabinets 2,3 and Richardson alcove flat files, which are the largest) in P1.CR4.3.2 and .16
  • 40 x 60" (in delivery box, upright next to photocopy machine : ask end processor, may need slight trimming before they will fit in PF Cab 2 and 3, Houghton  Basement)
    (NOTE: the white Lichtenstein map flat file on basement can hold items up to 36 x 60")
    • Largest known drawers are in Richardson alcove. Use 40x60 or ask for custom size from Technical Services Librarian.
  • SMALL QUANTITIES OF VARIOUS DEFUNCT LARGER SIZES, and overstock of certain interleaving paper and folder stock are in stacking trays on top of P1.CR1.1, consult manuscript end-processing assistant.
  • PHOTOTEX PAPER (24 x 36) for interleaving larger photos, and making inner clamshell folders for photos and negatives. Main supply currently in P1.CR4.3.17
    • Each sheet is folded into quarters and later trimmed to create sets of 2 inner folders each. Kept in old light gray clamshell box on wire shelf behind end processor work station.

Supplies : cartons (Paige boxes)

Paige boxes are kept under archivists' worktables. Overflow stock in Closet #1, TS front entrance, and sometimes at the end of ranges P2.2  and P2.3.

Supplies : interleaving and tissue

Supplies : photosleeves.

Photosleeve sizes are divided into basic groups, some of which are named. They are listed according to size below. Vendors often drop or create new sizes and configurations. Various sizes kept in stacking trays on wire shelves next to end processor's workstation. Overflow stock in Lamont supply room #1. Please review how to customize the pockets of each sleeve on a sheet (ask end processor to show you) before using. See also: Preliminary Processing - Photo album (Nabakov).

The end processor has plastic stacking trays with the basic standard sizes we use, stored according to the number of pockets per sheet, i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4. Below are descriptions of those. Beyond that, there are some specialized sizes listed:

Houghton Standard size: 4x5 range (MAY BECOME OBSOLETE)
4.25 x 5.5" (4 inserts per page)
This was a very good all-around sheet, since it was slightly wider then 4" and held 4 photographs. It was good becuase it fit so many different sizes and accomodated so many photos per sheet.
NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM MANUFACTURERS
4x5 (4 inserts per page)
We currently have a lot of these and will have to evaluate them. Good that they hold 4 per page, but they are narrower and might not accomodate as many different sizes.

NEW Houghton Standard size (to replace 4x5 range): 4x6 range
4 x 6" (3 inserts per page)
These are good because you can fit 3 to a page.
4 x 6" (2 inserts per page)
These are ACTUALLY 4x7.5" which might turn out to be occasionally useful. But they only hold 2 photos, so not very versatile. Probably don't order this type again.

Houghton Standard size: 5x7 range
Pockets are too large to be more than 2 inserts per page
5 x 7" (2 inserts per page) TOP LOADING
Top loading is not as good as side loading, because we fold the edges of the pockets down over the photographs to secure them. If a photo takes up the entire 5" height, there is nothing left to fold down. Side loading (below) is better because there is more often extra room in the 7" width to fold under; and it is unnecessary to do any folding along top.
5 x 7" (2 inserts per page) SIDE LOADING
These are more versatile. We should switch to these and stay with them. However, there are already lots left in storage from old HTC supplies.

Houghton Standard size: 8.5 x 11 range
8.5 x 11 (1 insert per page)
These are good, but check Lineco, which seems to have a 9" x 11" range size which would be even more versatile

Standard size: ANYTHING LARGER than 8.5 x 11
Use a large mylar folder. These are archival made specially for us by Atlantic Protective Pouches. Used sparingly. On bottom shelf of wire unit where items waiting for CMI boxes are kept. Use phototex paper for large flat photos or smaller photos: it's too floppy for a large upright photo.

Specialized photosleeves:

Mylar L-sleeves, various size:
Used mainly by printed books to protect photo inserts. Kept on wire shelving unit in P1 stacks entrance, printed book supply area. Not practical for large photograph collections cataloged as manuscripts. Better to use sheets of photosleeves put into manuscript folders in a flat box that can lay flat rather than on edge, and don't fill a box up so fast. Reader can examine more photos at a time with minimal shuffling.

Slides:

  • Sheets: Used very infrequently. About once every 4 years there is a collection of slides that uses up no more than 2 packages. So we don’t need to keep many on hand. Can also be used for storing coins, buttons, etc.
  • Individual slide sleeves (mylar): We have a small supply of these. They too are used very infrequently. Sometimes these can be used for storing coins or buttons, etc.; in conjunction with other photosleeves.

Baseball card size:
2.5 x 3.5" (9 inserts per page)
Used less frequently, but very suitable for older small photos, sometimes for housing buttons or coins.

Snapshot size:
(snapshots from 50s/60s are often square : but since manufacturers no longer make square, we categorize them into the following sizes that are available):
3.5 x 4.5" (6 inserts per page)--no longer available: this size is being replaced by 3.5 x 5 below
3.5 x 5" (4 inserts per page)
Used less frequently, but very suitable for certain collections that have a lot of this size. Usually only about 1 collection every year or so that might need these. Other collections sometimes have a few of this size.

Stereocard size:
4x12" (Note: we also have some single sleeves that fit individual stereocards in boxes on the end processor's wire shelf unit nearest their workstation.