Intro    Basic Principles    Glossary    Accessioning    Arrangement
Preservation    Description    Publicity    
Appendix A: Forms    Appendix B: Procedures    Appendix C: Charts & Tables
Bibliography    Webography    Index     Table of Contents

Chapter 5: Arrangement 

Arrangement is the process of organizing archival and manuscript material in accordance with accepted archival principles. The two basic principles are provenance and original order. Provenance means that records from one creator or one donor cannot be intermingled with records from another creator or donor even if the subject matter is the same. The principle of original order requires that materials in a collection be kept in their original order whenever possible. The order of the records reveals information about the creator of the collection and how the documents were used and about the relationships between the files themselves.

Arrangement of a collection consists of the following steps: research on the collection, survey of records pertaining to the collection, formulation of a processing plan, physical arrangement, processing and rehousing of materials, and labeling of file folders and boxes.

A. Research 

Before work can begin on processing a collection, it is helpful to know as much as possible about the subject of that collection. If the collection consists of personal papers, try to obtain a biography of that person, find out the dates of important events in that person's life, or determine noteworthy activities the person was engaged in. If the collection consists of the records of an organization, obtaining information may be more difficult. Check the holdings of the library for a history of the organization or for oral history interviews with members of the corporate body. If the sources mentioned above are not available either for an individual or for an organization--which is frequently the case--information will have to be obtained from the collection itself. The types of documents that are particularly useful for this purpose are resumes, obituaries, newspaper clippings, diaries, correspondence, annual reports, minutes, and charters.

B. Survey 

It is very important to examine all records pertaining to a collection before processing begins. The processor should first check the transfer of title to see whether any restrictions apply to the use of the collection. Correspondence in the holding file should be read to learn whether there are special instructions from the donor with regard to disposal of material in the collection (such as duplicates) or other matters. The Special Collections Guide, the Accession Log Book, and the donor file should also be consulted to find out whether other processed or unprocessed material has been received from the same donor or creator. Accession records will also provide information on the exact size of a collection so that no boxes will be overlooked when the collection is moved from the storage area to the processing area.

After this basic information has been obtained, the collection should be assigned the title, which is a combination of the creator’s name plus one of the following terms: papers, records, or collection. Ordinarily collections are named for the person or organization that created the records, not for the donor. (For information on determining the correct form of the name, refer to the chapter on Cataloging.) The title of a collection is determined usually by the creator. For example, if the material was created by a person, the collection is titled "papers." If the material was created by an organization, the collection title is "records." If the material was artificially formed around a particular subject, person, or by a collector, the collection is titled "collection." If the entire collection is made up of only one document type, it can be titled more specifically, for example, "photographs," "minutes," and so forth. Following are a few examples of names and titles taken from the Special Collections Guide: Betty Andujar Papers, McKinney Family Papers, Texas AFL-CIO Records, Fort Worth Driving Club Records, Garry Mauro Christmas Card Collection, Rebel Theme Controversy Collection, W. A. Ransom Grade Books, and Lubbock Central Labor Council Minutes.

C. Processing Plan 

With the preliminary work completed, the archivist is ready to devise a processing plan. (Archival students should submit a preliminary plan to their supervisor--see form at end of this chapter.) The first task is to obtain an overview of the collection. This is best done by setting the boxes on a table (or tables), opening each box, and quickly examining the contents of each box. If a careful box-by-box contents list was prepared at the time the collection was accessioned, an intellectual grasp of the contents can be obtained by a perusal of the written list. Scanning the actual contents of a collection, however, accomplishes several purposes. It helps the archivist to become more familiar with the collection and to note either mentally or on paper the logical sequence of the records and eventually to work out a plan for arranging the material. It also provides the archivist with many clues as to the task that lies ahead: Are file folders neatly arranged, are they poorly arranged, or are there no file folders? Do the folders have labels? Do folder titles actually reflect the contents? Are the papers in the folders in order? Are they folded? Are there few or many newspaper clippings, reels of film, photographs or fragile documents or artifacts that will require special attention? Is there any evidence of mildew, insect or rodent damage? Are there oversize documents, government documents, books, or other materials in the collection that may have to be handled separately or transferred to other areas of the library? Although these problems will be addressed later by the processor (and are discussed more fully in the sections on description and preservation), they are nonetheless considerations that must be factored into the final decision on how the collection is to be arranged.

D. Physical Arrangement

The primary task of the processor is to discover the creator's file order and to insure that it is systematically implemented. It bears repeating that a basic rule of archival management is that ideally the original order of the materials in a collection should not be altered or should be altered as little as possible. All too frequently, however, collections do not arrive in good order or sometimes have no order whatsoever. In these instances, the archivist has to impose order on the materials so that they will be easily accessible to the researcher.

There are four basic methods of arranging archival and manuscript collections: alphabetically by topic, in series by document type, chronologically, or in series by function of the creator. The arrangement of a collection will be determined largely by the size and content of the collection. For example, the file folders in a small collection (two or three manuscript boxes) might be arranged alphabetically by subject. If a collection contains only one or two types of material, it might be preferable to arrange the collection into document types, such as correspondence, minutes, and financial records and thereunder chronologically. Some collections, such as the papers of legislators, lend themselves to chronological arrangement because the activities of the creator of the records are centered around specific time periods (i.e. terms in office). Very large collections also can be made more manageable if the records are arranged in series, which in turn are arranged chronologically, alphabetically, or by order of importance. Arrangement of records by function of the creator groups together documents that relate to a specific activity of the creator.

Collections that are moderate to large in size (five or more manuscript boxes) are usually made more manageable by dividing the materials into series. For example, the papers of an individual might require a separate series for personal records, business records, and political records (see AR384, Keith Kahle Papers). The records of an organization might be divided into the different components of that organization, such as Department of Equal Opportunity, Education Department, Public Relations Department (see Texas AFL-CIO Collections AR110 and AR278). If a particular document type dominates the collection, the series could be formed around those record types, such as correspondence, financial records, minutes, personnel applications, grievances, etc. (see AR358, International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Ironworkers).

It is virtually impossible to make a general statement on how a collection should be arranged because each collection is unique, and each one has to be evaluated on its own characteristics. After the basic principles governing provenance and original order have been taken into consideration, the primary objective of the archivist should be to arrange the material in the most user-friendly manner possible. Material should be arranged so logically that the researcher can quickly find needed information.

E. Processing, Rehousing, and Labeling

When the plan for arranging a collection has been determined, the task of processing can begin. At this stage the processor works with one file folder at a time.

Careful attention should be given to the physical condition of the documents.

For example:

1. Remove paper clips and rubber bands.
2. Replace rusted staples with rust proof staples, if necessary. Remove excess staples and replace with one staple only.
3. If necessary, remove metal spirals from notebooks or remove pages and discard notebook cover and spirals. Photocopy cover onto acid-free paper if it contains needed information.
4. Flatten folded documents. If a document is too large for a legal-size folder and too valuable to remain folded, transfer to an oversize box.
5. Place photographs and negatives in polyester or polypropylene sleeves or in acid-free envelopes.
6. Place a sheet of bond paper on each side of documents on colored paper (such as labor union handbills or yellow carbon copies) to prevent staining of adjacent documents.
7. Encapsulate fragile documents or place in polyester sleeves.
8. Trim newspaper clippings and photocopy them onto acid-free paper. Discard the original clipping.

This is also the time to discard duplicates and to decide whether those records with little value should be retained (see "Functional Categories of Records Grouped by Relative Importance" at the end of this chapter). Envelopes are often discarded as well (especially from voluminous 20th century collections), although some archivists prefer to file them with their related correspondence. Other documents that should be removed from the collection at this time are copies of periodicals or newspapers that are available elsewhere in the library and federal or state documents that should be transferred to the government publications department.

When all of these concerns have been taken care of, arrange the contents of each folder in numerical, alphabetical or chronological order as appropriate. If material is placed in chronological order, undated material should be placed after dated material. Then transfer the contents of the folders to new, acid-free folders and label each folder. Write the headings on each folder with a No. 2 pencil, including the following information: collection, series, box, and folder numbers and folder title and dates (see example at end of this section). Note that if there is more than one series in a box the folder numbers do not start over with the new series, but continue in numerical order. Also folder numbers start over with number 1 in each new box, even if the series continues from the previous box.

Examples:  AR407-1-1-1 (AR407, series 1, box 1, folder 1) AR407-2-1-9 (AR407, series 2, box 1, folder 9) AR407-2-2-1 (AR407, series 2, box 2, folder 1)

See the front of the accession log for the next collection number. Record this number on the accession form, in the log, on all pertinent records, and on each folder in the collection. Ideally, no more than 50 sheets or 10 photographs should be put in a file folder. If necessary, divide the contents and place the material in additional folders, using the same heading for each folder. The folders can now be transferred from record center storage boxes to acid-free, lignin-free manuscript boxes. They should be arranged in their prescribed order and placed snugly in the manuscript box. Folders should not be stuffed into the box so that they are difficult to remove, nor should they be so loosely packed that in time the material will slump and bend. At this time the archivist may begin writing the container list (see Chapter 7: Description).

Temporary labels can be clipped to each manuscript box after it is filled, but later when the processing has been completed and the finding aid written, permanent labels should be typed and affixed to each box. These labels should include the collection number, collection name, and box number. If the collection, or a portion of it, is housed in an oversize box, the box label should indicate the oversize box number, the collection name, and the collection number (see examples at the end of the chapter).

By the time the finding aid is completed, the archivist will have worked with the material in each folder in the collection several times. It is a good idea to develop the habit of taking notes on the collection during the course of these processing procedures. The notes will be useful to the archivist later when preparing the description of the collection. They should include information on the earliest and latest dates of the records in the collection, on each series within the collection, dates of and facts about important events, the purpose and history of an organization, biographical information, a record of name changes (of an organization), and when the changes occurred, and any other information about the collection that would be helpful to the researcher and to the cataloger.

Completed Preliminary Processing Plan

Please click on each form to see a full page version of the completed form. 
Use the "Back" button on your browser to return to the Processing Manual.

Completed Folder Headings and Box Label Forms

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Functional Categories of Records Grouped by Relative Importance

Intro    Basic Principles    Glossary    Accessioning    Arrangement
Preservation    Description    Publicity    
Appendix A: Forms    Appendix B: Procedures    Appendix C: Charts & Tables
Bibliography    Webography    Index    Top of Page    Table of Contents

Chapter 6: Preservation

Preservation is an ongoing activity, performed in the course of accessioning and arranging a collection, or even after arrangement is completed. Most archivists define preservation as the actions taken to stop, prevent, or retard deterioration of archival and manuscript materials as well as improve the condition or change the format to preserve the intellectual content.

Preservation is very time consuming. The sheer bulk of modern records justifies a hard look at the amount of preservation work to be done for each collection. A processor will not do elaborate preservation work. The division's policy is to keep work to a minimum and focus efforts on preserving the information value of records rather than preserving documents as artifacts. Custom housings or extensive repairs should only be undertaken for special items by a trained staff member or outside conservator. The following procedures are undertaken to insure the proper housing and preservation of a manuscript or archival collection.

A. Housing the Collection 

Transfer all material to acid-free, lignin-free folders and boxes. All folders should be the same size as the box. To accommodate the most common sizes of paper, store documents in legal size folders in legal size boxes. If every item in a collection is letter size, letter-size folders and boxes may be used. Unfold any documents that have previously been stored folded or rolled. If a specific item is too large for a legal- size folder, place a "document removed" form (see example at end of chapter) in its place and transfer it to a folder in GO (Garrett Oversize in Bay D). Size the folder to the drawer, not to the item to keep it from shifting in the drawer. If several items from a collection need oversize storage, insert "document removed" forms in the appropriate original locations and put everything in an acid-free, lignin-free flat oversize box. Do not, however, store bulky items with papers or photographs. Use a box that will accommodate the largest document. Cut folders the size of the box, even though items going into the box will be smaller. Separate the oversize box from the collection and place it in the shelving area reserved especially for oversize box storage when processing is completed. A unique box number is assigned to all oversize boxes. (See the arrangement chapter for labeling of oversize boxes.) Materials transferred to an oversize box should be listed on the inventory in a separate series with the oversize box numbers noted. If materials in oversize boxes were never part of another series, then "document removed" forms are unnecessary.

Folders are designed to house from one to fifty or more items. How many documents are stored in a folder is a matter of judgment and depends on their age and importance. Folders that house very old manuscripts have as little as one or as many as fifteen documents. Archival collection folders will accommodate up to one-half inch of material comfortably. More than a half inch of documents is unwieldy and in time possibly damaging to the contents of the folder. Crease the folder along the proper scoring line according to the bulk of the contents so that the folder rests on its flat edge in the document box. A folder with only a few items need not be creased. Use your judgment.

Document boxes should not be overfilled so that the box bulges and files are difficult to retrieve. However, neither should a box be under filled so that the contents buckle or slump. Use a half-size document box for small collections or for housing materials of less than two and a half inches in bulk at the end of a collection. If a standard five-inch box must be under filled (in GA for example), crease and insert an acid-free document box spacer (found in the archival supply shelving area) behind the folders to fill up the extra space or until another collection is placed in that box.

B. Contaminants 

Collections are usually received with one or more types of contaminants attached to some of the papers. Rubber bands, ribbon, twine, and plastic folders should be removed from the materials. Metal paper clips, brads, rusty staples, metal spirals in notebooks, fasteners of any type, or metal straps which rust and damage paper should be removed. A wire cutter is useful in cutting the spirals from notebooks. Put notebook contents in a folder and discard any blank pages. Note number of pages discarded. Metal fasteners may be replaced with plastic coated paper clips or stainless steel staples. A safer alternative is to place previously fastened pages loose in a separate file folder, or in a folder with other items but separated by a sheet of acid-free paper on each side. A note can be written in pencil on the top sheet to describe the content or number of pages that were originally fastened.

In very large archival or manuscript collections, staples, which are not rusting do not have to be removed. Staples do not rust as quickly as paper clips, and they can be replaced if or when time allows with stainless steel staples.

Cellophane tape, masking tape, and rubber cement or glue cause great damage to documents. They discolor with age and leave permanent stains. Removal from documents is difficult and time consuming and should not be attempted by a staff member without expertise or without consultation with a trained conservator. If the document is old or valuable, it might be worthwhile to attempt tape removal. Otherwise it is best to leave the item alone, isolate it, or construct custom housing for it to avoid causing more damage, which may result from the attempt to repair it.

Avoid the use of Post-it notes on any item of known permanent value, such as material entrusted to archival care. Aging tests indicate that the note's color tends to transfer to the sheets on which the notes are affixed. Adhesive residue from the note may remain on the sheet after the note is removed. Attempts to rub off the residue will do more harm than good, as the adhesive becomes further embedded in the substance to which it has been attached. Use of these self-stick notes should be limited to non-valuable, non-archival materials. Strips of acid-free paper may be used in place of Post-it notes for most archival processing needs.

C. Paper 

Newsprint, manila paper, and construction paper are extremely acidic. They darken with age, become brittle, and stain any papers with which they come in contact. Documents printed or written on highly acidic paper include newspaper clippings, telegrams, carbons, copies on thermofax paper, and school writing tablets.

Text on highly acidic paper should be photocopied onto acid-free paper. However, quantities of newspaper clippings of secondary importance, for example, would be too time-consuming to photocopy. Separate the clippings from other paper documents into their own folders. Photocopy any item that is badly deteriorated or on poor quality paper. Letter size, legal size, and oversize acid-free paper is available. Discard the original item unless it has value as an artifact, for exhibition, or is handwritten. Such items are encapsulated in mylar with a sheet of acid-free paper as a neutralizing backing. Sometimes a photocopy of a brittle encapsulated item is also made and researchers are encouraged to use it instead of the original.

D. Oversize Material

Oversize documents and other items (above 8 1/2" x 14") will not fit into a legal-size document box when unfolded or encapsulated. Examples are legal or financial documents, muster rolls, certificates, diagrams, photographs, scrapbooks, albums, posters, galley sheets, etc. Items in this category are stored flat in large flat, acid-free, lignin-free document boxes or in an acid-free folder sized to fit the box or oversize drawer. Smaller bound volumes such as diaries, journals, albums, scrapbooks, etc., which are no more than a half inch thick can be stored in an acid-free folder or envelope. It is acceptable to store such items spine down in document boxes without folders if necessary. They may be wrapped individually in mylar or acid-free paper depending on condition. A label can be attached to the mylar or paper covering. Oversize bound volumes are not usually stored in a box with other documents or photographs. If they are heavy enough to shift, they will cause damage to the other items. Old volumes with leather bindings should be wrapped in acid-free paper, spun polyester, or mylar and boxed together if the bindings have red rot.

E. Photographs, Audio Tapes, and Films 

Photographs mounted on acidic pages of an old album or scrapbook present a special problem. Each album and its contents must be evaluated individually. Albums of this type can be photographed or photocopied page by page to maintain a record of the original historical arrangement and descriptions. The photos can then be removed and stored in separate folders or envelopes. Often the best solution is to interleave the pages with acid-free paper between the pages to neutralize the harmful effects of the original pages and keep the item intact. If the album cannot accommodate the bulk added by protective sheets, disbinding may be required. Loose sheets can then be boxed.

Photographs, oral history tapes, films, video tapes, and artifacts should be separated from the paper part of the collection and stored in separate folders, series, or document boxes so that their unique formats may be accommodated. Photographs 8" x 10" and under can be stored either in archival folders interleaved with acid-free paper (non-buffered if they are color or albumen prints), in acid-free envelopes, in albums, or in mylar or polypropylene sleeves or pages designed for storage of photographs. Rolled photographs may be stored rolled if absolutely necessary or may be humidified, flattened, and wrapped with an acid-free board support for storage. Negatives and photographs are never stored in the same envelope, sleeve, or folder although they can be stored in the same box.

Slides and photographic negatives should be housed in archival slide and film protectors designed for the individual size and format. Photographs over 8" x 10" and mounted photographs must be stored flat in oversize boxes. Cased photographs, such as tintypes, daguerreotypes, or glass negatives, need custom containers to protect them. Such containers can be made or purchased. They may be protected by wrapping them in tissue paper and storing them horizontally in flat storage document boxes. Microfilm storage boxes are also useful for smaller cased photographs.

When housing a large collection of photographs, put no more than ten photographs or approximately a quarter inch in each folder. This is a general rule of thumb adhered to by most photographic archivists. Interleaving the prints with acid-free paper is optional. However, if the prints are on acidic board, have clippings attached to the verso, or if any kind of transferable marker or ink was used by the original owners to write identifications, acid-free paper should be considered to protect adjacent prints. Fragile prints should be stored in sleeves and filed singly in folders. Very fragile prints should be stored flat with a piece of supporting mat board and a Mylar enclosure. Consider the value of the material. The more valuable or unique it is, the more carefully it should be housed.

Photographs stored vertically must be stored in full boxes or in polypropylene pages in a firm notebook to retard curling. Never affix a gummed label on the front or back of a photo. Information about a photo is placed on its verso in pencil and only along its border. Information can be written on a piece of interleaving paper placed behind the photo or on the envelope or folder in which it is stored. Excessive photocopying of photographic prints of any kind should be avoided. Copy prints should be made of frequently photocopied photographic materials.

F. Basic Techniques for Repairing Documents 

Simple repairs and conservation steps are undertaken on manuscript and archival materials keeping in mind that any repair should be durable, reversible, but harmless to the item being treated. Consultation with specific staff members in the Preservation Department or with a professional conservator is advised for complicated preservation or storage problems. Learn to distinguish between repairs that you are capable of doing with the equipment on hand and that which is best left to the experts!

1. To remove staples use a microspatula, especially on old manuscript materials. Bend up the prongs on the verso of the paper group, then lift off the top of the staple at the front of the document with the microspatula. Staple removers on modern documents in good condition are acceptable if done carefully.
2. To clean soiled documents, use the powder from a document cleaning pad or cleaning powder. Rub the powder gently in a circular motion with your fingertips. Brush dirt into a waste container. A soft eraser may be used for stray marks. Do not use cleaning powder on documents written in pencil or on chalk drawings. This technique is primarily for soiled printed materials.
3. To flatten curled documents or photographs, place them on the rack in the humidifier. Be sure that there is fresh, warm water in the container beneath the rack. Close the lid tightly. Let your document remain in the humidifier for several hours or overnight. Remove documents and place them between sheets of blotter paper under the heavy boards of the flattening table. Leave overnight to dry. Let the blotter paper dry between uses. Thin soft items will take only a few hours to humidify whereas heavy, rolled materials may take a few days. Check your document each day that it is being humidified. Over humidified documents sag and do damage to themselves and other items in the humidifier from being exposed to too much humidity for too long.
4. Before washing any document, clean the surface first to remove any loose dirt. Gently test a small area of each color of ink for solubility with a Q-tip dipped in water. If any color lifts off the item, it should not be washed. Wash documents in a shallow amount of cool, clean water in a flat photo tray. Put a sheet of screening or woven polyester in the bottom of the tray and on top of the item to support the wet document. Allow it to soak for approximately 30 minutes. Check frequently.
   
   When the tape or glue is loose, gently remove it with your finger. Remove the document from the tray by lifting the item sandwiched between the screening or polyester and allow it to drip dry for several minutes. Blot excess water between two sheets of blotter paper, then place it between two dry blotters and flatten it. Do not wash documents that have water soluble inks, watercolors, or chalk. Wash items to remove oils, water soluble dirt, glue, stains, or tape and to flatten very wrinkled or creased, brittle paper. Don't take a chance with precious, valuable, irreplaceable documents. There are other washing methods that use specific chemicals that only a trained conservator should attempt. If in doubt, leave it alone!
5. To remove scotch, cellophane, or masking tape from an item, without washing it use a small scalpel or microspatula and 200 proof alcohol. Blot the tape on the verso of the item with 200 proof alcohol, let it sit a few minutes to loosen and carefully remove the tape. Use an eraser or a tacky remover to remove the residual adhesive. This procedure is extremely time consuming and can be tricky. Do it only if the tape seems newly attached and easy to remove. Don't remove tape on a dirty item using this method, because the liquid will leave tide marks (wavy dark water lines.) It is beneficial to clean or wash the item first. Test the ink beforehand as in the instructions above. Consult recommended sources before attempting washing or tape removal.
6. To flatten creased or wrinkled materials, spray the verso with a light spray of water and dry between sheets of blotter paper under weights. If the item is delicate or a photograph, spray the blotter paper that will be in contact with the unprinted verso and flatten.
7. To mend tears in documents, use document repair tape on the reverse side of the document and only along tears that have no writing or printing if possible. Japanese mending tissue and rice paste or methyl cellulose glue are used to mend older manuscripts. Photographs can also be mended using Japanese mending tissue or document repair tape on the reverse side.
8. Encapsulation is used to protect brittle, torn, or fragile but frequently used items. To encapsulate a document, cut a piece of 3 mil mylar at least one inch larger than the document on all sides. Lay one sheet of mylar on a clean surface. Clean the mylar with a soft cloth to remove dust and create a static charge. Place the document at the center of the mylar and use a soft weight on the document to keep it from shifting. Place a strip of 1/4" 3M encapsulation tape along each side of the document approx. 1/8" from the item leaving a gap at the corners. Place the second sheet of mylar on top of the document as you remove the weight. Place the weight on top of the three items and clean the top sheet of mylar with a soft cloth. Reach under each edge in turn and remove the protective paper from the tape, letting the mylar fall quickly in place to seal. Press out the air after removing each piece of tape with a squeegee or cloth to create more static and clean any dust off the mylar. Trim the borders to 1/4" and round the corners.
9. We do not have the facilities or chemicals to deacidify documents. At best highly acidic items should be encapsulated with a piece of acid-free, buffered paper backing.
10. To kill mold, put the document in the sun for several hours. When mold is dry, brush or vacuum it off. Do this outdoors and use a protective facemask and gloves. Mold is dangerous to handle and can cause health problems for anyone who handles infected items. Isolation of the item from other library materials is necessary until a decision is made to reproduce the item and discard it. To remove a moldy odor, place a document in a plastic garbage bag with a small box of charcoal briquettes. Seal the bag and leave it for a week. Consult reference materials at the end of this section for more detail on handling various types of mold infected documents.
    
    Fill out the division's Conservation/Preservation Form when repairs are complicated or beyond your knowledge or experience. The form should be given to the staff archivist responsible for basic book and paper repairs and custom housing for archival and manuscript material. The repairs will be completed as time allows. Contact the archivist personally for rush jobs and explain the problem. If it is beyond the archivist's expertise and the repair is necessary, the item will be referred to an outside conservator. A sample copy of the form is at the end of this chapter.

For greater detail and more information on specific preservation techniques, consult the recommended works listed below. The above methods are intended to serve only as an introduction to the basic preservation techniques used in the division. What you do depends on your training and the value of the material. Workshops in basic preservation techniques are offered by AMIGOS Library Services, SAA, and SSA and are a valuable experience. They not only teach repair techniques, but also teach what not to do and when to ask for help.

Preservation Bibliography

Abbey Newsletter. Austin, Texas. (Periodical)
    http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/an/index.html

Archival Storage of Paper. Gaylord Preservation Pathfinder No. 2. Syracuse, N.Y.: Gaylord Bros., 1993.

Archival Storage of Photographic Materials. Gaylord Preservation Pathfinder No. 3. Syracuse, N.Y.: Gaylord Bros., 1994.

Archival Storage of Textiles. Gaylord Preservation Pathfinder No. 5. Syracuse, N.Y.: Gaylord Bros., 1997.

An Introduction to Book Repair. Gaylord Preservation Pathfinder No. 3. Syracuse, N.Y.: Gaylord Bros., 1995.

An Introduction to Preservation. Gaylord Preservation Pathfinder No. 1. Syracuse, N.Y.: Gaylord Bros., 1992.

Kahn, Miriam B. Disaster Response and Planning for Libraries. Chicago: American Library Association, 1998.

Lavender, Kenneth and Scott Stockton. Book Repair : a How-to-do-it Manual for Librarians. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1992.

Managing a Mold Invasion: Guidelines for Disaster Response. Technical Series No. 1. Philadelphia: Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, 1994.

Reilly, James M. Care and Identification of 19th-Century Photographic Prints. New York: Eastman Kodak Company, 1986.

Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn. Archives & Manuscripts: Administration of Photograph Collections. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 1984.

___________________. Archives & Manuscripts Conservation: a Manual on Physical Care and Management. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 1983.

___________________. Preserving Archives and Manuscripts. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 1993.

Tigelaar, Mary. Simple Conservation Techniques. Text by Mary Tigelaar; illustrated by Charles Colley and Mary Tigelaar. 
    Richardson, Tex.: Association for Higher Education of North Texas, 1984.

Archival Supply and Exhibit Companies

Asel Art Supply, Arlington, TX (817-272-8282)
    Local supplier of table protectors, cutting mats, copy screens, mat board, and other small tools.

Bookmakers, Riverdale, MD (301-459-3384)
    Bookbinding, book conservation, paper conservation, and book arts supplies.

Conservation Resources, Springfield, VA (800-634-6932)
    Primarily boxes and folders, photographic enclosures, misc. archival supplies, custom order service. 
    http://www.conservationresources.com

Dickson Company, Addison, Illinois (800-323-2448)
    Temperature/humidity recorders and supplies. 
    http://www.dicksonweb.com

Gaylord Bros., Syracuse, NY (800-448-6160)
    Archival Help Line, Th.-Fri. (800-428-3631)
    Full line of archival supplies and some bookbinding supplies (15% discount to libraries).
    archival@gaylord.com

Hisco Company, Houston, TX (713-683-2448)
    The best deal on Velcro self-adhesive hooks and loops. Minimum order is a 25 yard roll or 900 Velcro coins.

Hollinger Corporation, Fredericksburg, VA. (800-634-0491)
    Primarily boxes and folders, misc. archival supplies, custom order service.
    hollingercorp@erols.com

Light Impressions, Rochester, NY (800-828-6216)
    Primarily photographic storage and framing supplies, includes misc. archival supplies ($50 minimum).
    http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com

Metal Edge, Inc., Los Angeles, CA (800-862-2228)
    Boxes folders, and a large selection of archival supplies. Minimum quantities on most items.
    http://www.metaledgeinc.com/

PRO-LINE, a division of Filmguard Corp., Escondido, CA (800-677-3686)
    Archival enclosures for photographic materials, darkroom gloves & accessories, factory direct prices. 
    http://www.filmguard.com

Photographic Archives Gallery, 5119 W. Lovers Lane, Dallas, TX 75209 (214-352-3167)
    Archival supplies, conservation framing, and restoration of historical images. Owners, Andy and Beckie Reisberg.

Transilwrap Company, Dallas, TX (214-484-3211)
    Archival quality polyester (Mylar) in large quantities. We order .003 mil, 42" x 500 ft., archival quality, clear, no frost. Custom order service.

United Mfrs. Supplies, Inc., New York, NY (800-447-6393)
    Primarily exhibition, framing, and art supplies, good prices.

UT Arlington Bookstore on campus (817-272-2785)
    Good source for metal rulers and inexpensive art supplies.

University Products, Holyoke, MA (800-628-1912)
    Full range of archival products, volume discount
    http://www.universityproducts.com

Free catalogs are can be requested from out-of-state archival suppliers. See web links for on line catalogs and information.

Completed Document Removed Form

Please click on the form to see a full page version of the completed form. 
Use the "Back" button on your browser to return to the Processing Manual.

Completed Conservation/Preservation Form

Please click on the form to see a full page version of the completed form.
 Use the "Back" button on your browser to return to the Processing Manual.

Intro    Basic Principles    Glossary    Accessioning    Arrangement
Preservation    Description    Publicity    
Appendix A: Forms    Appendix B: Procedures    Appendix C: Charts & Tables
Bibliography    Webography    Index    Top of Page    Table of Contents

Chapter 7: Description

The finding aid is compiled specifically to describe the arrangement and contents of a collection and to comment on its research potential. It serves the researcher seeking information about a person, family, or corporate body; serves the staff in locating desired materials; and serves the donor as a record of material deposited. The finding aid should be written in clear, concise language, in a tone free of value judgments, personal bias, or professional jargon.

Use Microsoft Word 2000, 12 point Times New Roman font, in creating the finding aid and all related documents. The preferred page setup is one inch margins all around. If the finding aid is compiled in two separate files, title page through note to researcher in one file and the container list in another file, headers are then easier to insert and revise in the container list. Do not change the Word filename extensions from the default. All Word documents should have the .doc extension. The standard finding aid includes the following parts:
Title page Table of Contents (optional) Biographical/Historical Sketch Series Description (optional) Scope and Content Note Provenance Restrictions (optional) Literary Rights Statement Note to the Researcher (optional) Container List Materials Removed List (optional) Appendices (optional) Index (optional)

Each part will be discussed separately accompanied by brief examples. Sample finding aids are included in the appendices.

A. Title Page The title page should include:
Name and dates of the collection Amount of material in linear ft. (see conversion chart) Restrictions if any Collection Number Name of processor Date of preparation of finding aid Citation Libraries identification

Example: Title Page (Do not use bold font on the title page)

Guide to the

BENJAMIN CAPPS PAPERS
1946-1993

6.5 linear ft.

Restrictions: One plagiarism case file restricted

Collection Number: AR363

Prepared by Shirley R. Rodnitzky
February 1995

CITATION: Benjamin Capps Papers, AR363, Box number, Folder number, Special Collections Division, The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries.

Special Collections Division|
University of Texas at Arlington Libraries

B. Table of Contents

If a finding aid is more than twelve pages or has several series, a table of contents may be included for easy access. Add series and subseries titles to the title page.

Example: Table of Contents

Contents

Biographical Sketch ................................................3
Series Description ...................................................5
Scope and Content Note ........................................6
Provenance .............................................................8
Restrictions .............................................................8
Literary ...................................................................8
Note to the Researcher ............................................9

Container List Series I. Diaries ............................................10 Series II. Correspondence ............................11 Series III. Literary Works .............................14 Series IV. Printed Material ............................18

Materials Removed List .....................................................21 Appendix ..........................................................................22 Index ................................................................................23

C. Biographical or Historical Sketch 

The purpose of the sketch or history is to give the researcher a brief, general introduction to the person or organization that created the collection. Prepare a sketch or history in narrative form that highlights major events in the past of the person or organization primarily during the period represented by the collection. The description may include limited background data. If more than one person or organization is very important to the collection, prepare a short biography or history for them also. Write your text in clear, concise language including accurate data. Your text may range anywhere from two paragraphs to two pages at most.

Books or useful articles by or about the person or organization, which would be useful to the researcher, should be listed in bibliographic format and follow the narrative. Consult The Chicago Manual of Style or Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations for the standard style of entry. If more than a few items are listed, they may be placed on a separate page.

Example: Biographical Sketch

William Ransom Hogan, historian, writer, and teacher was born in Toledo, Ohio, November 23, 1908. He grew up in Texas, where he was educated and earned his undergraduate degree from Trinity University in 1929. He received the M.A. in 1932, and the Ph.D. degree in 1942 from the University of Texas. Hogan was an instructor at Ranger Junior College and regional historian with the National Park Service before serving as an archivist at Louisiana State University, where he became department head in 1946. He spent a year at the University of Oklahoma as associate professor before returning to Louisiana as associate professor of history at Tulane University in 1947. He was appointed professor of history in 1950 and served as chair of the History Department at Tulane from 1953 to 1968. Hogan died in September 1971.

Dr. Hogan was founder and faculty administrative director of the archives of New Orleans Jazz, a Guggenheim fellow, and a Captain in the United States Army during World War II. His academic specialty was United States social and cultural history. Among his publications are: The Texas Republic: A Social and Economic History, co-editor of William Johnson's Natchez: the Ante-Bellum Diary of a Free Negro, and co-author with Edwin A. Davis of Barber of Natchez & Tales from the Manchaca Hills.

Sources:

Directory of American Scholars. New York: R. R. Bowker & Co., 1969.

"In Memoriam: William R. Hogan," Southwestern Historical Quarterly, v. LXXV, no. 3, pp. 373-375.

 

Example: Historical Sketch

The Berachah Home was established on Rescue Hill on South Cooper Street in Arlington, Texas, May 14, 1903. Reverend James Tony Upchurch, the Home's founder, initially established the Berachah Rescue Society in Waco, Texas, in 1894 for the purpose of redeeming and aiding prostitutes and other "fallen women." After some success, he and his wife, Maggie Mae, moved to the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas, in 1903 to continue the "mission" in Oak Cliff's slum areas.

A trip to Arlington resulted in the purchase of the original twenty-seven acres of land for the establishment of the Berachah Home for homeless, pregnant girls. These girls came from Texas and the surrounding states to have their babies and learn to care for themselves. Adoption was not allowed as Reverend Upchurch believed mothers and children should not be separated.

During the next thirty-two years, the Home expanded to include forty more acres, a hospital/clinic, nursery, dormitory and dining room, printing shop, handkerchief factory, chapel, office building, schoolhouse, auditorium, barn, and cemetery. The Home was funded by Dallas-Fort Worth area businessmen. It was primarily for the contributors that Reverend Upchurch published The Purity Journal, to keep them informed about the Home's affairs.

The Home closed in 1935 for reasons not clearly known, but perhaps due to competition from the Edna Gladney Home in Fort Worth or because of Reverend Upchurch's poor health. It was reopened later that year as an orphanage, the Berachah Child Institute, by Reverend Upchurch's daughter, Allie Mae, and her husband, Reverend Frank Wiese. In 1942 the property was purchased by the Christian Missionary Alliance. The University of Texas at Arlington purchased the property in 1963 and is the current owner. On March 7, 1981, an historical marker was erected at the cemetery site, the only surviving structure on Rescue Hill.

Sources:

Arlington Citizen-Journal. 21 January 1981.

Dallas Times Herald. 8 March 1981.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 22 February 1981.

Manion, Lynn and Jan Dolph. "A Short History of the Berachah Home and Berachah Cemetery, Arlington, Texas." Paper presented to The University of Texas at Arlington, City and Regional Planning, 1979.

D. Series Description

The series description introduces the arrangement of the collection and provides a concise statement of the files within each series. The series description should include the following elements in this order: title, inclusive and bulk dates, quantity in linear feet with number of boxes or folders, arrangement, and a very brief summary of contents or principal subjects. Series should be listed in order of importance, if possible, otherwise alphabetically. A series description is optional, depending on the size of the collection and number of series. Bold the series title headings as shown below. Subseries, if they exist, can be described within the series description, such as when financial records are divided into subseries by record type.

Example: Series Description

Series Description

The Trussell Family Papers are arranged in ten series:

Series I. Correspondence, 1832-1962. 1.25 linear ft. (3 document boxes).
    Arranged chronologically. Letters to and from Trussell family members and friends in Mississippi and Texas.

Series II. Financial Records, 1837-1940. .24 linear ft. (10 folders).
    Arranged chronologically. Bills of sale, statements, promissory notes, county, state, and school tax receipts, poll tax receipts, insurance policy, miscellaneous receipts, and a plat map.

Series III. Legal Documents, 1831-1924. .08 linear ft. (4 folders).
    Arranged chronologically. Legal forms for power of attorney, transfers of title to property, executor of estates and rental agreements, deeds, and statements.

Series IV. Literary Works, 1850-1882. .25 linear ft. (12 folders).
    Arranged chronologically, some undated materials. Religious sermons, political speeches, essays, memorials for deceased relatives, poetry, prayers, and stories by various family members.

Series V. Printed Material, 1838-1945. .13 linear ft. (6 folders and one oversize item).
    Arranged chronologically. Newspaper clippings, broadsides, pamphlets, and brochures.

E. Scope and Content Note

The scope and content note is an expanded version of the series description and briefly describes the content of the collection but with sufficient detail to provide the researcher with a good understanding of the collection's general characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses or gaps. It also may include a statement regarding the original condition of the collection, a summary of the archivist's processing and preservation decisions, and the amount and types of materials that were removed from the collection.

Describe in essay form and at a minimum note the document types and/or subjects represented with inclusive dates, the extent of the materials, primary correspondents, and significant or unusual items. Describe these major elements in the order in which the materials are physically arranged. Information regarding significant aspects of a person's or organization's past should be related to the description of the papers or records. The scope and content note is the archivist's opportunity to relate the collection and its relevance to the creator and, if possible, to the events at the time of its creation.

Summarize the research value of the collection and point out important gaps. One or two pages are usually sufficient.

Example: Scope and Content Note(Person)

The collection, in six legal-size document boxes, is composed primarily of research materials collected by Arista Joyner for use in compiling her Arlington Journal columns as woman's editor, 1951-1954, and for her publications on the history of Arlington and surrounding areas of Tarrant County, Texas. Included are correspondence, newspaper clippings, photocopies of original documents, maps, photographs, oral history interviews, biographies, genealogies, tour guides, booklets, newsletters, brochures, articles, notes, and typescripts of manuscripts dating from 1836-1986. Notes for her historical works are expressed in the format of a timeline of Arlington area history and customs, as she prepared it, affixed to unprinted newsprint. Photocopies and original sketches of illustrations by Joyner, which were used in her publications, are also included.

The collection is organized in three series. The first series is the Historical Organizations Files, which consist of Joyner's correspondence files with the Arlington Historical Society, the Bicentennial/Centennial Committee, the Tarrant County Historical Commission, and the Texas Historical Commission. The second series is Publications Files, which consist of a variety of materials related to the publication of Arlington: Birthplace of the Metroplex, 1838-1910, such as clippings, copyright forms, a bibliography, illustrations, indexes, and page layouts. Only a few items relate to her other publications, Arlington, A Pictorial History and Tour Historical Sites in Relation to Arlington. Also included are some clippings of her history column, but no original manuscripts related to her work at the Arlington Journal. The last series is the Research Files, which were arranged in alphabetical order by subjects assigned by Joyner. The titles and organization of these files were revised somewhat during processing. The Research Files comprise the bulk of the collection and contain the widest variety of materials as noted above. Oral histories include interviews by Joyner with Bess Marney, Loraine Raines, Ella V. Day Vincent, and Tressie Watson, women descended from early Arlington pioneer families. The oral histories are not transcribed.

Newspaper clippings were photocopied onto acid-free paper and the original clippings were discarded. Duplicates of clippings and photocopied materials were also discarded. The materials in each series and folder remain in the same order as received, but the series order was decided by the processing archivist.

The Arista Joyner Papers reflect the social customs, family histories, and commercial development of Arlington during the formative part of its history. Documentation concerning local Indian settlements and life along Village and Rush Creeks prior to and during the Anglo encroachment is in the collection. Information on pioneers, such as James D. Cooper, John B. Denton, James W. Ditto, Middleton Tate Johnson, Patrick A. Watson, and many others, is also included.

 

Example: Scope and Content Note (Organization)

The records of the Society for the History of Discoveries consist of materials accumulated since the Society's creation in 1960 through 1991. Contained in fifteen legal-size document boxes, the materials include correspondence, a constitution, annual reports, minutes, financial documents, photographs, and files related to the Society's yearly publication, Terrae Incognitae.

The collection is divided into four series: Correspondence, Annual Reports, Meetings, and Terrae Incognitae. The first series contains two subseries; Officer's Correspondence, which includes copies of correspondence between the officers of the Society and other members of the Society; and Membership Correspondence, which includes letters to the secretary regarding membership, dues, and annual meetings, 1960-1990. Letters regarding the formation of the Society, a constitution, and the articles of incorporation as well as letters proposing a new name for the Society are included with the Officer's Correspondence. Series two, Annual Reports, consists of copies of reports that were mailed to all members, 1962-1990. The reports contain the financial statement for each year, updated membership lists, and information about meetings and the Society's publication, Terrae Incognitae. Series three, Meetings, includes programs and reports of annual meetings, proposed papers and comments, correspondence regarding meetings, and photographs, 1961-1990. It also contains minutes of yearly business and council meetings. Series four, Terrae Incognitae, contains correspondence from members to the editorial board concerning the contents and printing of the yearly publication, 1962-1989. Correspondence for 1970-1971 is missing.

The original order of the collection was maintained. All materials within each series are arranged chronologically. Contents of folders that were received in reverse chronological order were refiled in chronological order. Undated materials were placed at the end of each folder. The only other change involved rewording some folder headings for clarification. Several of the financial documents, specifically deposit and withdrawal slips, bank statements, returned checks, and also miscellaneous advertising materials were discarded. Treasurer's reports, ledgers, and budgets maintained in the collection reflect the financial records of the Society.

Those interested in the development of cartography or geography as an academic field will find these records particularly valuable.

F. Provenance Statement

The provenance statement describes how, from whom, and when the collection or materials were acquired. This information may be found in the manuscripts holding file documented in correspondence and recorded on the Accession Form. Include the original accession number or numbers.

Example: Provenance Statement

The Benjamin Capps Papers were purchased by The University of Texas at Arlington. James C. Martin, Director of Special Collections, received the materials from Benjamin Capps at his home. John H. Jenkins did the appraisal of the collection before receipt of the materials. A portion of the collection was received and paid for in September, 1977. The remaining papers were placed on permanent loan until funds were received and a second payment was made to Mr. Capps in September, 1978. The papers were accessioned as number 94-24.

G. Restrictions

If the donor or the library has restricted access to all or part of a collection, the specific terms of the agreement should be described clearly here. Check both the holding file and the Transfer of Title for the statement of restrictions if any.

Material may be withheld from use for a variety of reasons. In addition to the donor's restrictions, the archivist, during processing, may find material that would be damaging to the creator or to others mentioned in the collection. Be especially alert for sensitive information about persons other than the donor, for correspondence or reports that are marked confidential or seem to have been written with the understanding they would be kept confidential, especially if written by someone other than the donor.

Procedures for protecting restricted materials:

1. Organize the restricted material along with the other material.
2. If a single item or folder is being restricted, put it in an envelope, seal it, and add a label with the terms of the restriction on it. If the entire folder is being restricted, write the folder title, dates, box number and folder number on the envelope as well. Put a red dot on the envelope and on the box that the folder is in.
3. If an entire box is being restricted, seal it shut with a label that describes the terms of the restriction. Put a red dot on the box.

H. Literary Rights Statement

Include a statement indicating where a researcher should obtain permission to publish materials from the collection. If the donor did not sign the literary rights over to the university, then he/she should be contacted for permission. The usual statement follows.

Example: Literary Rights Statement

Permission to publish, copy, reprint, digitize, orally record for transmission over public or private airways, or use material from the Trussell Family Papers in any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures, must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Division of the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

I. Note to the Researcher

Add a note with any other pertinent information such as cross references to other collections in the Division, special handling or preservation problems, or any special instructions to alert the researcher that something about this collection is unusual.

Example: Note to the Researcher

See also: The Santerre Family Photograph Collection donated by Eloise Santerre, daughter of George Santerre; also the Ernestine Sewell Linck Papers which include research on La Reunion and the Santerres as well as a copy of her abstract: "The Santerre Family and the Aftermath of the French Colony, La Reunion."

Documents are on thin, fragile paper. Please do not remove them from mylar folders. The chronological order of the materials must be maintained, especially because the handwriting is difficult to transcribe and the order is difficult to reconstruct.

J. Container List

Prepare a list of the folder titles that were created or determined during the arrangement of the collection. The heading at the top of each page of the container list should include the collection number, collection title, colon, and the words "Container List" (on the top line in boldface type and in caps), double space and follow it by the series title (in bold) if there is one. Use the header feature in Word rather than manually inputting these titles on each page. Changes and additions to the text will be easier to manage. An additional heading at the top of each page should include the box number (underlined), and below the box number the folder, title, dates, and description headings (underlined). A page number should be inserted on the bottom center of each page except the title page. See the heading example at the bottom of this page and complete finding aid examples in the appendices.

If an item or the contents of a folder is undated, estimate the date from the context of the collection. Circa dates are designated as: ca. 1950 or c. 1950. Use n.d., no date, or undated if a date cannot be determined. Use item numbers rather than folder numbers for materials that are inventoried individually such as books, films, sound recordings, graphics, or photographs, etc., that remain with the collection. Short descriptions, subjects, or names of correspondents, if they are important but not reflected in the folder title, may be described on the next line below the title and indented a few spaces. Examples:

Correspondence, 1862-1863
    Letters from officers in the field. Includes one facsimile letter by president Abraham Lincoln.

Diary, 1949-1962
    Capps’ experiences as a rookie school teacher, machinist, and writer.

Show series titles at the top of each page and insert new series titles wherever they occur on the page. Create the series title in the header after the page heading. Subseries are rare occurring most commonly in large collections. See series title examples here and on the next page.

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AR407 JACK WHITE PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION: CONTAINER LIST

Series I. Photographs

Subseries 2. Aerial Views

Box 1

Folder(s) Title, Dates, and Description

Alternately the subseries title can be placed in the header with the page heading especially if there are several pages of the same subseries. If the subseries changes frequently, a section break and a new header would have to be created every time the subseries changes. Therefore, it might be easier to input the new header at the top of the page. Take your choice.

Example:

AR407 JACK WHITE PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION: CONTAINER LIST

Series I. Photographs. Subseries 2. Aerial Views

Oversize boxes should be listed and described at the end of the container list. List items numerically in oversize boxes. Folder numbers may not be necessary. After processing, the oversize boxes in a collection are transferred to an oversize box shelving area and should follow that numbering scheme. A list of oversize box numbers is maintained in the accession log notebook. Consult that list for your oversize box number(s) before your container list is completed. Use an acid-free folder cut to the same size as the box interior for each item or groupings of related items that are placed in the box. Ledgers, artifacts, printed items containing several pages, etc., do not need to be placed in folders, but use a box as close as possible to the size of the largest item to eliminate shifting of materials within the box. Rolled up acid free paper or acid free board is used to fill in areas around an item that may shift within an oversize box.

Example: Container List

AR363 BENJAMIN CAPPS PAPERS: CONTAINER LIST

Series I. Diaries, 1946-1979

Box 1

Folder Title, Dates, and Description

1.     Diary, 1949-1962
           Capps' experiences as a rookie school teacher, machinist, and writer.
2.     Diary, 1946-1970
           Includes a log, description of writing experiences, and expenses and income related to writing.
3.     Diary, 1951-1964
           Capps' writing experiences and experiments.
4.     Diary, 1979
           "Pilgrimage of a Writer," story draft, biographical outline, letter drafts.

Series II. Correspondence, 1968-1993

5.     Clayton, Lawrence, 1986-1990
           Dean, Hardin-Simmons University.
6.     Henry, Will (H.W. Allen), 1968-1969; 1981-1982
           Author of Western literature.
7.     Sonnichsen, Charles L., 1983-1991
           Professor Emeritus, UT El Paso.
8.     Western Writers of America, 1969-1980
           Organization of professional writers of fiction or non-fiction pertaining to the American West.

AR363 BENJAMIN CAPPS PAPERS: CONTAINER LIST

Series III. Plagiarism case files, 1980-1988

Box 2

Folder Title, Dates, and Description

1.     Correspondence, 1980
           Lawyers, agent, and other interested parties.
2.     Journal, 1982-1983
           Capps' thoughts about the case and its progress.
3.     Phone calls, 1982-1983
           Summaries of conversations with Richard Pastore, attorney, and Al Hart, agent.
4.     Statements to the court, 1982
           Essays and evidence in support of Capps' case against Anna Lee Waldo and Avon books.

   ---

K. Materials Removed List

Compile a list of books, periodicals, graphics, broadsides, pamphlets, maps, and art objects, etc., (in bibliographic format) that were removed from the collection to be cataloged for a different location within the Special Collections Division. Do not include items removed to oversize locations, but do include items, which because of their format, will be accessed easier if they are cataloged individually. Place the list at the end of the finding aid. A description of materials removed from the collection and returned to the donor, transferred to the Central Library, or deaccessioned should be prepared and filed in the holding file.

L. Appendices

Include any information (if readily available) that would be useful to researchers such as family trees, organization charts, lists of awards, chronologies, a map showing routes traveled, a photograph (photocopy), etc.

M. Index

If the container list is large and particular information would be difficult to find, create an alphabetical index listing names, subjects, titles, and formats.

N. Guide Entry 

Write a guide entry for the collection after the finding aid has been completed. The guide entry is basically a revision of the collection-level description described in chapter 4. The accession number is changed to the permanent collection number. One or all of the elements of the collection-level description may need to be revised. A statement regarding the availability of a finding aid should be added. Depending on the collection, a restriction/preservation statement may or may not be needed. However, the format remains the same.

The Guide entry does not become a part of the finding aid. File a copy of the guide entry in the collection’s holding file, add a copy to the Guide Addenda, and give a copy to the Guide editor. Also, send an electronic copy of the entry to the LAII who will revise the minimal level description that is in the UT Arlington Library Catalog. See the example at the end of this chapter. Use Microsoft Word 2000, Times New Roman font, 12 point, for the text.

Review and Final Steps                              

A copy of the finding aid may be circulated to each archivist for review or an e-mail message may be sent to the staff announcing the completion of the finding aid. The purpose of the review process is to maintain conformity to standards, catch typing errors, factual errors, and omissions. Style is generally a matter of individual preference and should be determined by the finding aid compiler. The review is also a process for informing co-workers about collections now open and available for research. It gives the archivist an opportunity to receive feedback before the finding aid is finalized.

Archival students should save the finding aid to a 3 1/2" high density disk. Label the disk with the collection number and name, the word processing software name, the version used, the date created, and each file name. An example would be: AR317 Basil Clemons Microsoft Word 2000, June 2000. Finding aid, press release, cataloging worksheet, and guide entry

The archivist that receives the disk will save the finding aid to the Q drive under SPCO, Finding Aids, and then file the disk in the collection's holding file. Make two or three copies of the finding aid and velobind them. Place a copy in the collection's holding file, a copy (in a labeled folder) in the file cabinet in the reference area, and send a letter and a copy to the donor, if applicable. Update the accession log and accession form with the new location/collection number(s). Create the box labels (see p. 32) and shelve the collection. Delete the title from the unprocessed collections shelflist and add the new finding aid title to the Finding Aids Tracker database. This database is an in-house ACCESS document on which are maintained a list of completed finding aids and a shelflist of unprocessed collections.

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Example: Guide Entry AR368 Fort Worth News-Tribune
Collection, 1970-1989
146 boxes (69 linear ft.)

The Fort Worth News-Tribune was founded as the News-Tribune in Haltom City in 1969, as a neighborhood weekly newspaper. It was purchased from owners Mrs. Ione Whiteman and Wallace Sheppard in August 1970, by veteran journalists, Mack H. and Madeline C. Williams. The Williams' owned and published the newspaper until February 1986, when it was sold to Fort Worth Publishing, Inc., owned by veteran newswoman Linda Pavlik and businessman James Lattimore, Jr. A third investor, Kenneth Garrett, Jr., was not involved with the news operation. Pavlik and Lattimore served as publishers until March 1989, when the newspaper ceased publication. The News-Tribune was a conservative, staff-owned newspaper that reported the local news of Fort Worth and Tarrant County with special emphasis on politics, legal matters, social functions, and historical articles.

Correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, negatives, newspapers, and artifacts. The bulk of the collection is the clippings, 1970- 1989, about Fort Worth and Tarrant County residents, businesses, and city, county, and state government bodies. Photographs of people and subjects with some negatives consist primarily of local residents, events, buildings, street scenes, and groups in and around Tarrant County. Prints of nationally prominent figures in the entertainment business and politics are also included. The photographs vary in size from wallet size portraits to black and white 8" x 10" prints, but there are some color prints. The four boxes of business correspondence files date from 1981-1989.

A set of bound newspapers and individual issues represent a nearly complete set of the Fort Worth News-Tribune publication. Copies of the Downtown Trib, the Downtown News-Tribune, the Monday News-Tribune, Fort Worth Today and the Fort Worth Shoppers' News all published in the 1980s by Fort Worth Publishing are also included in the collection.

Permanent loan, 1989.
Finding aid available.

Intro    Basic Principles    Glossary    Accessioning    Arrangement
Preservation    Description    Publicity    
Appendix A: Forms    Appendix B: Procedures    Appendix C: Charts & Tables
Bibliography    Webography    Index    Top of Page    Table of Contents

Chapter 8: OCLC Cataloging Worksheet Instructions

The "Archives and Manuscripts Cataloging Worksheet" should be filled out by the processor during the writing of the finding aid to a collection or shortly thereafter. However, completing the worksheet as the finding aid is compiled allows one to pull and photocopy pertinent information as work on the collection progresses. Limit descriptions and subject headings to the most important. Subject headings are used to identify pertinent material in a collection and to enable the researcher to find related material. A character limit for each OCLC record requires that the record be concise. Give the completed worksheet to the librarian with the responsibility for archival and manuscript cataloging. The information provided about the processed collection will enable the cataloging librarian to prepare the MARC record for OCLC and Voyager in the shortest possible time. OCLC and Voyager records are additional finding aids that provide local and remote access to primary sources in the Special Collections Division. A copy of the worksheet follows this explanation.

A. Collection Name (a main entry and a title)                                                       

1. The main entry is the name of the primary person, family, or corporate body responsible for creating or collecting and maintaining a body of materials over a period of time. A main entry can be an individual, family, organization, labor union, school or university, association, government, business firm, church, or a sports team to name a few. Only one name can be entered as the main entry; if there is more than one creator, enter the most important one here. Other names can be noted in the historical information, the description, and with the subject headings.
2. The name chosen should be the most commonly used form of the name. Note also other forms of the name if used by an individual, i.e., formal name, nicknames, etc., in the space provided. The additional forms of the name are used for cross-references and to establish the authority record if there is none. For example: James Earl Carter is known as Jimmy Carter. His papers would be the Jimmy Carter Papers.
3. Supply birth and death dates if known.
4. If an organization's records reveal various name changes, the latest form of the name should be used unless there are very few items in the collection with that name. Attach a photocopy of the organization's letterhead or if not available, a photocopy of another item with the official name to the worksheet. If possible, provide the cataloger with the various name changes or different forms of the main entry that appear in the collection with the dates when they were used.
5. Use the form of the materials as the title following the main entry. Papers, records, or collection are the most commonly used titles, but photographs, correspondence, diaries, journals, etc., may be used if the entire collection is composed of a single document type. If the collection was created by two persons and no one person can be identified as more prominent or predominating, both names can be entered under the title and there would be no main entry. Descriptive titles may be used if applicable.

Examples: Trussell Family Papers Berachah Home Collection George W. Armstrong Papers Rebel Theme Controversy Collection University of Texas at Arlington, Office of the President Records Texas AFL-CIO Records Longshoreman's Association, Local 851 Minutes Progressive Party Photographs and Recordings Collection Amalgated Transit Union, Local 694 Records Walter Prescott Webb Collection Fowler-Rowland-Steward Family Photographs John and Ann Vanderlee Collection

B. Dates -                                                                                                   

Supply inclusive dates; the earliest and latest dates taken from the items in a collection. If dates are scattered in the collection, but most of the materials are grouped within a limited date range, supply these dates as well. For example, 1903-1949 (bulk 1929-1945). Do not use the dates of transcribed documents or dates recorded on research notes as dates pertaining to the collection unless the actual documents or photocopies of the documents are in the collection. Use ca. or c. for circa dates example: ca. 1910 or c. 1910.

C. Biographical/Historical Information                                                      

Summarize the biographical/historical sketch written for the finding aid, reducing it to four sentences or less. Identify a person's major occupation or accomplishments and place of primary activity. Family relationships may be included. This note may be omitted or very brief for very well known people. Provide an organization's incorporation date and ending date if it no longer exists, name or describe founders, list name changes and dates, major function, and location.

Examples:

The Austin Labor Temple was established December 21, 1922, in Austin, Texas. The Association was composed of individuals and representatives of local unions united for the purpose of erecting and operating a building to be used as a meeting place for its members. The original building was in use from 1923 until 1959, when the structure was sold and razed.

Graves, a resident of Collin County, Texas, was a second lieutenant in Captain J. W. Throckmorton's Company K, Sixth Texas Cavalry, Ross' Texas Brigade, during the Civil War.

The Francois Santerre family emigrated from France in 1856 to join La Réunion Colony, a socialist experiment founded in 1855 by the Société de Colonisation Européo-Americaine. The colony, located a few miles west of Dallas, Texas, dissolved after only two years, but several families, including the Santerres, remained at the site or in the area.

D. Description                                                                                               

Condense the information from the scope and content note of the finding aid for this section. Summarize the document types first, in order of importance. Then give a summary statement regarding the contents of the collection. Major or well-known correspondents or other persons responsible for producing the materials should be noted. Records from other organizations or additional subjects that are noteworthy or abundant as well as unusual items should also be noted. Major correspondents, organizations, and subjects described in this section will also be listed on the verso of the cataloging worksheet in the appropriate section. Do not list any name or organization on the verso if it is not mentioned in the description.

Examples:

Correspondence, financial documents, legal documents, clippings, constitution, and printed material. Texas AFL-CIO office files that contain the correspondence of the president, Hank Brown, and members of the executive board. Correspondents include Jim Wright and Ralph Yarborough. Also includes legal records of the Texas State Federation of Labor, 1952-1956, and material on right-to-work laws.

Correspondence and financial documents. Records relate to the supply and maintenance of Fort Ewell and Fort Merrill.
Typescript transcription. Lieutenant Graves' diary describes his military training and the company's movements through Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. It also describes Graves' wounding at Corinth, Mississippi, and his experiences after being taken prisoner. Included is a muster roll of Company K.

E. Subject headings (people/organizations)                                                     

Enter names of the creators, frequent or well-known correspondents, names of individuals and organizations who are the subject of a significant amount of correspondence or a significant amount of research. To provide verification of each organization or corporate name listed, attach a photocopy of a letterhead or another official document representing each name change.

F. Subject headings (topics)                                                                                

Limit choices to major themes reflected in the collection. Do not include a subject heading for everything or everybody in the collection. Avoid dead ends. It should be obvious from the finding aid where the information referred to in the subject entries can be found. Topical subject headings include geographical place names, historic events, occupations, and general terms. See the attached list of Library of Congress subject headings used frequently in Special Collections.

G. Size of the Record                                                                                           

List subjects in order of importance. Usually a maximum of approximately fifteen subjects (topical and people/organizations) is the most that will fit on the record. OCLC has a size limit per record. In the MARC format most variable fields also have a size limit. These limits vary from time to time and cannot be stated here definitively. Therefore, the more concise the Biographical/Historical Information and Description sections are, the more subject headings can be included in the record.

H. Additional Sources                                                                                           

More detailed information about manuscript cataloging may be found in:

Gorman, Michael and Winkler, Paul W., editors. Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd ed., 1988 revision. Chicago: American Library Association, 1988.

Henson, Steven L. Archives, Personal Papers, and Manuscripts: A Cataloging Manual for Archival Repositories, Historical Societies. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 1989.

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Library of Congress topical subject headings used frequently in Special Collections Division - 1996 African Americans American literature Cattle trade Civil rights College student government College teachers College students Educators Farm life Farmers Frontier and pioneer life Historians Historical sites Labor laws and legislation Labor disputes Land grants Land titles Lawyers Legislators Mexican American agricultural laborers Mexican Americans Mexican War, 1846-1848 Mexican War, 1846-1848--Personal narratives Mexican War, 1846-1848--Societies Mexican War, 1846-1848--Veterans Oil fields Photograph collections Photographers Physicians Pioneers Politicians Portrait photography Railroads San Jacinto, Battle of, 1836 Soldiers--Biography Strikes and lockouts Surveyors Texas--Biography Texas--Description and travel Texas--History--Republic, 1836-1846 Texas--History--Revolution, 1835-1836 Texas--History--1846-1950 Texas--Politics and government--1836-1846 Texas--Politics and government--1951- Trade-unions--History Trade-unions--Organizing Trade-unions--Political activity Trade-unions--Professional employees Trade-unions--Texas United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives Universities and colleges West (U.S.) Women Women in politics Women legislators Women ranchers Women pioneers World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American

Genre terms (from a controlled list of terms*) used in Special Collections Division - 1996 Account books Addresses Albums Annual reports Biographies Diaries Directories Essays Fiction Film scripts Genealogies Historical fiction Legal instruments Letters Local histories Military registers Military orders Newsletters Newspapers Obituaries Oral history Poems Programs Sermons Underground books Unfinished books

*Standards Committee of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (ACRL/ALA). Genre Terms: A Thesaurus for Use in Rare Book and Special Collections Cataloging. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 1983.

?For examples of completed records see the UT Arlington Library Catalog: T=Historical Manuscripts Collection, T=Historical Photographs Collection, T=Texas Labor Archives, T=Texas Political History Collection, or T=University Archives.

ARCHIVES AND MANUSCRIPTS CATALOGING WORKSHEET

Biographical and historical information (Include dates, e.g., birth, death, corporate beginning, ending) (3-4 sentences)

The Berachah Home was established in Arlington, Texas, on May 14, 1903, by the Rev. J. T. Upchurch and his wife, Maggie Mae, as the Berachah Industrial Home for the Redemption of Erring Girls. It was operated under various names as an establishment for homeless, usually pregnant girls, in part by the Berachah Society of Dallas. The home closed in 1935, but was reopened later that year as the Berachah Child Institute by the Upchurch’s daughter Allie Mae and her husband Frank Wiese. The institute ceased operation in 1942. The University of Texas at Arlington purchased the property in 1963 and in 1981, an historical marker was erected at the cemetery, the only surviving evidence of the home’s existence.

Description (Types of materials in the collection and dates, if available, e.g., correspondence, 1910-1925; ledger, 1912; a summary of the scope and content of the collection; and other persons and/or organizations either as subjects in or having responsibility for the collection ) (1 concise paragraph)

Correspondence, legal documents, financial records, registers, annual reports, typescripts, newspaper clippings, printed material, microfilm, and photographs, 1901-1985. This collection is composed of records of the Berachah Home, various publications about the home, and materials related to children, adoption, and unwed mothers. The registers list and describe the girls and infants who lived there. Photographs show the home inside and out as well as residents and teachers, 1903-1930. The collection includes publications of the Berachah Rescue Society and the Nazarene Church: The Purity Journal, 1904-1906; The Purity Crusader, 1915-1930; and a pamphlet To Rescue the Perishing, to Care for the Dying, a Guide to the Nazarene Archives. Also included is a photocopy of the Life and Work of Mary Lee Cagle: an Autobiography.

Subjects: people/organizations (List individuals or organizations that created the collection, are well-known or prominent, or for which there is a large amount of material)

Berachah Home (Arlington, Texas)
Berachah Cemetery (Arlington, Texas)
Berachah Society (Dallas, Texas)
Upchurch, J. T. (James Tony), 1870-1950
Upchurch, Maggie Mae, 1873-
Cagle, Mary Lee, 1864-
Wiese, Allie Mae
Wiese, Frank

Subjects: topics (See list of frequently used headings or use Library of Congress subject headings. Choose a subject or subjects that best identify the collection as a whole. List subjects in order of importance.)

Children--Institutional Care
Delinquent girls
Church work with women
Social work with women
Women--Charities
Cemeteries

rev. 1996

Intro    Basic Principles    Glossary    Accessioning    Arrangement
Preservation    Description    Publicity    
Appendix A: Forms    Appendix B: Procedures    Appendix C: Charts & Tables
Bibliography    Webography    Index    Top of Page    Table of Contents

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