Scope: Steps by ATS staff and Curatorto be done by Curators. This does not include steps required by the RMC Director.
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Unit: ATS / RMC
Date last updated:March August 2025
Date of next review: March 2026
Before the collection arrives (Curators)
- During negotiations, curators may arrange with donors for an inventory: give the are encouraged to:
- request that collection materials not needing significant padding are shipped in banker's boxes or equivalent capacity containers (this will facilitate next steps)
- request that donors provide an inventory for the collection to be shipped
- give the Simplified Bulk Importer and Instructions for filling to create a box/folder list
- let donor know how to contact ATS if they need more guidance. If donors are on campus we may be able to arrange to give them boxes.
- Curators make arrangements for its delivery and fill the Collection delivery planning form in AirTable to let us know of its arrival.
- Curators fill out a Pre-Accession Form in Airtable. Ideally prior to a collection’s arrival in RMC or within 24 hours after arrival. If the material is onsite and in the arrival log, the pre-accession record should be properly linked to it.
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Delivery of collection (ATS staff)
Materials arrive in RMC and located at the Intake Room, or another pre-arranged location (if collection is too large for the room).
ATS staff assigns an Arrival Number in the AirTable Arrival Log.
- All boxes must be are labeled with this unique AirTable number, and a box number as part of total shipment (eg. 1 of 4).
- An automated email notifies curators of the receiptIf it has not been filled before .
After the collection arrives
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(Curators)
No later than within 48 hours from receiving a notification, curators:
- Open and inspect ALL boxes and packages fully and remove any packaging.
- Handle any issues with the shipment as needed (Missing items from purchases, conservation concerns etc.)
- If the delivery is to be split in multiple collections,
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- mark clearly each section with the corresponding collection numbers and all other necessary information.
- Collection materials are transferred into Transfer boxes, Folders, or white Hollinger boxes, provided in the Intake Room:
- Label all boxes with:
- collection number
- box number and total shipment (eg. 1 of 4)
- transfer the AirTable Arrival Log post-it
- include inventories for each box
- any other relevant information to assist with accessioning
- email the spreadsheet to rmctechservices@cornell.edu or include in the PreAccession form
- Transfer the boxes to their next-step carts outside the intake room in the hallway (Accessioning Cart for archival materials, Cataloging Cart for book-like items)
- Discard all packaging:
- use the trash receptacle on wheels for plastic and trash material only.
- all boxes must be collapsed placed them in the empty brown box for recycling. You can place other paper recycling here, as well.
- Filling in the Pre-Accession form:
- Link to Pre-Accession Form
Be sure to match a delivery with its pre-accession form information:
- If you usually wait until a collection has arrived and you receive an Arrival Log notification before you fill the pre-accession form, add the Arrival Log number to the form
- If you filled the form prior to its arrival, write the Temporary Collection Title used in the pre-accession form on the Box-1-post-it-note with the Arrival Log number.
Accessioning (ATS staff)
- Collection is accessioned in ASpace by ATS staff:
- Box locations are tracked in AirTable, and must changed as the boxes are moved. After accessioning, the AirTable location becomes obsolete and boxes are tracked through ArchivesSpace and Aeon
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If the collection is new, a new number is assigned in the Accession Book and a resource is spawned in ASpace.
- “Custodial History” or “Processing Note” note is added at the resource level, recording the new accession. Ex: “25 cubic feet of material was donated in June, 2022.” or “5 new items were acquired throughout 2019”
- Entries in AirTable are marked “Accessioned” with the accession number added
- Boxes are labeled with their call number and boxes are numbered
- Boxes are located, permanently or temporarily
- Documentation is added to the digital and/or physical Accession File
- Accessioning status can be tracked through the Accessioning Status Interface