Pre-Accessioning and Intake of Archival Collections (LTS Procedure #___)

Scope: Steps by ATS staff and Curators in preparation of archival collections. This does not include steps required by the RMC Director.

Contact: Director for Archival Technical Services Katerina Dimitriadou-Shuster 

Unit: ATS / RMC

Date last updated: 3/11/2025

Date of next review:

1. 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.
2. 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 are labeled with this unique number, and a box number as part of total shipment (eg. 1 of 4)
• An automated email notifies curators of the receipt.
3. Curators conduct a basic survey of the collection material. If everything looks good, they add a “checked by curator” slip on the boxes, or handle any issues with the shipment as needed (Missing items from purchases, conservation concerns etc.)
4. Box locations are tracked in AirTable, and must changed as the boxes are moved. After accessioning, this location becomes obsolete and boxes are tracked through ArchivesSpace.
5. Collection is accessioned in ASpace

• 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