Scope: Steps by ATS staff and Curators in preparation of archival collections. This does not include steps required by the RMC Director.
Contact: Katerina Dimitriadou-Shuster
Unit: ATS / RMC
Date last updated:
Date of next review:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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