Archival Processing

Archival processing has two parts: Arrangement, and Description.

Arrangement is the process of organizing collection materials into an order that is useful for patrons, or that reflects their original order.

Description refers to any record that describes the collection, like a catalog record or a finding aid. Typical finding aids feature a general description of the collection and a list of box and file contents. Description enables users to discover the collections, and archivists to manage the collections.

The basic steps to physical processing of a collection are outlined below. For specifics on Arrangement, Description, and Containers, see the additional options in the menu at left.

Student processors: Check in with your supervisor at the end of each step.

Look at the whole collection and get familiar with its creator/donor and what’s in each box

Give the boxes temporary numbers using sticky notes

Make a preliminary list of what's in the collection. You may do this directly in ArchivesSpace (see instructions for resource record creation, and archival object creation), or make a list using the finding aid form below, then import it to ArchivesSpace later.

To use the form, download it and list the title of each folder present in the boxes, with date ranges. Each folder should be on a separate line. List the temporary box numbers and folders as well.

For more information, see Description

Identify groups of like materials in the boxes. These will be your series.

Series may be material types, or things related by subject. Examples:

• Correspondence
• Diaries
• Financial records
• Charlotte’s Web (could include drafts, letters, research created during its writing)
• Railroads in Oklahoma (could include all materials collected on the topic)

If a collection arrives with obvious series divisions already present in the creator’s original order, leave them that way. Creating artificial series is not necessary if the creator kept them in a useful order. 

For more information, see Arrangement

For each series in the collection, identify an order for the folders/items. If they are already in a useable order, keep it that way. If not, impose an order on them that will help researchers. Examples:

• Alphabetical
• Chronological

Rearrange the finding aid list to match series order, but still showing their existing location in the boxes.

Physically rearrange the folders to match the new list order if desired. For more information, see Arrangement.

You may replace the folders and boxes with acid free ones at this point, or wait until everything is rearranged.

When placing materials in acid free folders, use the scoring at the bottom of each folder to help the papers sit flat inside. Boxes should be filled to capacity to prevent folders slumping over.

Assign new numbers to the arranged new folders and boxes. Do not write on the folders/boxes yet. Use sticky notes to number them. Update the finding aid list as you go, so that the boxes/folder numbers match the list.

• Number boxes consecutively through the collection from Box 1 to the end – do not start renumbering boxes or folders with each new series.
• Each box of the collection starts with Folder #1.

Write the scope and content notes for the collection as a whole, and for each of the series, and copy them to the finding aid.

For more information, see Description

Label the boxes and folders with archival-quality labels. See Final Steps for more information on labeling.

Label the boxes with:

• Collection title
• Box number

Label the folders with:

• Collection title
• Box and folder number - Example: Box 1 F3
• Including a folder title or series title is optional

Shelve the completed collection and record its location on the finding aid in ArchivesSpace, and in your department's locator guide if required.