Scope: This is the procedure that RMC staff use to accession an addition to an existing manuscript or archival collection. Appraisal is commonly done by the curator; accessioning in ArchivesSpace and distribution of material are commonly done by a technical services archivist using information supplied by the curator.
Contact: Margaret Nichols
Unit: RMC
Date last reviewed:
Date of next review: August 2023
1. Receive the materials and prepare an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding for the donor to sign).
2. (Curator:) Review the materials and make a preliminary list. Create a pre-accession record in AirTable if we don't already have one. Note down the processing priority for this accession, and conservation treatment or special housing needed.
3. Distribute any unwanted material as appropriate.
4. (Curator:) Fill out an accession form (available on the RMC Technical Services wiki) and give this information to the person who will accession the new material in ArchivesSpace.
5. (Curator:) Write acknowledgment letter.
6. (Accessioning specialist) In the arrival log in AirTable, designate the material as In process. Search ArchivesSpace for the resource record for the collection. Note the collection number. Then create an accession record and link it to the resource record. The title of this accession should be a brief description of the material being added. Record the information from step 4 above in the accession record.
7. Create an event on the accession (that is, starting from the accession record) to show when the material was received / acknowledged / accessioned / MOU done. You can add a "processed" event on the accession, as well, if the material was processed at the time of accession. In the “outcome note” in the basic info section, be sure to record the physical location of the material being added.
8. On the resource record, update as needed:
- the range of dates of creation
- the title (is it still an accurate description of the collection?)
- the extent
- the restrictions, if any (access restrictions, and restrictions on use or reproduction)
- the summary
- the agents (whether in the role of a creator, source, or subject)
- the subjects (including form/genre terms)
9. If the new material will take up one or more new containers, create an instance on the resource record for each of the containers if there is no guide. If there is a guide, create the new archival object(s) and make sure the container instances are linked only to the object and not the resource. Be sure to record the temporary location of each container.
10. If you process the addition and update the guide after the accession is made (as opposed to step 7), create an event on the resource to show that you processed the new material. In the “outcome note” in the basic info section, be sure to record the accession number of the accession you processed and its physical location.
11. Note which boxes (if any) can be sent to the Annex.
12. Add a printout of the accession record, the memo of understanding, and any correspondence or other information related to the addition or its acquisition, to the collection's accession folder (either the physical folder or the digital folder).
13. Update the status of the material in the arrival log in AirTable.
14. RMC processing staff rehouse the additional material.
15. The additional material then goes to the stacks Collections Assistant, who assigns box locations. If the addition is large, she may find a temporary location while they await processing, and make a note in the ArchivesSpace top container records for them giving the temporary location (for example, RMC [t.l.: K-109] etc.).