Scope: This is the procedure that RMC staff use to create an accession number for a manuscript or archival collection. We assign a number to each new accession. The accession number goes in 541 $e on the Voyager holdings record, and is used to help track accessions for the purpose of compiling annual statistics.
Contact: Margaret Nichols
Unit: RMC
Date last reviewed: 08/29/2016
Date of next review: August 2017
Here is how to construct an accession number:
[M for manuscripts, or A for archives] [year--last two digits] [which half of the calendar year]-[month]
The first half of the calendar year is January-June; the second half is July-December. We have to divide up the year this way because the Annual Report, where we report accessioning statistics, covers the fiscal year, from July 1-June 30. Each fiscal year consists of the second half of one calendar year and the first half of the next calendar year.
When recording the month, use a leading zero if the number is less than 10.
Examples:
M161-03 for a manuscript collection accessioned in March of 2016
A162-10 for an archival collection accessioned in October 2016
Note: The accession number we record in the online Accessions Book is slightly longer, with a number added at the end to show which accession it was in that month, e.g. M161-03-006 for the 6th manuscript accession in March of 2016. Adding this part to the number ensures that each accession has a unique identifier.