The Process of Accessioning Materials South Dakota State Archives 900 Governors Drive Pierre, SD (605)

Overview What is Accessioning? Why is all of this important? How things are done at the State Archives Donation Form Entry Log Space & Storage Issues Accession Form Series Level Description Databases / Collection Management Security Issues Survey of Collections Policy & Procedure

What is Accessioning? The process of having individual or organization records, donated and transferred legally from an individual or organization into your collection. Accession Record: A document, signed by the donor, specifically detailing what is being transferred by the owner to your collections. Agreement between the donor and your organization How their stuff becomes your stuff! Just because it is here, does not mean you own it or can use it!

Why is all of this important? Part I System to Accept, Arrange, and Describe Collections You can’t add things as soon as they come in, the same day Process of collecting from front door to final location Guide for Potential Users/Future Employees Description of Collection Creating Information about Collection Understanding of what is in Collection Sets a Standard for what will be Accessioned and what will not. Keeper vs. Selector Collections to be Preserved, but also Used The Art of an archives is being able to find things easily No one can use your stuff, if you can’t find it

Why is all of this important? Part II Who owns collection? Physical Intellectual Donated does not always mean Donated….. The donor knows what is expected with donation! You become responsible for collection! No Grey Area – Black and White Viewed as being Professional May attract more Donations/ Word of Mouth Don’t want a Negative View of your institution Who will be in charge 20,50,100 years from now ? Create less of a headache for them Nothing to Something/ Something to Nothing

Donation Form Includes Name/Address/Phone/ Description of Item Returned/Discard/Other Sign & Date The Fine Print What Does this mean? Not Final Contract Initial Agreement Information on Collection/ Introduction to Donation Bureaucracy at Work! Need to know what is coming in! And who made the donation! Donor Form

Entry Log Includes Database of Donated Materials, plus…… Entry Log # (Separate from Accession #) Entry Log Location separate from Final Location  Received/Unprocessed v. Collected/Processed Date, Donor Name, Address, Description, Size, Acknowledged, et al. Others know what is going on with collections! Keep track of past donations/collections What level of processing has the collection undergone List of people with an interest in your institution! Thank You Letter Entry Log

Space & Storage Types of Space (3) Donated Materials Space Processing/Work Space Collections/Processed Space Types of Collections Processed & Unprocessed Accessioned & Non-Accessioned You need a separation of Space Be mindful of Temperature & Humidity Know what is where!

Review – To This Point! Donor Form Thank You Letter Entry Log Shelf Location Staff/Volunteers Know What’s What!

Accession Form Accession Number ((H20XX-00X)) Donor Information Collection Information Donor Signature Organization Signature/s Restrictions and/or Accretions  Restriction on Use and/or Access? Paper, Paper, Paper Accession Record Donor Read & Sign

Series Level Description Series Level vs. Item Level Description “Can’t See the Forest for the Trees” “ Big Picture” of a Collection Volume & Diversity of Collections Researchers Know Scope of Collection  Not each Item….the collections Content Over Processing/ Under Accessioning  MPLP – More Product, Less Processing  Trim down backlog  What do researchers want?  Can do item level processing later/ if needed A series is a defined group of records based on a file system or maintained as a unit because the records result from the same function or activity, have a particular form, or have some relationship based on their creation.

Series Level Description Series Description Examples Maps Memoirs Minutes Newsletters Oral Histories Photo Album Photographs Presentation Proclamations Reports Rules Scrapbooks Speeches Autobiographies Brochures Budgets Correspondence Diaries Drawings Films Histories Interviews Journals Laws Letters Manuals

Databases/Collection Management Main Databases Mss/ Gov Secondary Databases Photos/ Maps/ Serials/ etc. Electronic vs. Paper Copy Accession Files (Archivist Only) Correspondence/ Paperwork/ Accession Forms Donor Cards Back to Entry Log Updated Entry Log Overkill??

Security Issues Collection Area Access Who can get what? Patrons in Physical Contact with Collections Who has access to Databases & How? Collections - Not a Revolving Door!! Daily Sign in Sheet Rules What is one-of-a-kind, What is not?

Survey of Collections What Do You Have? Where Is It? What Needs Preservation Work? What Don’t You Need More Of? What Can You Get Rid Of? Institutional Memory Mock Survey Form

Policy & Procedure Mission Statement What You Do Collection Policy What You will take/not take Fee Schedule Create some income

Accession Example Collecting Process Donor Contact/ Form Entry Log/ Thank You Letter Unprocessed Collection Location Accession Process Accession Form/ Collection Paperwork Entry Log Update Update Databases Processed/Final Location

Review What is Accessioning Why is all of this important? Donation Form Entry Log Space & Storage Accession Form Databases / Collection Management Security Issues Survey of Collections Policy & Procedure

The Process of Accessioning Materials South Dakota State Archives 900 Governors Drive Pierre, SD (605)