Archivists’ Toolkit: Update, Demo, and Implementations Society of California Archivists Annual Meeting, 3 May 2008

Archivists’ Toolkit Bradley Westbrook, AT Project Manager Arwen Hutt, Archives Analyst UC, San Diego

Domain Problems Targeted Serialized processing tools Expensive processing Increasing training costs Data produced with low interoperability Substantial, and growing, backlogs 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Domain Solution Open source, relational database application to support management, processing, and description of archival resources and the production of access instruments Promote data standardization –Based on DACS, ISARR (CPF) –Exports EAD, MARCXML, METS, MODS, DC Promote efficiency –Integrate range of archival functions –Repurpose data—multiple outputs from data recorded –Automate encoding and reporting Lower processing and training costs 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Key Features Implementable as a stand-alone or networked application using either a MySQL, MS SQL Server, or Oracle database backend Record accession, description, and location information for archival resources, including digital versions Authority control for names and subjects Import legacy data in EAD, MARCXML, and for accessions, tab delimited or XML, with data clean up tools Export EAD 2002, MARCXML, METS (MODS / DC), and 30 different administrative and descriptive default reports, such as acquisition statistics, accession records, shelf lists, subject guides, etc. Customizable interface with in-screen help information. 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting5

Proposed Features Revisions to name, subject, and digital object modules New modules to support appraisal, rights management, user registration, use tracking, work orders Sustainability model 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting6

AT User Community Application uptake: Version 1.0, released Dec. 17, 2006: 2520 unique downloads, 1722 registered users Version 1.1, released Jan. 16, 2008: 1276 unique downloads, 754 registered users ATUG-l (Archivists’ Toolkit User Group) Nearly 800 members Subscribe: Archives: 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting7

Support Services Software Issues / Bug Management Issue list: User Assistance (FAQ, ATUG list and Workshops and Onsite Training User Surveys 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting8

DEMO 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting9

networked server Personal computer Architechture 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting10 AT DB

AT Project: Staff address: AT Sandboxes: Archivists’ Toolkit User Group: Subscription: Archives:

Genie Guerard Manuscripts Librarian Testing Archivists’ Toolkit at UCLA

Need for integrated collections management system UCLA SC libraries ask: Test out AT or build on existing home-grown tools? Formalized action plan SC librarians (YRL, Performing Arts, Biomed, UA) test individually Regular group meetings to air and resolve problems, share discoveries Make recommendation to Special Collections Advisory Group and admin 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

UCLA AT Testers / Implementers Charles E. Young Research Library, Department of Special Collections Genie Guerard, Manuscripts Librarian Kelley Wolfe Bachli, CFPRT Coordinator Caroline Cube, Computer Resource Specialist Louise M. Darling Biomedical History and Special Collections for the Sciences Cherry Williams, Special Collections Librarian for the Sciences & Archivist for the William H. Sweet, M.D., D.Sc. Collection Performing Arts Special Collections Julie Graham, Archival Collections Processing Librarian UCLA University Archives Monique Leahey Sugimoto, University Archives Assistant 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Decision to move from Sandbox to local db Earlier versions of AT available with ORACLE and MY SQL server MS SQL supported by UCLA IT Batch load functions Opportunity to test larger amounts of “real” data (vs. earlier spot testing of functionalities) and to save data locally 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

AT listserv provides: Online “Help line” from colleagues and AT developers Collective problem-solving with colleagues Direct line for communicating needs to AT developers as they are discovered 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

What we are looking for and what we think AT can provide UCLA has: A good set of tools and support for creating finding aids and catalog records UCLA finding aids on the OAC: YRL SC: 1,423 Performing Arts: 241 Biomed: 36 UCLA University Archives: 194 Clark: 13 Fowler: 9 Grunwald: 4 Chicano Studies Research Library: 56 Ethnomusicology: 26 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

What we are looking for and what we think AT can provide UCLA needs: A system to support (workflow and products) needed for complete life cycle of archival and manuscript collections Accessions and Admin functions: acc dates, extent, bioghist, DoG’s acknowledgements, gifts paperwork, donor info, location info, rights and restrictions documentation Processing functions: processing status, conservation, EAD and MARC, loans, managing exhibitions, digital projects 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

What we are looking for and what we think AT can provide UCLA needs: An integrated system to: Allow each SC unit to bring collections data up to date Combine all of the units’ data into one space, facilitate cross-library searching 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

…and why we think AT can provide what we need It’s open source and user-driven We have confidence in developers’ technical expertise combined with knowledge of archives and experience with archives workflow in a university environment OAC supports its members’ use of AT to enhance finding aid/ digital assets workflow Once XML EAD uploaded, there is a basic record in AT, providing the foundation for accessions (facilitates our retrospectively adding collections data entry) Facilitates name and subject authority control in user-friendly environment 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

What we’ve learned and our current assessment Testing process is helping us more clearly define our needs We need to “clean up our data house” Reassessing and refining our workflow There is a learning curve ahead regarding the configuration of reports, but the cost-benefit analysis appears favorable 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Future AT testing at UCLA More familiarity with EAD and Accessions functions Digital objects (METS) generation - digital assets management User-defined fields for Accessions, Conservation, Exhibition (Curatorial aspects and Loans) Reports configuration Accessions/donor documentation / statistical reports Print finding aid reports 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

UCLA AT Tester’s Goals: Short-Term Formal recommendation to Special Collections Advisory Group Long-Term Fully implement AT Gain control of all collections management data Manage complete life cycle of collections Unify UCLA Special Collections libraries data Streamline manuscripts and archives workflow 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Archivists’ Toolkit and the Solo Archivist Aimee Morgan May 3, 2008

Who I Am Currently I am: Archives and Digital Collections Librarian, California Academy of Sciences From , I was: Curator of Archives and Manuscripts, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Flashback: Late 2006 Existing collections management Pitts Theology Library: Accession records created in MS Word Accessions tracked from accessioning through processing via (many) Excel spreadsheets Finding aids created in MS Word, entered into HTML templates for Web presentation MARC catalog records in RLIN and local OPAC Monthly/yearly statistics kept in Excel spreadsheets Shelflists maintained as Excel spreadsheets 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

The Issues Information duplicated across many spreadsheets; more work for staff, increased chance for error Compiling statistics was laborious Name authority work done only at time of MARC records creation Links between original accessions and processed collections not consistently preserved Wanted a relational collections management database, but no time to create my own 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Why Archivists’ Toolkit? Most pressing need: management for back-of- house functions (accessioning, location management, statistics) Open source project: freely available, potential for customization Focus on standards compliance Support for long-term goal of EAD implementation 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Implementation: Prep Work Spent some time playing in the AT sandbox Shared plans with library director Installed Toolkit/MySQL server on local machine for further testing Got IT staff to install MySQL server on our network 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Implementation: The Process Imported accession records from Excel files (about 1600 records) Cleaned up accession records, did name authority work (about 750 name records created) Created “skeleton” resource records, linked them to accessions (about 400 records) Linked accession and resource records to locations 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

End result at Pitts Database fully functional for accession management, name authority work Database fully functional for managing locations -- used by library assistant at the reference desk Database used to generate monthly and yearly statistics 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

AT Implementation 2.0: California Academy of Sciences Same process, more work Collection info more scattered, less consistent Many “semi-processed” collections Backlog of unaccessioned material Future directions DACS-compliant MARC and EAD Learn to produce custom reports 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

UCI evaluates the AT Michelle Light, Archivist UCI Special Collections and Archives Society of California Archivists - May 3, 2008

7 FTE in SCA, 3 FTE accessioning and processing Approximately 4,000 linear feet Management of University Archives and manuscript collections recently combined. Accessioning controlled with spreadsheet (Excel), individual worksheets (Word), and legacy database (Access). Processing managed with multiple Excel spreadsheets. EAD finding aids created in Word for print and the OAC. Tagging done automatically with macros. Locations managed in database (SQL and web). Cataloger does MARC records and indexing and in local ILS and OCLC. Current context 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Can the AT produce the reports we need? Is it easier and/or better to accession materials with the AT than with our current methods? Is it easier and/or better to create and edit finding aids for OAC and our Reading Room with the AT than with our current methods? Can the AT help me manage processing? How much work is required to make our data minimally usable in the AT? Does the AT make sense in UCI’s technological environment? Evaluating the AT 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Our finding aids did not successfully make the round trip from OAC to AT to OAC. Issues: –Schema vs. DTD –Alternate filing title = mandatory –Stripped out labels –Did not preserve the order of elements –Stripped some headings necessary for navigation –Long names were truncated Major need: –OAC to modify style sheets EAD & OAC 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

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How do I manage and represent processed collections? –Track extent and create reports? –Keep track of cataloging, finding aid, and preservation needs? How do I calculate our total holdings? AT –Accession module for accessions and collection management? –Resource module for processed collections and description management? UCI –Accession information (active for unprocessed, inactive for processed) –Processed collection information –Finding aids for processed and unprocessed collections Solutions? –Use resource module to manage collections? No. –Create collection records in the accession module? Hopeful. –Ask the AT to add more collection management features to the resource module Managing processing 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Managing processing (cont.) 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Pursuing accession module for now More experimentation with creatively mapping data More experimentation with creating own reports Cleaning up data More discussions with IT to ensure responsive support Encouraging other parts of UCI’s Library to investigate AT’s METS capabilities What’s next for UCI? 3 May SCA 2008 Annual Meeting