Forms

Forms may be used by departments outside of accessioning in order to transfer information in an easy-to-reuse format. Ideally forms should capture all descriptive and intellectual information needed for accessioning. The format of the form can take any number of shapes: a paper form, a web form, an internal database or spreadsheet. It is better to get information in a consolidated and structured way rather than rely on information being shared (or not shared) more sporadically and informally.

 

Houghton Library web form

 

This is an example of how to collect information from curators or others responsible for collection acquisition and stewardship. The form is easy to use and online. It creates a spreadsheet on the backend for sorting and analysis, for instance across curatorial area or by purchases over donations. The spreadsheet may be mapped to import into an ArchivesSpace accession record or if not using ArchivesSpace it may serve as an accessioning database as is.

 

Harvard University Archives accession form

 

Designed by the Collections Development/Records Management Services unit which is responsible for accessioning, the fields on the accession form are arranged as close as possible to their order as they appear in ArchivesSpace to ease data entry.  

 

Once the data on this form is entered into ArchivesSpace, the form is then handed off to the Collections Services unit for description.  In most cases, the form provides all necessary information to process the accession at the baseline level.

 

After description is completed, the form is then filed in the appropriate control file with a paper copy of the the descriptive end product, in most cases a MARC record.

 

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Harvard University Archives completed accession form

 

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See also, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library draft acquisitions form (not implemented yet) and NYU’s curatorial review form.

 

Packing forms

These forms, used when packing up collections, record basic information about the acquisition which can streamline descriptive treatment for processing staff.

 

Used by staff packing collections, these forms indicate the location of where files were packed, any apparent series, and other contextual information from the office or donor location.  The forms are then placed in the boxes, and processing staff can them read them when describing the accession.

 

When used in combination with collection summaries, this form allows processing staff to attempt maintain provenance wherever possible.  

 

Harvard University Archives packing form