Tools

• ArchivesSpace

• Sierra

• Airtable

• Barcodes

Preparation

Prior to work in ArchivesSpace and Sierra, the EAD finding aid and collection level MARC record will need to be present in the ArchivesSpace and Sierra databases. 

Student Technicians should gather as much of a collection onto a cart at a time as possible.  It may be necessary to only work on one collection at a time.  Please leave shelf markers noting that the collection has been removed for barcoding.

Sign up for a Collection in Airtable

1. Open “Barcoding, Tracking, Issues, and Stats” airtable base.

2. Click on the “Sign Up” tab

3. Select the view for the SCA district you are working on - typically Manuscripts or Photographs

4. Look for a collection with the Current Status of “Unassigned”

5. Sign up for a collection by recording information in:

   1. “Name” field

   2. “Date Assigned” field

6. Change the Current Status field to “In Progress”

Note that this only needs to be done when starting a new collection. If a collection takes more than one shift to complete, please start all subsequent work in the “Track Your Cart” procedures.

Pull the items from the shelf

1. Take a cart to the SCA stacks and pull all items for the collection (or as many as will fit on the cart).

2. Review the numbering for the boxes and determine if any are missing. If they are, consult with the Archival Cataloging library (specific items in a collection can be located in the vault, cold storage, oversize, preservation, or the BARN - or might be in use by a patron.)

   1. If boxes or items are found in other locations than the main shelving, create a flag for each item with the location that it came from - this will be used in the ArchivesSpace process

3. Leave markers on the shelves indicating your name, date, and the items you have removed from the shelves.

Track Your Cart

For each cart pulled, please track the cart information in Airtable.

1. Open the “Barcoding, Tracking, Issues, and Stats” airtable base.

2. Click on the “All Tracking” tab

3. Select the view for the SCA district you are working on - typically Manuscripts or Photographs

4. Add the following to a new line:

   1. Name

   2. Area (should self-assign if you are in the correct view)

   3. SignUp ID (this is linked to the Sign Up tab, search for your collection and link to it)

   4. First Call No. on Cart - for archival collections, the full call number is not necessary, the Box number of the first box on the cart will suffice

   5. Last Call No. on Cart - for archival collections, the full call number is not necessary, the Box number of the last box on the cart will suffice

   6. Date Started

Once this is recorded, proceed to the “Sierra-Add Items” process.

Sierra Process

Prior to beginning on the process, set up the appropriate item template for the district being worked on by going to Admin → Record Templates. Change the record type to “Item” and select the appropriate template for the collections being worked on:

• CollMSS = main manuscript collections

• FileMSS = file manuscript collections

• Photo = photograph collections

ADD IN ADDITIONAL PROFILES HERE

Note that collection level records should be ingested into Sierra prior to the barcoding process. If a collection level record is not available, notify the Archival Cataloging Librarian.

Add Items

Open the Sierra program, go to the Cataloging function.

1. Look item up the collection in Sierra by searching for the collection name using the title search (use the collection exactly as written) or the call number (using the local/Dewey search, note that starting 0’s may be left off of the call number index). Note that, unless cataloged at the item level, most collections should have a “collection level” record only.

2. When collection record is found, click on the record

3. Typically the first item record should display automatically, click on Summary and select the “item” from the “View” drop down menu to see all items attached to the bibliographic record

   1. Typically one item record will exist for every collection. Edit the first item record with the call number and barcode for the first box (or barcoded item) and create new item records for all boxes or barcoded items in the collection

   2. Add the following information

      1. Barcode (replace the SPCL barcode, if present)

      2. Call number

         1. Collection call number should be recorded in the Call No. field, for example: COLL MSS 6 or CAINE MSS 12

            1. If there is a series or subseries that needs to be recorded, include that information in the call number field, for example: CAINE COLL MSS 31 Series 1

               1. Include the Box in the volume field as noted below

      3. Volume

         1. Put the box or volume numbers in the Volume field, for example: Box 2

      4. Ensure that the location is correct for the item in hand. A complete list of location codes is available here: Item Location Codes

         1. Manuscripts

            1. imanu = main manuscript collection

            2. ibarn = BARN (rarely used)

            3. imap = maps and poster

            4. irare = vault

         2. Photographs

            1. iphot = main photograph collection

            2. ibarn = BARN (rarely used)

            3. imap = maps and posters

            4. irare = vault

      5. Click on Save

4. For all subsequent items, repeat the steps above, creating a new item record for each item by clicking on “Attach new item” and following all the steps in 3.b.

   1. Note: If bibliographic record does NOT exist: Leave a comment in Airtable on the SignUp tab → Comments field and tag the Archival Cataloging Librarian (Paul), who will address it as needed

5. Check the 300 field in the bibliographic record

   1. Click on “View” to see the bib record

   2. Verify that the 300 field matches the number of boxes (or items) and linear feet for the collection.

      1. Full boxes = .5 linear feet

      2. Half boxes = .25 linear feet

         1. For collections cataloged at the folder, item, or individual level, consult the Archival Cataloging Librarian or Special Collections Cataloging Librarian for how to record this information.

6. Save the record

7. Physically process items:

   1. Barcode archival boxes by affixing to front of box above the label

      1. Barcode other items per the rules established for that collection,,

8. If the item is not a box, follow regular barcoding physical processing procedures for books or items

ArchivesSpace Process

Verify Collection Hierarchy and Metadata

EAD finding aids should be ingested into ArchivesSpace prior to the barcoding process.  Due to legacy collections, Student Technicians will likely need to restructure portions of the collection hierarchy in the guide prior to the barcoding process.

1. Search for the Resource record in ArchivesSpace

   1. For call numbers, search with “UUS_” then the collection number. If needed, search by the collection number.

      1. Note that there multiple kinds of records in ArchivesSpace. Select the “Resource” record (see far left column “Record Type” in the results list to identify the type of record)

         

2. Click “Edit” for the resource record.

3. The collection hierarchy is located at the top of the page, click on the first Box (or item to be barcoded) in the list

   

4. Each series, subseries, box, folder, item, etc. in the collection has its own record. Records look the same for each level of description. For example, this is the start of the record for the first item in the collection:

   

   All archival object records need the following information.  With the exception of the “restrictions apply”, it is rare that the data needs to be added or modified, but review to make sure the ArchivesSpace data matched the item in hand. Consult with the Archival Cataloging Librarian if anything is different.

   1. Basic Information:

      1. Title: If the title is not already inserted, transcribe from the box, folder, or item.  (This is rare)

      2. Level of Description: Verify that the level of description is accurate:

         1. Series = Series

         2. Sub-series=Sub-series

         3. Box = File

         4. Folder = File

         5. Item = item

      3. Restrictions apply? : Click this box if there are any restrictions on the archival object (indicated on the box)

      4. Dates

         1. Label: Creation

         2. Type: Inclusive Dates

         3. Begin: Year (or YYYY-MM-DD, if known)

         4. End: Year (or YYYY-MM-DD, if known)

         5. Certainty: Approximate

         6. Era: ce

         7. Calendar: Gregorian

Verifying an Instance in an Archival Object Record

Scroll to the bottom of the record where the instances are displayed. ArchivesSpace should automatically be creating a top contain for all boxes. It does this by identifying unique box numbers in a collection. Typically, before barcoding, instances will look like this:

For any collection that has more than one series AND those series start over with the box numbering, ArchivesSpace will assume the Box 1 in each series is the same box. This looks like:

If this situation occurs, contact the Archival Cataloging Librarian.

Editing A Top Container

ArchivesSpace will predict which items are top containers by using the encoded information from the EAD guide. This will usually be the box, but may also be a folder or a book. Simply edit the existing top container by:

1. Click on the box (or top container item) in the hierarchy at the top of the page

2. Scroll down to the “Instance”

3. Click on the blue highlighted Top Container

4. Click “View”. (Note that this opens a new browser tab.)

   

5. Click “Edit”

6. Select the container profile by searching for the container type that matches the item in hand

   

   1. Common container profiles are listed under “A” - most boxes will be half or full, letter, legal, or bank sized boxes

   2. If the container is not displaying, click on “Browse” and use the search or facets to find the box

7. Add the barcode

8. Add a Location

   1. Click on the “Add a Location”

   2. Search for and select the appropriate location in the Location field

      1. For manuscripts, the options are:

         1. Manuscripts - Main Shelving

         2. Manuscripts - Oversize

         3. Vault

      2. For Photographs, the options are:

         1. Photographs - Main Shelving

         2. Photographs - Oversize

         3. Cold Storage

         4. Vault

   3. Note that if a box or item is listed in ArchivesSpace but is not the shelf, set the location as “Missing” and record in the note field “Not found during barcoding process, [DATE]”

   4. Note: leave the Status as “Current” and the Start Date as the default unless otherwise instructed

9. Click on “Save Top Container”

10. At this point, the browser tab can be exited. Return to the main list and repeat for every box (or barcoded item) in the collection.

Track Your Cart (again)

When a cart is finished, track your progress by doing the following:

1. Return to the “Barcoding, Tracking, Issues, and Stats” airtable base.

2. Click on the “All Tracking” tab

3. Select the view for the SCA district you are working on - typically Manuscripts or Photographs

4. Find the line for the cart that was created when the cart was first pulled

5. Update the following fields:

   1. Date Finished

   2. Reviewed - record the total number of boxes (or items, if barcoding at the item level) on the cart

   3. Barcoded - record the total number of boxes (or items, if barcoding at the item level) that were barcoded

   4. Sierra Edits Made - count all item records that previously existed that were modified during this process (usually just one per collection)

   5. Sierra - Items Added - count all new item records that were created during this process

   6. Sierra - Items Deleted (not common) - record all item records that existed prior to this process that needed to be deleted

   7. AS Containers added - record the number of containers EDITED or CREATED in this process

   8. AS Reordering lines - record the number of lines (objects) that needed to be moved during this process. If not certain, give best estimate

   9. AS - Added or Removed Boxes from Inventory (not common) - check this field if you added boxes or removed existing boxes from the inventory

   10. All Stats - search for and select the correct name-month-year combination

Once this is recorded, reshelve items. If more remains for the collection, pull another cart’s worth of material and return to “Track Your Cart” to record it.

If this completes the collection. proceed to the next process.

Close out the Collection in Airtable

IF the collection has been completed, return to the “Sign Up” tab and record the date in the “Date Finished” tab. Leave any comments or notes in the “Comments” field (this can also be done throughout the process). Please note if boxes were missing from the shelf. Then choose a new collection to work on.

Known Issues

The following are known issues or considerations for collections

Items missing on shelves

Description: Missing items can be determined by a number of factors, including when items are listed in ArchivesSpace but not on the shelf, when there are empty spaces on the shelf where items should be, when there is a placeholder on the shelf, when the numbering of items on the shelf is not sequential, etc.

What to do:

First thing to do is look in the Legal or large Oversize sections to determine if the item is housed elsewhere. If not found, the item could also be in:

• Cold Storage

• Vault

• BARN

• Reading Room (in use)

• Reshelving area

• Preservation

• Digital (for scanning)

Note that almost all of these spaces will need a curator or cataloger to help you access them. If a curator or cataloger is available to help you find the item, please contact them. However, if they are not available, do the following:

1. Record the missing item on “Issues” tab of the “Barcoding, Tracking, Issues, and Stats”

   1. Submitter name

   2. District

   3. Call Number (Collection number + Item/box number)

   4. Date (automatically created)

   5. Problem (select from list)

   6. Additional Information (if needed)

2. Continue barcoding and recording the remainder of the collection

3. When the collection is finished, change the Current Status column on the “Sign Up” tab to “Complete - but needs review” and leave a simple note in the Comments column about what was missing.

   1. Note, if the missing item was the ENTIRE or bulk of the collection, change the Current Status column to “Significant Problems - Please Review”

Collections cataloged at multiple levels

Description:

What to do:

Repeating boxes across series

Description: When a collection has multiple series in the collection - and each series starts over for box numbering, there will be repeated Box 1, Box 2, etc. numbers in the collection. In ArchivesSpace, this looks like:

What to do:

You will need to delete the existing top container and create new containers for each box. In addition, you will need to link all subfolders or items to the new box after it is created.

To remove the box and create a new top container, do the following:

1. In the Instance, delete the box in the Top Container field

2. Select “Create” from the drop down menu

   

3. In the Create Top Container box, edit the following:

   1. Container Profile: select the container profile that matches the item in hand

   2. Container Type: select the container type

   3. Indicator: type in the box or item’s number, for example “1”

   4. Barcode: scan in the barcode for the item

4. Click on “Add Location”

5. Search for or browse for the location where the item is housed

6. Click “Create and link to top container”

To add all subsequent items to the new top container, do the following:

1. Delete the Top Container in the Instance

2. Browse for the correct top container by scanning in the barcode or copying and pasting the barcode.

3. Click on “link to top container”

Statistics Reporting

Statistics need to be reported each week on the Student Tech Weekly Reporting Airtable base. An individualized view in the Barcoding Airtable base has been set up for each student technician. The steps for recording statistics are as follows:

1. Open the both the Student Tech Weekly Reporting Airtable base or go to your individualized form

2. In a second window, open the Barcoding base and go to your individualized view

   1. Go to the “Filtered by” option and change the first date to be the starting date in the week for which you are reporting. Likewise, change the second date to the ending date in the week for which you are reporting

   2. The filtered view will now only display the entries from that week. These entries are summed at the bottom of the page (see yellow highlight below)

      

3. Record the sums from following columns from the Barcoding base into the form for weekly stats: