Archival Processing
The Robert Hitchman Collection after processing
Processing is the way that archivists make sure that records are available for researchers 'in a systematic fashion', and that items in collections can be located without the need for huge investments of their research time.
I have had experience doing processing work in several different institutional environments, including the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections, the Seattle Public Schools Archive, the UW iSchool, the Library of Congress, two US Senators' offices, and local historical societies. Each of these institutions had specific processing standards, and I learned how to adapt my processing skills to the needs and requirements of each organization. This included learning to work with materials in many formats: I have worked with standard printed paper collections, handwritten 19th century manuscripts and ledgers, scrapbooks, photos and photo albums, videocassettes, audio tapes, digital files, historic maps, architectural plans, and other large-format flat-file collections such as posters, all requiring different handling and physical processing methods. Besides full, formal finding aids, I have also produced interim finding aids and various other tools such as inventories that allow some degree of control over collections in transition, or collections that were destined to be transferred to another institution. Another input to the development of my processing skills has been my experience as a historical researcher - I have encountered and utilized many examples of different levels and varieties of finding aids, and all of these examples have been helpful in forming my idea of what organization and information is most helpful to provide. Here are some examples of finding aids I created for collections I processed at these different institutions:
- Finding aid for the Robert Hitchman Collection, University of Washington Special Collections
- Finding Aid for a selection of Dean Emeritus Michael Eisenberg's Digital Faculty Papers, UW iSchool
- Preliminary finding aid for the Seattle Funeral Homes papers, University of Washington Special Collections
- Request form for researchers, Seattle Funeral Homes papers
- Inventory of the Thomas Allen Collection, University of Washington Special Collections
- Transmittals for Archival Material at the Seattle Public Schools Archive (.zip file)
As an adjunct to my archival processing skills, I also assisted in a major archival relocation. Over the winter break in December 2008 and January 2009, UW Special Collections transferred over 20,000 cubic feet of archival records from one off-site storage facility in Seattle to another. I helped to accurately relabel, barcode and verify the accessions. Despite unanticipated snowfall and difficult conditions, the move was successfully completed - slightly ahead of schedule.
All uncredited photos on this site were taken by Gabriel Chrisman
All material copyright Gabriel Chrisman, 2010
No reproduction allowed without permission