The End, Part Six: Epilogue

On my last day, I composed a quick breakdown of information in regards to the collection.  I have included my closing words to whomever continues processing the Nugent collection.  It's rather useless to everyone but those in the archives.  However, I find it a very good summary all that I've done:

The Basics

The collection, as of December of 2010, consists of six accessions totaling 79 boxes of materials.  In addition, there are currently 11 boxes (and counting) of materials to return or discard; these include article reprints, print journals, and copies of published works.  A handful of the boxes have been deemed inappropriate for archiving.  The collection has several restrictions of varying time frames in multiple locations across each accession.  In short, it is complicated.

The Plan

An approved processing plan includes seven series, each with at least three main sub-series.  A full listing of the series and other planning documentation can also be found stored in the archive network.  Inside this folder are several Word documents noting the locations of materials in each series.  This should be useful!  Each series and its sub-series is broken down by accession number, box number, and folder; this is a comprehensive list of where to go to find what is needed to fully process a series.  In addition, one large file, named “Nugent Collection Container List” includes all boxes and folders of each accession with listings of series and sub-series; this container list is a bit messy and has been edited with proper names of publications and persons.  Also included is a short list of restrictions, but it is lacking in specificity; talk to Phil for details.

Thus Far

As of 12/2010, processing has been ongoing but is far from complete.  Thus far, only the Publications series has been processed, and not in its entirety.  The collection contains sensitive information that will need further restriction (i.e. grad student files), photographs, and multiple forms of audio and video.  (I have made note of the locations of audio/visual materials in the series lists.) Be wary of sensitive materials.

The collection is on shelves throughout the archives in a few locations: on the back shelf in the back storage area; on the wall shelves in the main processing area, and under the big processing table.  Four boxes from accession 2010/088 are in shelving near the table in the back storage room—these will be returned or discarded.  The main reprints/discards boxes are on the top of the back shelves in the back storage area, above the still-to-be-processed materials.

Much has been done, yet much remains.  Hopefully the plans made and notes taken will be useful.  Good luck!

Reading Response Nine: Electronic Records In Manuscript Collections

Yale archivist Michael Forstrom discusses some of the basic strategies for capturing digitally-born records in “Managing Electronic Records in Manuscript Collections:  A Case Study from the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.”  This 2008 work uses the case of author George Whitmore to exemplify the challenges archivist face in preserving, describing, and providing access to electronic documents.  Forstrom discusses a series of pilot programs at Yale designed to improve upon electronic document archival workflows, as well as the challenges in conforming to descriptive standards such as DACS (Describing Archives:  A Content Standard).  The results at Yale thus far have been positive; the current study is ongoing through 2012. 

Part of the digital workflow at Yale utilizes proprietary software to render a multitude of file types.  While presently effective, the use of proprietary software is a danger to the long-term sustainability as well as accessibility of archival records.  As a general rule, archives should attempt, whenever possible, to utilize open source tools.  Of course, creators of digital documents will most likely use proprietary software in the creation process.  Understanding the provenance of the document will go a long way to better deliverance of archival-quality preservation.  Digital documents born today contain at least basic metadata for use by archivists.  Mr. Forstrom concludes his remarks stating, “Staff members in collecting repositories need to be proactive.  …repository employees are creating and sharing digital preservation guidelines with authors, conducting records surveys, developing new done and legal agreements and transfer tools, and arranging snapshot accession of authors’ digital archives.” Such a stand is aggressive and a difficult practice to apply with any consistency, nor can an archive expect to reach a great percentage of prospective donors with such a program.  However, if the message is publicized, perhaps a little bit of information for potential manuscript donors will go a long way.  This program certainly may become a new trend in the way archives approach collection development and electronic records preservation.

Forstrom, Michael. “Managing Electronic Records in Manuscript Collections: A Case Study from the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.” American Archivist, Volume 72, No. 2, Fall/Winter 2009, pp. 460-477.

Reading Response Eight: Better Practices For Presidential Libraries

Former Truman Library Director Larrry J. Hackman argues in favor of new procedures in the administration of presidential libraries in “Toward Better Policies and Practices for Presidential Libraries.”  Hackman finds the overall administration, direction, and policies of today’s presidential libraries to be incomplete and somewhat wrong-headed.  These libraries, which often have museums attached to them, are under the purview of NARA, the National Archives and Records Administration; yet often formulate their own missions, collection policies, and budgetary choices.  Presidential libraries, though centers for American history, are not necessarily fulfilling their obligation as a well-rounded educational enterprise.  Furthermore, Hackman goes on to state that each library can vary widely in their programming, leaving gaps in some areas so to under educate researchers and visitors.  The authors goes on to enumerate a significant list of problems currently associated with the presidential library system, then lists a multitude of solutions aimed at increasing collaboration between the libraries and NARA as a means to improve the collections, policies, and educational capabilities of the libraries and museums.

The article touches on several points that make a reader take notice.  Presidential libraries are ideally suited to become centers for national educational programming, yet Hackman states this is not necessarily the case.  In fact, he claims some libraries exaggerate the roles and accomplishments of their namesakes simply because of a need for publicity and recognition.  This is a breach of ethical protocol in the information profession, where the librarian or archivist, is not meant to bend history to support the fact but instead to present the facts for others to contemplate.  The presidential library and museum system is decentralized with more local governance than national direction; a more equal partnership would go a long way to standardizing historical content and education.  One can only hope that an effort to utilize the best practices of the profession will allow for improving libraries, comprehensive in collections and strong in educational programs for the millions of visitors to them across the country.

Hackman, Larry J. “Toward Better Policies and Practices for Presidential Libraries.” The Public Historian, August 2006, Vol. 28, No. 3: 165–184.

Photographic Evidence

I snapped a few pictures during the course of the semester, simply to display the collection processing in some fashion.  Here's a few pictures before processing:

All the boxes you see on the table in the first picture and on the shelf in the second are part of the Nugent collection.  There are a few more out of range of the camera.


Once I began processing, I was able to consolidate a number of boxes.  My workspace increased as the number of boxes on the table decreased.

Here you can see a typical day processing: my notes, an unprocessed folder to the bottom left, and a stack of processed materials to the top left.  I had plenty of space to work during my internship.  By the last day I had managed to clear off the entire table, thanks to some openings in shelving courtesy of Dina.

The End, Part Five: Resolution

And so, the last week of the internship has come and gone.  This week was like many others, save a few hours to clean up loose ends and discuss my progress to date with my supervisor, University Archivist and Archives Director Phil Bantin.  I was pleased to hear positive feedback in regards to the work I have done.  I processed, by my own estimation, somewhere around one-third of the entire collection, and probably nearly half of what will be deemed archival materials at the end.  I also revised my folder lists and notes to remove any potential of confusion for my successor.  Thankfully Phil also gave his seal of approval on the the notes I have left for the next Nugent processor, whomever that shall be.  The work was not easy, nor was it necessarily what I expected when I began my internship in August.  As any reader of this blog will attest, there were times I spent scratching my head.  Yet, I kept working and I believe accomplished good work, for my part.  I am sad to be leaving the work incomplete; I despise leaving a project unfinished.  I can take solace in the fact I have given the next processor a jump start in his or her work, once they too wrap their heads around an interesting if not overly difficult collection to process.

I want to thank all of the wonderful people in the Archives for being kind, supportive, and helpful during the course my internship.  Thank you Dina, Carrie, Kate, Brad, and Phil.  You are a fantastic group, and the University is lucky to have you all.  I also want to thank my fellow interns for offering a helpful hint or two when asked.

As for the Archives, I will be back next week not to intern but to continue working on the Board of Trustees minutes, and to begin work on the Bloomington Faculty Council Minutes.  The work, in all varieties, is never done.  At least, archivists hope not.

The End, Part Four: Falling Action

I spent the last month of my internship almost exclusively processing the collection.  At times I found a folder I had missed or been improperly assigned to a sub-series.  However, I found the work pleasant.  My earlier frustrations seemed less mind-boggling, and the archive seemed less intimidating.  In processing, I came across deeds, financial documents, and death certificates from the Civil War Era.  I found that to be very exciting.  Those records were in fine condition; however, a group of newspaper clippings from the 1940s fared far worse.  The clippings would have been in poor shape in any circumstance, yet these had been taped to some type of construction paper, leaving shards of tape, construction paper, and newspaper peeling.  Nearly half of the text from these clippings was unreadable due to the adhesive.  Newspaper clippings are going to be a part of collections for the foreseeable future but one cannot help but contemplate the useful time remaining for the billions of these likely in collections across the world.  In the proper conditions, newspaper can be made to last for a lengthy period of time but the proper conditions are hard to come by.  

In a past life I worked with paper for 40 hours or more each week.  I am fascinated by the history of paper, its various constructions, and the paper choices of users.  I may be digressing but I believe the paper a person uses can speak of something about the individual.  Obviously current production standards may dissuade one from accepting this argument, yet if a person chooses to use 70 pound over the standard 20 pound, that speaks to their socioeconomic status, taste, or fads of the time.  It's a part of history overlooked by many, and one I still think about today, surrounded by boxes of the paper from all comers.

The last few weeks of my internship passed very quickly.  I spent the day before Thanksgiving processing and encoding up until the close of business. The last two weeks were spent processing and helping out with a reference question or two.  I tossed more than a few old, rusty paper clips into the trash.  (I am less fond of paper clips now.)  Interestingly enough, Professor Nugent had copied several dozen oral histories from archives across the country.  On these he had made front-page notations of what chapter the history might belong to in his forthcoming book on the subject.  In respect to archival copyright, I made photocopies of the first page and pulled the remainder as a reprint.  In this manner, the notes are preserved and the archive can be easily contacted for more information on the oral history if a researcher finds it necessary in the future.  In many ways, processing is the direct opposite to working in a print production facility.  Instead of pulling out blank sheets for imprinting, an archivist takes the imprinted paper and stores it away.  I find the analogy slightly off but personally pleasing nonetheless.

The End, Part Three: Climax

I had a plan, but I did not have the means to execute that plan.  Yet, this was not a point of frustration.  I found my way back to make a list of items, for this time my planning involved specific boxes and folders.  For example, for the Publications series, I went through my large container list and pulled out all folders associated with each publication.  I listed each publication chronologically, carefully noting the boxes and folders containing materials for each title.  In this manner I created a comprehensive list of all folders for each series, sub-series, and record group for the entirety of the Nugent Collection.  I thoroughly enjoyed hammering out an action list from the outline of my overall processing plan.  Finally, this archive thing became exciting and, for lack of a better word, fun.  Now I was on to something.

This step seems obvious now, and I can only imagine an experienced archivist heartily laughing at my trials.  Part of being a novice is realizing your limitations, and I certainly was confronted by those each day.  In any case, with more lists than ever in my hands, I went back to that first box, pulled out the first folder, and...  started processing.  Slowly at first, then with more efficiency, I began to make my way through the research, correspondence, and drafts associated with Professor Nugent's first published monograph.  The papers were nearly 50 years old, and required new folders and the removal of very rusty paper clips.  I tagged folders with photographs for later special processing.  Within an hour I had processed more than a dozen folders.  I was finally, FINALLY, putting all those hours surveying, note-taking, and list-making to good use.  Relief.  Happiness.  Self-confidence.  This is the work I was meant to do.