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.