Managing Physical Accessions

MHC and University Records Field Archivists are responsible for managing physical accessions. Unprocessed accessions are rehoused as necessary. Boxes are placed in the stacks in space allocated especially for accessions (consult with the Lead Archivist for Collections Management). ASpace accession record should be printed out and placed in Box 1. Each box should be labeled with the following information:

    Creator's name (or office); donor number, date of accession, and box number (e.g., 1 of 10, 2 of 10, 3 of 10, etc.) 

    When possible, provide information about the intellectual contents of each box (e.g., “corresp., 1950s,” “bio/photographs,” “misc. printed,” etc.). 

    If a hard copy of a box list is available, place it in Box 1 and make a note about it in the Accession record.

Indicating the date of accession helps to distinguish between multiple donations by the same donor.  If a collection is especially large, there is no need to repeat the date of accession on each box, but it's helpful to repeat it on every 3rd, 4th or 5th, box, and on the last box.