Arrangement

After surveying the materials to be processed, the processor should have a general understanding of the order used by the creator(s), also known as the original order. This understanding will deepen as the processor works more closely with and better understands the material.  Even if the material is badly disorganized, a processor can typically use clues from the material itself to identify its original order, including:

• Record-keeping practices such as physical labels, directory names, and file names (assuming that those labels are confirmed to be accurate).  

• Physical details about the materials, such as the kind of housing (e.g., different kinds of packaging for audiovisual material may suggest a grouping).

• Noticeable groupings of materials, which can include material that is grouped together by function or content.

At the same time, it is also important to note that the received order of the material is not necessarily the true original order of the material. Instead, it is entirely possible that, prior to being accessioned, one or more of the following situations may have occurred:

• Material had been inadvertently filed in the wrong containers.

• The original containers have been damaged or destroyed, which can obscure the material's original order.

• Containers have been relocated or re-organized in the past, which can causes related material to become separated (or unrelated material to be grouped together).

• Containers have placed together as a matter of convenience, regardless of their actual relevance to one another.

• Creators may have used a personal filing system for their materials that is understandable and useful only to them.

In the event that the material's original order cannot be recovered or uncovered, a processor should attempt to impose the simplest organizing scheme on the records, such as an easy-to-recognize alphabetical or chronological order.

Collections are arranged into different kinds of groupings during processing. The Bentley uses the following:

• The Collection is the "top-most" level, and is typically used for the Bentley's archival collections.

• The Subgroup is a level typically found within University of Michigan units or other complex and/or large collections. More information about how the Bentley uses the subgroup level can be found on the Subgroups page of this site.  

• Series represent major bodies of material linked together within a collection by the key functions or activities of the collection's creator, administrative structure, geographic location, time period, format, or some other qualities. Every collection will have at least one series and each series should represent a relatively significant amount of material (e.g., 1 linear foot).

• Subseries represent groupings of material within series that belong together, but which should be organized into distinct sub-categories based on either the processor's decision or the material's original order.

• Files represent the lowest level typically used at the Bentley. Files represent either the physical or digital archival material within particular containers (e.g., folders within a box) or intellectual file groupings that material belongs to (a "file" consisting of several folders, but which does not physically exist in a box).

Processors can organize subgroups, series, subseries, and files in various ways. Some arrangement strategies are listed below:

• Alphabetical: Groupings can be organized alphabetically based on the titles given to them by the creator (or processor).

• Date of Creation: Groupings can be organized chronologically based on when the material was created.

• Importance: Groupings can be organized such that the most significant groupings are presented first in the finding aid. For example, it is common to place biographical materials or information about the history or administration of a corporate body at the "front" of the arrangement list and include other series by order of volume or "importance." Alternatively, the processor could use biographical/historical information about the creator to help inform the order of particular groupings within the collection.

Ultimately, however, it is up to the processor to select the particular arrangement strategy for their project. When deciding on what to do, the processing archivist should ideally pick an arrangement strategy that facilitates:

• Researchers' access to the material. Processors are encouraged to consider how different kind of users—which includes the BHL's reference and academic programs staff—could access or use the collection as they arrange the material. 

• Data entry work. This may involve granularly arranging material within a box, but describing the material at a more general level. This approach to processing is particularly appropriate for groupings of similar materials (e.g., chronological files, committee files, and correspondence files). 

• The integration of future additions to the collection into the finding aid. See below for more information.    

Additions to existing collections are often acquired by the Bentley's field archivists. When incorporating these additions, the processor(s) will typically arrange the materials in such a way that the material will be intellectually brought together within a finding aid, even if the material is physically scattered across multiple containers. This approach avoids having to physically rearrange existing material in a finding aid to accommodate new additions. See the finding aid for the Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, University of Michigan Chapter records (public link) for an example of this practice in action.

Prior to actually arranging these newly accessioned materials, however, the processor should closely examine the collection's existing:

•  Arrangement. This will provide the processor with important information that will inform their arrangement decisions.

• (Optional) Containers. This will allow the processor to identify and/or rectify slumped materials that can be straightened, materials present in the box but not represented in the finding aid, and any empty space within the containers that can be used for the materials being (among other issues). It is not recommended that processors spend too much time doing this for large collections.

Many collections contain physical photographs, sound recordings, and moving images in various formats. If such materials are closely related to or interfiled with textual records, they should remain in place to preserve the original order and context of the collection.  

If these materials are not integrally related to the textual records, are segregated from other content, or do not have an established order, it may be appropriate to either create separate series for these formats and/or arrange them in a simple, but logical, manner. The Bentley will often do this for archived websites, as they often do not fit easily in other series because they contain a wide variety of content and serve a variety of functions.

It is important to note that Bentley processors do not typically create a separate series for digital or born-digital material. Instead, this material is integrated into the finding aid as if it were any other kind of material. Given that creators often develop specific directory structures to manage digital content, special care should be taken to preserve these folder hierarchies and their contextual information in the finding aid if they're valuable. If there are record-keeping lapses, or a complete lack of organization, the processor may have to impose an organizational structure on the digital content.