Housing and Labeling

• Consult the Processing Spaces pages (internal link) for information about where archival and office supplies at the Beal Building and NCRC located.

• To avoid creating extraneous containers, materials from multiple series can be placed in the same container.

• In the event that the processor is devising titles for archival material (and other intellectual units in the collection), they should carefully consider how to most effectively and efficiently describe that material. This is because writing lengthy folder titles can significantly increase processing time. Processors can abbreviate some folder information if it is self explanatory (e.g., using "Bio. materials" instead of "Biographical materials") and should try to preserve the classifications and/or folder titles employed by the creators, supplemented as needed with qualifying terms or parenthetical notes as needed. 

• The processor should consider how their housing and labeling decisions will impact the way that future users interact with the material. For example: 

  • Individual packages of digital material should generally be fairly small (e.g., less than 2GB) to reduce time spent downloading material.

  • Rather than tightly packing boxes with physical material—which can pose a problem for both researchers and reference staff who have to pull that material—use spacers to appropriately spread out and support material. 

  • If you consolidate material from multiple series into a single container (e.g., using a single oversize box for large material from different series), make sure that all material is adequately labeled and protected.

• Some collections may contain a few oversize materials "hidden" within the records. Depending on several factors—including the size of the material, the amount of oversize material, and the material's overall value—the processor can either leave them in place (if they fit securely in a standard archival box) or flag (or set the material aside) as they are discovered during processing, so that the processor can determine an appropriate housing option towards the end of a processing project (e.g., oversize folder for fewer materials, or one or more boxes for more material). 

Paige and Hollinger Boxes. 

Processors will typically use either Paige boxes or Hollinger archival boxes for most paper and photographic formats. The decision to use either kind of box is based on factors like the amount of material being processed, the possibility of additional donations of material in subsequent years (i.e., use Paige boxes if further additions are anticipated), and the actual weight of the material (i.e., for physically heavier material, use the smaller Hollinger boxes). Regardless, when placing folders and similar containers in either kind of box, maintain enough room in the boxes so that researchers can easily remove material. 

Oversized and special boxes. 

Information about boxes for special formats—such as audiovisual formats, glass plate negatives, and oversized architectural material—can be found in the Processing Spaces document (internal link). 

Non-archival boxes that were part of the original accession, or archival boxes in poor condition.

If in good condition, these boxes can be retained and used to dispose of separated material.

Digital Files

Digital material will typically not need new directory titles, unless the processor wants to either 1.) retain the original, donor-supplied folder title(s) or 2.) consolidate several folders or files from the same accession into a new directory. In both cases, the processor will create a new top-level directory and move the accessioned material into that directory. They will then complete the Digital Processing CSV template, using the guide found on the Processing Team Trello board (internal link). 

Removable Media (Optical Disks).

If optical disks will be retained and are missing cases, the processor can rehouse them in paper sleeves (found in the processing room).

Folders (Legal size). 

Processors will typically use legal-sized, buffered archival folders for rehousing, as they reduce the total amount of material in boxes (and, by extension, the box's overall weight). Rehousing may not be necessary if the material is relatively recent (i.e., is already acid-free) and the folder:

• Is in reasonably good shape (e.g., not brittle or damaged); 

• Possesses accurate labels; 

• Lacks the telltale signs of conservation issues (e.g., the musty smell of mold), and;  

• Is not overstuffed and/or otherwise threatens to place unnecessary stress on its contents. 

Additionally:

• If the processor re-folders materials, they will transcribe the original folder title to preserve the original information (unless this label is obviously incorrect or absent). The transcribed title may need to be revised when entering data into ArchivesSpace.

• Hanging folders should never be used to house archival material, as the oxidizing metal and metal edges of these folders can damage both the material and boxes.

Folders (Oversize). 

Processors can also store oversize material in large, oversize folders. They should consult with their supervisor about this option as well as where this material will be stored in the stacks.  

General Comments

Gloves should be worn when handling photographs and negatives.

Different Physical Containers

• Paige and Hollinger Boxes. Processors will typically use either Paige boxes or Hollinger archival boxes for most paper and photographic formats. The decision to use either kind of box is based on factors that include the amount of material being processed, the possibility of additional donations of material in subsequent years (i .e., use Paige boxes if further additions are anticipated), and the actual weight of the material (for physically heavier material, use the smaller Hollinger boxes). Regardless, when placing folders and similar containers in either kind of box, maintain enough room in the boxes so that researchers can easily remove material.

• Oversized and special boxes. Information about boxes for special formats—such as audiovisual formats, glass plate negatives, and oversized architectural material—can be found in the Processing Spaces document (internal link). 

• Glass plate negatives should be stored upright in four-flap folders, with dividers in between each negative. They can either be stored in the collection or removed to the vault. 

General Comments

• Ideally, housing for media should provide structured support for media, be acid-free, and be vented or loose. However, in the interest of managing the Bentley's limited resources, processors can use any adequate, original paper, board or plastic housing that is not broken, crumbling, or which can be cleaned. For media that the Bentley does not have replacement containers for—such as Betacam, U-Matic, MiniDV, and HDCam tapes—original containers must be used. 

• If the processor decides to replace the original housing, they should—unless the original housing is completely blank—photocopy the original housing's labels on acid-free paper, paying special attention to capture information about the media that is important to retain for preservation and reformatting purposes (e.g.,  brand, footage length, tape thickness, etc.).

• Gloves should be worn when handling any kind of audiovisual material.

Rehousing Magnetic Media

• Place audio reels, cassettes, and VHS videocassettes in new plastic containers if the original container is absent or broken. 

• Store this media vertically, so that the tape is perpendicular with the bottom of the box.

Rehousing Film

• Film in airtight (difficult to open) cans or rusted metal cans should be re-housed in plastic, vented cans (clean metal cans with loosely fitting lids are acceptable to retain). If replacing film cans, the processor should be careful not to let films wound on cores unravel. 

• To actually rehouse films, place the new can over the film in its original can and flip it over to transfer the film to the new can intact. If the film seems fragile, is not wound onto a core or leadered, or has any kind of odor (especially a vinegar smell), bring such films to the attention of the Lead Archivist for Audiovisual Curation.

• Store film flat.

Rehousing Grooved Discs

• Sleeves are available for 7” and 10” diameter discs.

• Discs should be stored vertically in appropriate archival record boxes. 

• Please bring any damaged or broken records to the attention of the Lead Archivist for Audiovisual Curation.

Depending on materials' content, size, and volume, a processor may:

• Decide to keep such material folded with the rest of the materials (e.g., maps, brochures, or any published materials meant to be folded by the publisher creator).

• Place them in an oversize folder.

• Place them in oversize boxes (typically done if placing them in a folder would make that folder too bulky). 

• Roll them in tubes (if the materials are so large that they would not easily fit in any of the Bentley Historical Library's drawers).

• Locate them on shelves without being placed in a container (e.g., scrapbooks or photo albums in good physical condition can be housed on shelves lying flat). 

Volumes, publications, and binders that can fit into regular and oversize boxes will typically be placed in those boxes without needing to be contained in a folder, unless they are unbound to address preservation or use concerns. If those materials are unbound, then they will need to be housed in the appropriate folder(s).

Finally, large unboxed material (e.g., oversize volumes) should only be stacked 2-3 items high space in the stacks.

• Boxes should be labeled at the end of a processing project, as part of the processor's end-of-project collection management tasks. For more information, consult this site's Labels page (public link).

• If the processor replaces an original box that has a barcode, they should make sure to remove the barcode and re-apply it to the new box.

As noted earlier, directories will not typically be renamed by the processor unless in very specific circumstances. Similarly, files will almost never be renamed. 

Folders (Legal size). 

Physical folder labels should be legibly and consistently labeled, such as in the following way: 

• The left corner of the folder tab should be the shortened version of the creator's name, such as a person's last name, the family's name, or the abbreviated name of a corporate body. 

• The middle part of the folder tab should be the complete intellectual hierarchy associated with the folder, beginning with the series the folder is associated with.

• The right corner of the folder tab should be a, generally speaking, concise and descriptive title and date. The original folder title and date should be retained unless it is determined to be inaccurate or descriptively inadequate. If the folder title and date are inaccurate, the processor should devise a DACS-compliant title and date. The processor is encouraged to either an original or devised title by adding additional information that clarifies the informational content of the folder if it is deemed appropriated.

• If the folder is part of a group, the processor should note somewhere—ideally under the folder title and date on the right part of the folder tab, or on the flap of the folder—how the folder is part of a larger group (e.g.,  by writing "folder 1 of 2")

Folders (Oversize) 

Record folder titles on the crease in pencil:

• The left corner of the folder should be the collection's ID number (e.g., "2020001 UAl"). 

• The middle part of the folder should be the shortened version of the creator's name, such as a person's last name, the family's name, or the abbreviated name of a corporate body. 

• The right corner of the folder should be the oversize folder's number.

If an oversize volume can be located on shelf without being placed in a box, place an acid-free strip of paper (created using recycled acid-free folders) inside the volume. Next:

• Print out a collection label and a location label (public link) for the volume and affix it to the strip of paper.

• Write the collection name, collection ID, and volume number on the  label.

Make sure that the labels are clearly visible when the volume is placed in the stacks. For example, if the volume is placed on a shelf closer to the floor, the label should be facing upwards. If the volume is placed on a shelf closer to the ceiling, the label should be facing downwards.