Processing the Theoharis David Papers

Project Description

Working with a partner, I surveyed, processed, and created a finding aid for the Theoharis David Papers, a small unprocessed archival collection held by Pratt Institute Archives. Donated in a series of installments by Theoharis David, an architecture professor at Pratt and prominent member of both the New York and Cyprus architecture community, the collection consisted of magazines, newspaper clippings, course syllabi, hand-drawn architectural plans, and more. We developed a complete finding aid for the Papers in ArchivesSpace.

Methods

After completing a survey of the collection to get a sense of the types of materials present and the range of years represented, we sorted the materials into three distinct series, the titles and content of which we chose by considering both the materials’ original order and an intellectual arrangement that would be useful to researchers. We then re-foldered the materials and arranged them physically into new archival boxes. Finally, we created a finding aid for the Papers in ArchivesSpace.

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My Role

I worked with Morgan Yanni on this project. We both were active participants in the steps mentioned above, and collaborated on all major decisions. Since I had some experience with archival surveys, I made sure we stayed on track and managed our time effectively.

Learning Outcome Achieved

Foundations of Library & Information Studies

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Rationale

This project developed my understanding of archival concepts and standards such as provenance, original order, and traditional arrangement structure, as well as how to apply them to a real-world scenario. This helped me learn how to respect archival conventions while doing what made the most sense for the unique collection and its prospective users, adopting a practical yet creative mindset while making difficult decisions.