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Resources/Collection-level Description

An ArchivesSpace Resource record is used to create a finding aid and record information about a collection.

In ArchivesSpace select: Create > Resource Record. A resource record with default field values will appear. Fill in and edit the fields as indicated below. The record will contain more fields than those listed below, but do NOT enter/change any information in a field that is not indicated below.

Edit the information in square brackets ([ ]) and delete the brackets. Choose the proper selection from those listed in italics.

The instructions below can be used both for creating and editing resource records.

Basic Information

  1. Title: [DACS compliant collection title] for oral histories this includes [“Oral History”] or [Oral Histories”] appended at the end.
  2. Identifier: [Accession #]
  3. Resource Type: Choose: Records, Papers, Publications, or Collection
  4. Publish?: This check box determines whether or not a Resource will display in the ArchivesSpace Public User Interface (archives.wayne.edu). Check this box only if the Resource is ready to be made public. Note that any lower level components or notes that are unpublished will not display.
  5. Restrictions Apply?: Check box if restrictions. If no restrictions, leave unchecked.
  6. Repository Processing Notes: If material is missing, insert: “[Box #, Folder #] is missing as of [YYYY-MM-DD] – [Your name].” AND / OR If there is an anomaly / oddity about the processing of the collection (e.g., multiple collections processed into one), mention here. Otherwise leave blank.

Languages

  1. Language: Select the language of materials. If more than one language is present, click "Add Language" button and add a language record for each language.
  2. Script: Select the script of materials.
  3. Language of Materials Note: Add a human-readable note describing the language of materials found in the collection.
    1. Content: Material entirely in [English].

Dates

The Reuther uses an ArchivesSpace plugin called timewalk, developed by Alexander Duryee at the New York Public Library, to automatically parse Date Expressions into structured Begin and End dates when an ArchivesSpace component is saved. In order for this to work properly, create one Date subrecord for each distinct individual or range of dates and enter the information in a consistent, standardized way. For example, if an ArchivesSpace component contains materials from August 17, 1945 and 1957-1965, create two separate Date subrecords with the following Expressions:

  1. 1945 August 17: This will be automatically parsed into a Single date with a Begin value of 1945-08-17
  2. 1957-1965: This will be automatically parsed into an Inclusive date with a Begin value of 1957 and an End value of 1965

If exact dates cannot be determined, but approximate dates can be inferred, enter the Date Expression as circa [date]. If no dates can be determined or inferred, enter a Date Expression of undated. Alternatively, for lower-level Archival Objects, do not add any Date subrecords; this will result in ArchivesSpace inheriting down the closest parent record's Date information for display and search in the Public User Interface. For example, an Archival Object with no Date subrecords that is a child of a Sub-Series with a date range of 1950-1970 will have that Date range associated with it.

At the Resource level, record one Inclusive or Single Date and, if applicable, one Bulk date. At the Archival Object/component level, record as many Inclusive or Single dates as necessary, favoring one or two inclusive ranges when possible, and one Bulk date if applicable.

For each date:

  1. Select: Add Date or + if necessary to add a new Date subrecord
  2. Label: Creation
  3. Expression: [Date]
  4. Type: Choose one: Inclusive, Single, or Bulk

Extents

Analog-Only Collections

  1. Portion*: Ensure “Whole” is selected.
  2. Number*: Enter the number of linear feet of the entire collection. (See Extent Calculations)
  3. Type*: Select “Linear Feet”
  4. Container Summary: Enter the number of boxes of each type ([## MB, SB, or OS]) Include [# cassettes], [# reels], etc. if describing oral history recordings.
  5. Physical Details: Mostly for AV Archivist use to qualify the amount and types of AV materials, e.g. audio recording, film reels, etc.

Digital-Only Collections

  1. Portion*: Ensure “Whole” is selected.
  2. Number*: Enter the number of Gigabytes, Megabytes, or Terabytes of the entire collection. (See Extent Calculations)
  3. Type*: Select “Gigabytes,” “Megabytes,” or “Terabytes.”
  4. Container Summary: Enter “[## files]” if known.

Hybrid Collections

  1. Portion*: Select “Part”
  2. Number*: Enter the number of linear feet of the entire analog part of the collection. (See Extent Calculations)
  3. Type*: Select “Linear Feet”
  4. Container Summary: Enter the number of boxes of each type ([## MB, SB, or OS]) Include [# cassettes], [# reels], etc. if describing oral history recordings.
  5. Physical Details: Mostly for AV Archivist use to qualify the amount and types of AV materials, e.g. audio recording, film reels, etc.
  6. +: Select to create the next part of the extent.
  7. Portion*: Select “Part”
  8. Number*: Enter the number of Gigabytes, Megabytes, or Terabytes of the entire collection.
  9. Type*: Select “Gigabytes,” “Megabytes,” or “Terabytes.”
  10. Container Summary: Enter “[## files]” if known.

Finding Aid Data

  1. EAD ID: [Accession #]
  2. Finding Aid Title: Guide to the [DACS compliant collection title]
  3. Finding Aid Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] (Fill in as much as possible; leave blank if unknown)
  4. Finding Aid Author: Processed by [Walter P. Reuther Library]. (replace with name of processing archivist if known)
  5. Description Rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
  6. Language of Description: English
  7. Script of Description: Latin
  8. Finding Aid Status: Completed

Revision Statements

Add only if applicable

  1. Select: Add Revision Statement
  2. Revision Date: [YYYY-MM-DD revision made]
  3. Revision Description: [Describe changes made to the legacy guide and by whom.]
  1. Select: Add Related Accession
    1. Type in the collection name or accession number. Alternatively, select Browse from the drop down menu.
    2. Select the accession processed to create the resource record. Do NOT link unprocessed accessions (related unprocessed accessions should be linked to other accessions, NOT resources).
    3. Repeat above steps for any additional related accessions.

Add agent links for the creator(s) as well as any person, corporate, and family subjects that need to be access points to the collection

Add subject links to important subjects that need to be access points to the collection.

Notes

To edit a note, select expand and modify the content. If a note does not apply, or there is no applicable content, delete it: select the X in the upper right of the note box, and then select “confirm removal.” To add a note, select “Add Note” on the “Notes” Subrecord title bar. In the new note field, select the Note Type from the dropdown (one of the numbered notes below). Check the Publish checkbox (unless the note should be for staff only, e.g., location). Add the note in the Content box (and check the publish checkbox if there is one).

If the collection has multiple parts, with differing note content in each part, add a sub note for each part when necessary. (For example, if a finding aid has two parts each with its own Scope and Contents note, create a Scope and Contents note for part one, and a sub note within the Scope and Contents note for part two. If the Preferred Citation is the same for both parts, only create one Preferred Citation note.)

The following notes are either required for all Resources or required if applicable. Do not add any notes that are not listed below. Refer to the linked entry in the shared note documentation for content guidelines and examples for each note.

Required

  1. Abstract
  2. Biographical/Historical (Levels 1 and 2)
  3. Scope and Contents
  4. Conditions Governing Access
  5. Conditions Governing Use
  6. Physical Location (Leave unpublished)
  7. Immediate Source of Acquisition
  8. Processing Information
  9. Arrangement

Required if applicable

  1. Preferred Citation
  2. Related Materials
  3. Separated Materials
  4. Existence and Location of Copies
  5. General
  6. Custodial History

Collection Management

  1. Processing Priority: Choose one: High, Low, Medium
  2. Processing Plan:
    1. Process Level: [1-3]
    2. Accrual/Addition: [Yes or No]
    3. Ease of Processing: [1-3]
    4. Conservation Description/Location: [If there is conservation material, describe and indication location. If there isn’t any, state that there is none.]
    5. Discards: [State if there are any discards, and what they are]
  3. Processors: [Name(s) of Processor(s)]
    1. [Funding source if not general fund, i.e., AFT, AFSCME, JCA, etc.]
  4. Select: Save Resource or Save