archivists’ toolkit

Archivists’ Toolkit:Update, Demo, and Implementations

Society of California ArchivistsAnnual Meeting, 3 May 2008

Archivists’ Toolkit

Bradley Westbrook, AT Project Manager

Arwen Hutt, Archives Analyst

UC, San Diego

Domain Problems Targeted

• Serialized processing tools

• Expensive processing

• Increasing training costs

• Data produced with low interoperability

• Substantial, and growing, backlogs

3 May 2008 3AT @ SCA 2008 Annual Meeting

Domain Solution

• Open source, relational database application to support management, processing, and description of archival resources and the production of access instruments

• Promote data standardization

– Based on DACS, ISARR (CPF)

– Exports EAD, MARCXML, METS, MODS, DC

• Promote efficiency

– Integrate range of archival functions

– Repurpose data—multiple outputs from data recorded

– Automate encoding and reporting

• Lower processing and training costs


Key Features

• Implementable as a stand-alone or networked application using either a MySQL, MS SQL Server, or Oracle database backend

• Record accession, description, and location information for archival resources, including digital versions

• Authority control for names and subjects

• Import legacy data in EAD, MARCXML, and for accessions, tab delimited or XML, with data clean up tools

• Export EAD 2002, MARCXML, METS (MODS / DC), and 30 different administrative and descriptive default reports, such as acquisition statistics, accession records, shelf lists, subject guides, etc.

• Customizable interface with in-screen help information.

3 May 2008 AT @ SCA 2008 Annual Meeting 5

Proposed Features

• Revisions to name, subject, and digital object modules

• New modules to support appraisal, rights management, user registration, use tracking, work orders

• Sustainability model


AT User Community

• Application uptake:

• Version 1.0, released Dec. 17, 2006: 2520 unique downloads, 1722 registered users

• Version 1.1, released Jan. 16, 2008: 1276 unique downloads, 754 registered users

• ATUG-l (Archivists’ Toolkit User Group)

• Nearly 800 members

• Subscribe: http://mailman.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/atug-l

• Archives: http://mailman.ucsd.edu/pipermail/atug-l/


Support Services

• Software Issues / Bug Management• Issue list:

https://jira.nyu.edu:8443/jira/secure/Dashboard.jspa

• User Assistance (FAQ, ATUG list and [email protected])

• Workshops and Onsite Training

• User Surveys3 May 2008 AT @ SCA 2008 Annual Meeting 8

DEMO


networkedserver

Personal computer

Architechture


AT

DB

DB

AT Project: www.archiviststoolkit.org

Staff Email address: [email protected]

AT Sandboxes: http://www.archiviststoolkit.org/support/sandbox1.0.shtmlhttp://www.archiviststoolkit.org/support/sandbox1.1.shtml

Archivists’ Toolkit User Group:Subscription: http://mailman.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/atug-lArchives: http://mailman.ucsd.edu/pipermail/atug-l/

Genie GuerardManuscripts Librarian

Testing Archivists’ Toolkit at UCLA

• Need for integrated collections management system

• UCLA SC libraries ask: Test out AT or build on existing home-grown tools?

• Formalized action plan

• SC librarians (YRL, Performing Arts, Biomed, UA) test individually

• Regular group meetings to air and resolve problems, share discoveries

• Make recommendation to Special Collections Advisory Group and admin


UCLA AT Testers / Implementers

Charles E. Young Research Library, Department of Special Collections

Genie Guerard, Manuscripts Librarian [email protected]

Kelley Wolfe Bachli, CFPRT Coordinator [email protected]

Caroline Cube, Computer Resource Specialist [email protected]

Louise M. Darling Biomedical History and Special Collections for the Sciences

Cherry Williams, Special Collections Librarian for the Sciences & Archivist

for the William H. Sweet, M.D., D.Sc. Collection [email protected]

Performing Arts Special Collections

Julie Graham, Archival Collections Processing Librarian [email protected]

UCLA University Archives

Monique Leahey Sugimoto, University Archives Assistant [email protected]


• Decision to move from Sandbox to local db

• Earlier versions of AT available with ORACLE and MY SQL server

• MS SQL supported by UCLA IT

• Batch load functions

• Opportunity to test larger amounts of “real” data (vs. earlier spot testing of functionalities) and to save data locally


AT listserv provides:

• Online “Help line” from colleagues and AT developers

• Collective problem-solving with colleagues

• Direct line for communicating needs to AT developers as they are discovered


What we are looking for and what we think AT can provide

UCLA has:

A good set of tools and support for creating finding aids and catalog records

UCLA finding aids on the OAC:

YRL SC: 1,423

Performing Arts: 241

Biomed: 36

UCLA University Archives: 194

Clark: 13

Fowler: 9

Grunwald: 4

Chicano Studies Research Library: 56

Ethnomusicology: 26



UCLA needs:

A system to support (workflow and products) needed for complete life cycle of archival and manuscript collections

• Accessions and Admin functions: acc dates, extent, bioghist, DoG’s acknowledgements, gifts paperwork, donor info, location info, rights and restrictions documentation

• Processing functions: processing status, conservation, EAD and MARC, loans, managing exhibitions, digital projects



UCLA needs:

• An integrated system to:

• Allow each SC unit to bring collections data up to date

• Combine all of the units’ data into one space, facilitate cross-library searching


…and why we think AT can provide what we need

• It’s open source and user-driven

• We have confidence in developers’ technical expertise combined with knowledge of archives and experience with archives workflow in a university environment

• OAC supports its members’ use of AT to enhance finding aid/ digital assets workflow

• Once XML EAD uploaded, there is a basic record in AT, providing the foundation for accessions (facilitates our retrospectively adding collections data entry)

• Facilitates name and subject authority control in user-friendly environment


What we’ve learned and our current assessment

• Testing process is helping us more clearly define our needs

• We need to “clean up our data house”

• Reassessing and refining our workflow

• There is a learning curve ahead regarding the configuration of reports, but the cost-benefit analysis appears favorable


Future AT testing at UCLA

• More familiarity with EAD and Accessions functions

• Digital objects (METS) generation - digital assets management

• User-defined fields for Accessions, Conservation, Exhibition (Curatorial aspects and Loans)

• Reports configuration

• Accessions/donor documentation / statistical reports

• Print finding aid reports


UCLA AT Tester’s Goals:

Short-Term

Formal recommendation to Special Collections Advisory Group

Long-Term

Fully implement AT

• Gain control of all collections management data

• Manage complete life cycle of collections

• Unify UCLA Special Collections libraries data

• Streamline manuscripts and archives workflow


Archivists’ Toolkit and the Solo Archivist

Aimee MorganMay 3, 2008

Who I Am

• Currently I am: Archives and Digital Collections Librarian, California Academy of Sciences

• From 2005-2007, I was: Curator of Archives and Manuscripts, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University


Flashback: Late 2006

Existing collections management system @ Pitts Theology Library:

• Accession records created in MS Word• Accessions tracked from accessioning through

processing via (many) Excel spreadsheets• Finding aids created in MS Word, entered into HTML

templates for Web presentation• MARC catalog records in RLIN and local OPAC• Monthly/yearly statistics kept in Excel spreadsheets• Shelflists maintained as Excel spreadsheets


The Issues

• Information duplicated across many spreadsheets; more work for staff, increased chance for error

• Compiling statistics was laborious

• Name authority work done only at time of MARC records creation

• Links between original accessions and processed collections not consistently preserved

• Wanted a relational collections management database, but no time to create my own


Why Archivists’ Toolkit?

• Most pressing need: management for back-of-house functions (accessioning, location management, statistics)

• Open source project: freely available, potential for customization

• Focus on standards compliance• Support for long-term goal of EAD

implementation


Implementation: Prep Work

• Spent some time playing in the AT sandbox

• Shared plans with library director

• Installed Toolkit/MySQL server on local machine for further testing

• Got IT staff to install MySQL server on our network


Implementation: The Process

• Imported accession records from Excel files (about 1600 records)

• Cleaned up accession records, did name authority work (about 750 name records created)

• Created “skeleton” resource records, linked them to accessions (about 400 records)

• Linked accession and resource records to locations


End result at Pitts

• Database fully functional for accession management, name authority work

• Database fully functional for managing locations -- used by library assistant at the reference desk

• Database used to generate monthly and yearly statistics


AT Implementation 2.0: California Academy of

Sciences

• Same process, more work• Collection info more scattered, less consistent• Many “semi-processed” collections• Backlog of unaccessioned material

• Future directions• DACS-compliant MARC and EAD• Learn to produce custom reports


UCI evaluates the AT

Michelle Light, ArchivistUCI Special Collections and Archives

[email protected] of California Archivists - May 3, 2008

• 7 FTE in SCA, 3 FTE accessioning and processing

• Approximately 4,000 linear feet

• Management of University Archives and manuscript collections recently combined.

• Accessioning controlled with spreadsheet (Excel), individual worksheets (Word), and legacy database (Access).

• Processing managed with multiple Excel spreadsheets.

• EAD finding aids created in Word for print and the OAC. Tagging done automatically with macros.

• Locations managed in database (SQL and web).

• Cataloger does MARC records and indexing and in local ILS and OCLC.

Current context


• Can the AT produce the reports we need?

• Is it easier and/or better to accession materials with the AT than with our current methods?

• Is it easier and/or better to create and edit finding aids for OAC and our Reading Room with the AT than with our current methods?

• Can the AT help me manage processing?

• How much work is required to make our data minimally usable in the AT?

• Does the AT make sense in UCI’s technological environment?

Evaluating the AT


• Our finding aids did not successfully make the round trip from OAC to AT to OAC. Issues:– Schema vs. DTD– Alternate filing title = mandatory– Stripped out labels– Did not preserve the order of elements– Stripped some headings necessary for navigation– Long names were truncated

• Major need:– OAC to modify style sheets

EAD & OAC


• How do I manage and represent processed collections?– Track extent and create reports?– Keep track of cataloging, finding aid, and preservation needs?

• How do I calculate our total holdings?• AT

– Accession module for accessions and collection management?– Resource module for processed collections and description management?

• UCI– Accession information (active for unprocessed, inactive for processed)– Processed collection information– Finding aids for processed and unprocessed collections

• Solutions?– Use resource module to manage collections? No.– Create collection records in the accession module? Hopeful. – Ask the AT to add more collection management features to the resource

module

Managing processing


Managing processing (cont.)


• Pursuing accession module for now• More experimentation with creatively mapping data• More experimentation with creating own reports• Cleaning up data• More discussions with IT to ensure responsive

support• Encouraging other parts of UCI’s Library to

investigate AT’s METS capabilities

What’s next for UCI?


archivists’ toolkit

Documents

annual meetingdemo3

annual meetinggenie

annual meetingat project

user registration

onsite training user

data recordedautomate

legacy data

jspa user assistance