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Uig ArchiveA Guide Efecive Reearch
by Laura Schmidt
ContEnts
Introduction 1
What are Archives and How do Tey
Dier rom Libraries? 2
ypes o Archives 3
Finding and Evaluating Archives 4
Requesting Materials Remotely 6
Planning to Visit an Archives 7
ypical Usage Guidelines in Archival Repositories 8
Notes on Copyright, Restrictions, and
U n p r o c e s s e d C o l l e c t i o n s 9
Visiting an Archives 10
A Final Word and Additional Resources 11
Appendix: Sample Finding Aid
with Annotations 13
Archives exist both to preserve historic materials and
to make them available or use Tis guide addresses
the second purpose by outlining the unctions and
procedures o archives, and is designed both or rst-
time archives users and scholars who have already
conducted research in archives Te content covers:
How archives unction
How to identiy appropriate archives or your
research
How to access historical materials and research
at an archives
Repositories and their collecting scopes and practices
may dier, but the principles in this guide should
assist you in accomplishing your research goals at any
archival institution
Irduci
Photos rom let to right:
Te Nelson Mandela Papers eature letters he wrote to amily and riendswhile in prison Photo courtesy o Elizabeth W. Adkins, CA.
LBJ howling with his dog Yuki while visiting with the US Ambassador toEngland Photo courtesy o Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum.
Te Rock and Roll Hall o Fame and Museum opened in 2010 Courtesy othe Rock and Roll Hall o Fame and Museum.
Steeplechase Pier and the Boardwalk, 1920 Photo courtesy o Atlantic CityFree Public Library.
Archives preserve historic materials, including manuscripts and books
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Libraries in towns (public libraries)
or universities (academic libraries) can
generally be dened as collections o booksand/or other print or nonprint materials
organized and maintained or use 1 Patrons
o those libraries can access materials at
the library, via the Internet, or by checking
them out or home use Libraries exist
to make their collections available to the
people they serve
Archivesalso exist to make their
collections available to people, but dier
rom libraries in both the types o materials
they hold, and the way materials are accessed
TypesofMaterials: Archives can
hold both published and unpublished
materials, and those materials can
be in any ormat Some examples are
manuscripts, letters, photographs,
moving image and sound materials,
artwork, books, diaries, artiacts,
and the digital equivalents o all o
these things Materials in an archives
are oten unique, specialized, or rare
objects, meaning very ew o themexist in the world, or they are the only
ones o their kind
1Joan M. Reitz, ODLIS Online Dictionary or Library
and Inormation Science (Libraries Unlimited, 2010),
http://lucom/odlis/odlis_lcm#library
Examples o archival materials include:
letters written by Abraham Lincoln
(Abraham Lincoln Presidential Libraryand Museum, Springeld, Illinois),
Frank Lloyd Wrights architectural
drawings (Avery Architectural and Fine
Arts Library, Columbia University,
New York), photographs documenting
the construction o the Panama Canal
(ransportation History Collection,
University o Michigan Special
Collections), and video ootage romI
Love Lucy television episodes (the Paley
Center or Media, New York and Los
Angeles)
AccesstoMaterials: Since materials
in archival collections are unique, the
people (archivists) in charge o caring
or those materials strive to preserve
them or use today, and or uture
generations o researchers Archives
have specic guidelines or how people
may use collections (which will be
discussed later in this guide) to protect
the materials rom physical damage
and thet, keeping them and theircontent accessible or posterity
Example: Checking out a book rom a
library causes it to eventually wear out,
and then the library buys a new copy
o the same book Checking out the
handwritten diary o a historic gure
rom an archives would cause the samephysical deterioration, but the diary is
irreplaceable
Note that there is a great deal o
overlap between archives and libraries
An archives may have library as part
o its name, or an archives may be a
department within a library
Example: Te Perorming Arts Reading
Room in the Library o Congress
Wha Are Archive adHw D Tey Difer rm Librarie?
Photos top row - let to right:
New York Cubans players contract (dated 1947) orGarcia Photo courtesy o the Negro League Baseball M
Detail o a 1916 original pen and ink cartoon drawinRemove this blot! From the Carey Orr Cartoons, SpeCollections Research Center, Syracuse University Librar
Te Hollinger box is a revolutionary storage contain
can be ound in every archives
Photos bottom row - let to right:
Barbara Smith Conrads May 14, 1957 letter to theUniversity o exas President Logan Wilson Photo co Dolph Briscoe Center or American History.
A news clip rom Te Daily exan in 1957, which is pthe Barbara Conrad Papers at the Dolph Briscoe CenAmerican History Photo courtesy o Dolph Briscoe CenAmerican History.
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type ArchiveTere are many varieties o archives, and
the types o materials they collect dier
as well Dening your research topic and
knowing what sorts o materials you are
looking or will help you determine theappropriate institutions to contact Here
is a brie overview o repository types:
Collegeanduniversityarchives
are archives that preserve materials
relating to a specic academic
institution Such archives may also
contain a special collections division
(see denition below) College and
university archives exist rst to serve
their parent institutions and alumni,
and then to serve the publicExamples: Stanord University Archives,
Mount Holyoke College Archives
Corporatearchives arearchival
departments within a company or
corporation that manage and preserve
the records o that business Tese
repositories exist to serve the needs
o company sta members and to
advance business goals Corporate
archives allow varying degrees o
public access to their materialsdepending on the companys policies
and archival sta availability
Examples: Ford Motor Company
Archives, Krat Foods Archives
Governmentarchives are
repositories that collect materials
relating to local, state, or national
government entities
Examples: Te National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA), the
Franklin D Roosevelt Presidential
Library and Museum, the New
York State Archives, City o Boston
Archives
Historicalsocieties are
organizations that seek to preserve
and promote interest in the history
o a region, a historical period,
nongovernment organizations, or a
subject Te collections o historical
societies typically ocus on a state or
a community, and may be in charge
o maintaining some governmental
records as well
Examples: Te Wisconsin Historical
Society, the National RailwayHistorical Society, the San Fernando
Valley Historical Society
Museums and archives share the
goal o preserving items o historical
signicance, but museums tend to
have a greater emphasis on exhibiting
those items, and maintaining diverse
collections o artiacts or artwork
rather than books and papers Any o
the types o repositories mentioned in
this list may incorporate a museum,or museums may be stand-alone
institutions Likewise, stand-alone
museums may contain libraries and/or
archives
Examples: Te Metropolitan Museum
o Art, Smithsonian National Air and
Space Museum
Religiousarchives are archives
relating to the traditions or
institutions o a major aith,
denominations within a aith, or
individual places o worship Te
materials stored in these repositories
may be available to the public, or may
exist solely to serve members o theaith or the institution by which they
were created
Examples: United Methodist Church
Archives, American Jewish Archives
Specialcollections are institutions
containing materials rom individuals,
amilies, and organizations deemed
to have signicant historical value
opics collected in special collections
vary widely, and include medicine, law,
literature, ne art, and technologyOten a special collections repository
will be a department within a library,
holding the librarys rarest or most
valuable original manuscripts, books,
and/or collections o local history or
neighboring communities
Examples: Special Collections Research
Center at the University o Chicago,
American Philosophical Society
Library
Photos rom let to right:
A student dressed as Ptah (the chie god o theEgyptian city o Memphis) at a Wind Up party,
circa 1930 Courtesy o University o exas School oArchitecture Collection, Alexander Architectural ArchiveUniversity o exas at Austin.
Materials housed in religious archives sometimes ex
only to serve members o the aith
An advertisement or Ford Motor Company that
appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, 1925 Photocourtesy o Ford Motor Company.
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Fidig ad EvaluaigArchiveHow do you locate archives that might
have materials appropriate or your
research? In addition to using online
search engines like Google, here are some
resources to consult:
Consult bibliographies and works
cited sections in books on your topic
Where did the inormation come
rom?
Contact other experts in the eld
Which repositories did they visit or
their research?
Look or websites dedicated to your
topic Do they list any archives?
alk to a reerence librarian at your
local library about accessing the
WorldCat database, which includes
listings or archival materials stored in
libraries all over the world
Check ArchiveFinderat http://
archiveschadwyckcom/homedo Tis
site contains listings rom thousands
o American and British archives
(requires purchase or subscription)
Check ArchiveGrid at http://wwwarchivegridorg/web/indexjsp Tis
database contains nearly a million
collection descriptions rom thousands
o libraries, archives, and museums
(requires purchase or subscription)
Check ARCHIVESCANADA.caat
http://wwwarchivescanadaca/ Tis
gateway to archival resources rom
over 800 repositories across Canada
contains linked archival repository
databases or each province
Check ArchivesWiki at http://
archiveswikihistoriansorg/indexphp/
MainPage Sponsored by the American
Historical Association, this page
links to several archives rom around
the world and provides commentary
about the archives rom a researcher
perspective
Browse the website o the Library
ofCongress at http://wwwlocgov/
indexhtml Te Library o Congress
is Americas national library, and the
worlds largest
Visit the website o the National
ArchivesandRecords
Administration(NARA) at http://
wwwarchivesgov/ NARA oversees the
preservation o United States ederal
government materials Tere are
two additional resources that can be
accessed through NARA:
AAD- (Access to Archival Databases)at http://aadarchivesgov/aad/ is a
search engine or some o NARAsholdings o electronic records
ARC- (Te Archival ResearchCatalog) at http://wwwarchives
gov/research/arc/ is an online
catalog o NARAs nationwide
holdings in the Washington,
DC area, regional archives, and
presidential libraries
Search the NationalUnionCatalog
ofManuscriptCollections
(NUCMC) at http://wwwlocgov/coll/
nucmc/ NUCMC provides descriptions
o manuscript and archival collectionsrom a wide variety o American
repositories Te inormation produced
by NUCMC is shared with the
WorldCat database (mentioned above)
Check the RepositoriesofPrimary
Sourceswebsite at http://wwwuiweb
uidahoedu/special-collections/Other
Repositorieshtml Tis site lists over
5,000 links to archives around the
world
Use the UNESCOArchivesPortalat http://wwwunesco-ciorg/cgi-bin/
portals/archives/pagecgi?d=1 Tis
site gives access to websites rom a
global selection o archives
Te next step is determining the extent
o materials that suit your research needs
in an individual archives Since every
repository is dierent (by size, unding,
technological advancement, hours,
collecting areas, regulations, etc), even
Photos rom let to right:
Te National Union Catalog o ManuscriptCollections is a source or locating inormation onarchival and manuscript collections held by US
repositories
Scarboroughs census map o North and South
Carolina, 1911 Photo courtesy o the North CarolinaState Archives.
Spanish-American War volunteers rom Red RiverCounty, exas From the Red River Country PublicLibrary Digital Collection.
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experienced researchers must amiliarize
themselves with how a given repository
describes its holdings Utilizing the tools
listed below will help ensure a thorough
evaluation o an archives:
Websites: Check the website o the
archives you are evaluating, which
will oten list the repositorys main
collection strengths and the topics thematerials address Monitor websites
or updates such as new collection
descriptions and the addition o digital
resources
CatalogsandDatabases: Determine
whether the archives you are
evaluating has a link on its website
to catalogs or databases (similar to
those in a library) allowing you to
search holdings by subject, keyword,
title, author, etc Many catalogs anddatabases will link you to nding aids
(see below), which will provide more
detail about what a specic collection
holds I searching catalogs is new or
you, ask a reerence librarian at a local
library or assistance
FindingAids: A nding aid (sometimes
called inventory, collection listing,
register, or calendar) is a text document
providing a description o the contents
o a collection, just like a table ocontents outlines the contents o a book
By using a nding aid, a researcher gets
an understanding o a collection in its
entirety, sees the relationships between
its component parts, and locates the
portions o a collection pertinent to
research Finding aids sometimes
provide narrative portions describing
the background o a collection (how and
when it was ormed, how the archives
acquired it, etc), and how the archival
sta has arranged or ordered the
materials in the collection
I the archives you are evaluating
provides direct access to nding aids on
its website, browse or search the nding
aids or content relating to your research
See the Appendix o this guide or a
sample nding aid with annotations
Examples o a variety o nding aids
can be viewed through these nding
aid consortia websites:
Arizona Archives Online-http://azarchivesonlineorg
Te Online Archive o Caliornia-http://wwwoaccdliborg/
Northwest Digital Archives-http://nwdawsulibswsuedu/
indexshtml
Rocky Mountain Online Archive-http://rmoaunmedu
exas Archival Resources Online-http://libutexasedu/taro
Note that nding aids come in all
kinds o ormats Some archives just
have paper copies to use on-site,
while others have word processing
documents, PDF, or HML/XML
nding aids that can be viewed on
their websites Downloading and print
options vary by repository Some
archives may provide digital copies o
nding aids upon request
DigitalCollections: Many archives
digitize materials (photographs,
meeting minutes, reports, letters,
audiovisual recordings, etc) rom their
collections and make them available
on their websites Digitization enables
the researcher to view materials
without visiting the archives in
person Some digital content is ull-
text searchable, allowing you to enter
words pertinent to your research
(such as names or terms) into a search
box and then search the document
to see whether instances o those
words appear Examine the repository
website, catalogs, databases, and
nding aids to see whether links to
digital collections exist However, be
aware that digital collections oten reect
just a raction o the total holdings o a
repository. Tere may be nondigitized
materials at the same institution that
are also pertinent to your research
Search holdings listings careully and
ask the archival sta or assistance inaccessing nondigitized content
Note that when searching digital
collections online it can sometimes
be unclear whether the items you
are viewing represent a complete
collection or are part o a larger
collection ry to determine the
highest collection level or the most
complete overview o related items
Examples o digitized collections
Photos rom let to right:
Sheet music cover rom the Southwest ravel Literatu
Collection, Center or Southwest Research, UniversityLibraries, University o New Mexico Photo courtesy oUniversity o New Mexico.
In 1961 Stanley Ann Obama lived with her inant sonBarack in a second-oor apartment in this Capitol Hi
home in Seattle while she attended the University oWashington Courtesy o Washington Digital Archives.
Tree skaters circa 1920 From the Stuart Tomsononds, Hikeilla & HindConnaught Skating Club Arenin Vancouver, BC, Canada Photo courtesy o the City oVancouver Archives.
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may be viewed on the Minnesota
Digital Library website at http://www
mndigitalorg/reections/
ArchivalSta: One o the most
important ways to evaluate the
holdings o an archives is contacting
an archival proessional who oversees
the collections Archival sta can point
you toward resources you may haveoverlooked Job titles or such sta
positions include archivist, librarian,
reerence archivist, reerence librarian,
curator, and records manager Ater
you have examined the catalogs,
nding aids, and website o an
archives, call or email the repository to
conrm your ndings and conclusions
I you nd specic materials that
seem particularly important during
your search, write down the titles, call
numbers, or other unique methods
o identication rom those materials
and share them with the sta
Inquire whether you should set up an
appointment time to visit and view the
materials
Example: I am doing a research
project involving [describe the
purpose, background, and context o
your project] I have already viewed
the ollowing [nding aids, catalogs,
etc] on your website, and thought
that these specic resources would
be useul or my research: [List
nding aid or collection titles, book
titles, etc that you have ound Be as
specic as possible] Do you have any
recommendations o other relevant
materials in your collections? May I
visit your repository next Wednesday
aternoon to view these items?
In the case o an archives that does not
list collections on its website (or does
not have a website), contacting the sta
is the only way to ascertain its holdings
Inorm the sta o your research project
and intent, ask them to clariy what
materials are held at the repository,
and ask how materials are accessed by
researchers I you are not getting the
help you need rom one sta member,
try another one at the same institution
Requeig Maerial RemelyOnce you have identied materials that
will aid your research, the question
then becomes how to access them
Policies regarding access vary among
archives, but here are some questions
to ask yoursel, or the archival sta, to
determine whether you can obtain access
to materials without visiting the archives
in person:
Are the materials you want to see
available through interlibraryloan,
meaning that the archives would
send them to a library near you where
you could view or borrow them?
Some archives do lend out select
materials (such as printed materials or
microlm), but rarely loan primary or
original documents
Are the materials you want available
throughlibrariesother than the
repository at which you ound them?
Especially in the case o published
and printed materials, other libraries
might own the same materials and
allow them to be loaned Te WorldCat
database (mentioned in the Finding
and Evaluating Archives section o
this guide) is an excellent resource
when looking or alternate lending
libraries
Will the archives provide scansor
photocopies o the materials you
wish to consult? What are the ees
or those services? Are there limits
on the amount o material that can
be requested? Look or policies on
photocopying and digital reproduction
on the repositorys website, or contact
a sta member and inquire
Will the archives allow a research
assistant to access materials on
your behal? Some archives may have
recommended assistants or research
services available to patrons unable
to visit the archives in person I not,
hiring someone to help with your
research can be a great option or
remote access Consider hiring a local
graduate student or ask a riend living
near the repository
Do you have a simplequestion that
can be answered by having the archival
sta view the materials on your
behal? Archivists routinely answer
reerence questions or researchers,
so i the inormation you need can be
retrieved in a short amount o time,
there is a good chance they can relay
it to you without having you come in
person
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Plaig Vii a ArchiveI you cannot view the materials you want
via the repositorys website or through the
above-mentioned methods, you will need
to visit the archives in person Whether
you are traveling a long distance to visitthe archives or visiting a local one, it is
always a good idea to plan ahead or your
visit Here are some arrangements to
consider:
Informthearchivalsta o the date(s)
o your visit and the materials you would
like to see Te sta can notiy you o any
special circumstances where either the
acility or the materials are unavailable
Many archives store materials in o-
site acilities, typically due to spaceconstraints I the materials you are
requesting are stored o-site, they may
take several hours or days to retrieve
Alerting the sta to your visit and the
materials you want to see may enable
you to access those materials upon your
arrival instead o having to wait or them
Conrm the repositorys scheduled
visitinghours Are there any special
closings on the dates you intend to
visit? I the hours are too limited to
accommodate your schedule, can any
alternative arrangements be made?
Many repositories lack the stafng and
unding required or having extensive
hours, but some may oer options to
meet researcher needs I a repository has
weekend and evening hours, proessional
archival sta may not be present at
those times Tis may limit the services
available (such as photocopying, material
retrieval, etc), so ask i any services are
limited during those hours Additionally,ask whether there are any entrancefees
to conduct research there
Examine the available options or
accommodations,food,and
transportation Te archives may
have special arrangements that
researchers can utilize Inquire aboutparking near the repository i you are
bringing a vehicle with you
Check to see whether there are any
limitsontheamountofmaterials
you may request or specic request
times Some archives may allow you
to have multiple boxes o materials at
a time; others only a single box, book,
or older at a time Te amount o
materials you may access could impact
your work ow and time spent at thearchives, so it is best to inquire ahead
about material request limits Te times
when material requests may be placed
can also vary by repository
Review guidelines or using materials
at the archives Look or these to be
posted on the repository website, or
ask a sta member ypical repository
guidelines will be explained in more
detail in the next section, but guidelines
between archives will vary
Examine the reproductionpolicies
o the archives Regulations and ees
or requesting photocopies, scans,
digital photography, microlming, and
reproductions o photos and audio-
visual materials vary among archives
Ascertain whether the archives oers
Internetaccessand accommodates
personal laptopcomputers,and
clariy the Internet access procedures
I Internet access is not available,determine the nearest location where
researchers may access the web
Ask whether any materials in the
collection circulate or areloanedou
Are there other libraries nearby that
oer guest library accounts? Sometim
a local library will have resources toaid your research that are available o
loan or accessible when the archives i
closed
Inquire whether any opportunities
or researchgrantsor funding are
oered by the archives Extensive
research projects may require spendin
a large amount o time at one or seve
archives Some repositories (or relate
organizations or academic institution
may oer nancial assistance toresearchers
Schedule some additional timefor
theunexpected Discoveries and new
questions unearthed during research m
lead you down dierent avenues than
you had originally anticipated Certain
taskslike deciphering hard-to-read
handwritten documents or researching
primary materialsmay take more tim
Also, consider the option o a return vis
to the archives in case you need to veri
inormation, check additional material
or pursue something you had not thou
o earlier
i i i
ili i i l li
t i i , i tit t , i
-
-
Photos rom let to right:
Te main reading room o the Center or Jewish H
Photo courtesy o the Center or Jewish History.
Spacesaver Corporation designed pull-out compact
shelving or the National Archives to provide additstorage Photo by Darryl Herring, courtesy o the Nat
Archives and Records A dministration.Te building entrance o the Center or Jewish His
Photo courtesy o the Center or Jewish History.
Te reading room at the Schlesinger Library Photocourtesy o the Schlesinger Library, Radclife InstituteHarvard University.
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typical Uage Guideliei Archival Repirie
Researchers may be surprised initially
at how dierent it is to use materials in
an archives versus a public or academiclibrary Archives have access guidelines
designed both to help preserve materials
and protect them rom thet, thus
ensuring they will remain available or
uture researchers Tis section will list
some typical usage guidelines ound
at archives and the reasons behind
them Guidelines will dier between
repositories, so always check what
guidelines an archives has in place
Registryandpersonalidentication:Many archives ask
researchers to ll out an application,
registry card, online orm, or acquire
a researcher card beore they begin
using materials Te orms typically
include name, address, institutional
afliation, materials to be used, and
a description o the research project
Photo IDs may also be requested Such
registration practices amiliarize the
archival sta with the researchers to
better serve their research needs andinterests, and may also be used to aid a
criminal investigation in the event that
thet is discovered Some archives also
require a note o recommendation or
special permissions beore admitting
researchers
Removalofcoatsandbags: Another
method used to discourage thet is
requiring that researchers remove
bulky outer clothing and store purses,
bags, binders, and laptop cases outsideo the research area Many archives
have lockers or other monitored
areas that researchers can use to
store personal possessions I the
only storage option is a nonsecure
environment, such as a public coat
rack, be sure to remove valuable items
like keys and wallets rom bags and
pockets
Nofood,drink,orgum: Tis
guideline is designed to help preserve
the collections Spills can irreparablydamage documents or require costly
repairs by a conservator Te presence
o ood may also attract insects or
rodents that inest archival materials
Useofpencilonly: Tis is a
preservation practice in case accidental
marks are made on archival materials;
pencil can be erased while pen marks
cannot
Requestforms: Forms are used in avariety o situations, rom call slips
that speciy the boxes or books a
researcher would like to see, to orms
requesting reproductions (such as
photocopies) Some orms have very
practical uses, like veriying that
the correct materials are retrieved,
calculating ees, or keeping track o
usage or statistical and preservation
purposes By recording exactly which
materials were used and by whom,
orms can also serve as a thetdeterrent Finally, orms can be useul
in notiying the researcher o any legal
requirements to take into consideration
or how materials are used Example:
Photocopies o unpublished materials
provided or a researcher may require
additional permissions beore they are
published Te researchers signature
on the request orm indicates that the
signer has read and understood these
stipulations, and that the archival
repository has done its duty inormingresearchers that those conditions exist
Gloves: In most cases clean hands ree
o lotions or perumes are sufcient
or handling materials Gloves may
be necessary or handling objects or
photographs in order to protect the
materials rom the oils and other
residues let by hands Te archives
should provide gloves i they are
required
Laptops,cellphones,cameras,
recorders,andpersonal
scanners:Many archives allowthe use o cameras, laptops, and
other personal digital devices, but
restrictions may exist Materials
may require permissions beore they
are reproduced, and the lights used
by cameras and scanners can cause
text and images on documents to
ade i they are overexposed Hence,
guidelines in these areas are or
security and preservation purposes,
as well as or ensuring that all
researchers can work in a relatively
quiet, distraction-ree environment
Archival sta may also ask to inspect
any devices researchers bring with
them beore entering or leaving the
research area
Carefulhandlingandmaintaining
order: o ensure that materials are
maintained or uture use, all archives
ask researchers to handle materials
careully While older materials are
generally thought to be more ragile,even new materials need to be handled
with care so they remain available to
the next generation o researchers
Archives may provide specialized tools
like book pillows to help preserve
materials during use
It is also important that materials
remain in the order in which the
researcher received them so they can
be located later and observed in their
proper contexts Misling or changes
in order can lead the archival sta to
assume that items are missing and
inconvenience uture researchers
Repositories generally provide place
markers to help a researcher keep
materials in order and to mark
items requested or photocopying
An archives may have additional
guidelines like removing one older
rom a box at a time, leaving reshelving
to archival sta, etc
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ne Cpyrigh, Rerici,ad Uprceed ClleciIn certain instances, materials may not be
accessed, or may have stipulations on use
and access Reasons or limited access to
materials generally all into three categories:
Copyright: Copyright legislation in
the United States protects authors o
original works in any orm, including
literary, dramatic, pictorial, musical,
etc Te copyright holder has the right
to control the use, reproduction, and
distribution o those works, as well
as the ability to benet rom works
monetarily and otherwise Archives
must abide by these laws, which can
be complex In other words even
i the archives physically owns a
particular document, the copyright
o the document and stipulations on
how it can be used may be managed
by another individual or institution
While amendments to copyright law
have been made to help archives and
libraries better serve researchers,
limitations still exist on what materials
repositories can provide
Archives may require donors to give
both property and copyright to the
archives upon donation However,
donors can only give an archives
copyright to materials that they
created, so many documents in
collections remain under copyright It
is the responsibility o researchers to
nd the copyright holder in order to
publish or cite rom the materials
Examples: Photocopying an entire
copyright-protected book that a
researcher can purchase or obtain
through other avenues would be a
violation o copyright law Publishing
an unpublished poem without consent
rom the author o the poem, or that
authors estate, would also violate
copyright law Placing a copyrighted
photograph on a website without the
consent o its copyright holder would
be another violation example
Restrictions: Restrictions come in
many varieties, but they generally exist
because an archives must serve the
interests o some other group or entity
and hence cannot allow researchers to
access certain materials Reasons or
restrictions include:
Te- donor who originally gavematerials to the archives set a time
limit or certain stipulations on
how those materials could be used,
generally due to privacy concerns or
sensitive materials
Lawsorotherlegislation- existwhich dictate how certain materials
may be used
Examples: Te Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act o
1996 (HIPAA) protects the medical
records o individuals US Census
records are restricted or seventy-
two years beore they become
available to researchers to protect
personal inormation Te Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) protects the privacy o
student education records
Materials may be considered-classied i they endanger
the security o a governmental
body (such as the ederal or
state governments), or i they
compromise the health o a prot-
based company (such as the design
plans or an automobile or the recipeo a commercial ood product)
Most restricted materials will be
made available or researchers to view
once the restriction stipulations are
no longer deemed necessary or have
expired ater a certain amount o
time has passed Researchers may, in
some cases, gain access to restricted
materials i they le a petition
or request permission rom the
appropriate entity
Unprocessedcollections: Tese
collections contain materials that the
archival sta has receivedbut has not
yet examined, identied, and organized
or researchers to use Te work that
archivists do in preparing materials
or research use is called processing
Here are some reasons materials require
processing beore use:
Archivists need to- identifyanddescribe materials so that they can
create the nding aids, database
records, and other tools that will
help researchers locate materials to
aid their research
Poorstoragemethods- may contribute to the rapid
deterioration o materials, so
archivists oten remove rubber
bands, metals, plastics, boxes,
olders, and other items that are
harming materials, replacing them
with archival-standard enclosures
(such as acid-ree olders) that will
support preservation needs
Contaminants that pose certain-healthrisksto humans, like mold
or chemicals, may be present in
materials that arrive at archives
Archivists are trained to identiy
these problems and treat the
materials so that they are sae to use
Overall, the work o processing makes
materials sae or researchers to
use, and helps protect and preservethose materials or long-term use at
an archives Tere are repositories
that may allow researchers to use
unprocessed materials, depending
on the individual collection and the
policies o the institution I you know
o an unprocessed collection you want
to use, talk to the archival sta as ar
ahead o your visit as possible and
inquire about use policies
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Viiig a ArchiveOnce you have arrived at an archives, here
are a ew things to consider to maximize
your time and efciency, and to help the
research process go smoothly:
Prioritizeyourrequests: What
are the materials that would be most
helpul or you to view? Make plans
to see those rst and ask the archival
sta or them promptly to ensure
you have time to see them Tis is
especially important or materials you
would not be able to get anywhere else
Do you have any questions that need
to be addressed beore other work can
be done? ackle those rst
Balanceyourworkowwiththe
policiesofthearchives:Ater
amiliarizing yoursel with the policies
o an archives, you can better adapt
your work ow to those criteria when
conducting your research
Examples: Will certain materials
take time to retrieve? Do photocopy
requests need to be submitted twenty-
our hours in advance? Planning to
have some materials to view while
you wait or others to arrive, andsubmitting your photocopy request the
day beore your departure, helps you
meet your research goals and honors
the policies outlined by the archives
Askforassistance: Te archival
sta is there to help you I you have
questions, ask them You are your rst
and best advocate or accomplishing
your goals
Bringappropriatesupplies: Have
pencils, notepaper, and a pencil
sharpener handy Some archives may
provide these things or you, but do
not assume they will be provided
Carry a magniying glass in case you
run across difcult handwriting or
need to examine some small detail
And since books and papers are better
preserved in cooler temperatures,
archives can sometimes be on the
chilly side Have a lightweight sweater
on hand in case you get cold
Takethoroughcitations: While
you are working, make sure to take
ull citations or the materials you
are viewing, including any unique
identication assigned to the
materials by the archives such as the
call number, collection title, etc I
you need to go back and reerence
something in those materials again,
or i another researcher is later trying
to track your sources rom a publishedwork, this will help the archival sta
locate the materials
Pointoutcorrections: Mistakes or
omissions sometimes occur in nding
aids, websites, and descriptions o
materials I you, the researcher, notice
some o these errors or are an expert
in a particular area and can ll in
some inormation gaps, point those
out to the archival sta I possible,
cite another authoritative source to
support your corrections
Connectwithotherresearchers:
Archives are unique places where
specialists gather rom all over the
world Introduce yoursel to other
researchers and see i anyone else
shares your topic o interest You
never know what uture benets can
come rom a smile and a greeting
Also, inorm the archival sta i you
are looking to locate other researchers
working on your research topic Teymay be able to connect you with people
who share your interests However,
note that archivists keep researcher
names, projects, and material request
records condential and will not divulge
such inormation without consent
Photos rom let to right:
Archives are institutions where specialists gather and
historical documents rom around the worldAdam Winger (head o special collections) and StephaWilson (archivist) process the De Divina Proportione
courtesy o Adam Winger.
Butler High School students examine manuscripts, biand wax seals during a hands-on table talk at MorristNational Historic Park Photo courtesy o Sarah Minega
Archives students explore documents at Dalkeith Houduring a visit to the Royal Commission on Ancient an
Historical Manuscripts o Scotland Photo courtesy o EEngseth, University o Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
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Family Hiry Reurce
Merriman, Brenda Dougall Genealogical Standards o Evidence:
A Guide or Family Historians (Genealogists Reerence Shel)
oronto: Dundurn, 2010 A best practices methodology guide to
genealogy
Christian, Peter Te Genealogists Internet Fourth edition
Surrey, England: National Archives o England, 2009 A book on
how to utilize online genealogy resources
Ancestry.com,wwwancestrycom One o the worlds largest
online amily history resources containing historical records,
photos, stories, amily trees and a collaborative community o
millions o people (requires purchase or subscription)
EllisIslandRecords, http://wwwellisislandorg/ Online
access to various immigration records
FamilySearch,https://wwwamilysearchorg/ Te largest
genealogy organization in the world provided by Te Church o
Jesus Christ o Latter-day Saints
USCensusRecords, http://wwwarchivesgov/research/
census/ Locate names, ages, origins, occupations, marital
status, and more
USGenWebProject,http://wwwusgenweborg/ A group o
volunteers working together to provide ree genealogy websites
or genealogical research in every county and every state o the
United States
Preervai
Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn, and Diane L Vogt-OConnor
Photographs: Archival Care and Management. Chicago: Society o
American Archivists, 2006
Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn, Preserving Archives and Manuscripts.
2nd ed Chicago: Society o American Archivists, 2010
Williams, Don, and Louisa Jagger Saving Stuf: How to Care
or and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized
Possessions New York: Fireside, 2005 A reerence book on
preserving materials at home, written by a senior conservator o
the Smithsonian Institution
Conserve-O-Grams,http://wwwnpsgov/museum/
publications/conserveogram/cons_tochtml Brie online guides
distributed by the National Park Service that discuss methods o
caring or all kinds o materials See Conserve-O-Gram 19/3 or
Use and Handling o Rare Books
CoOL(ConservationOnLine),http://coolconservation-
usorg/ Site sponsored by the Foundation o the AmericanInstitute or Conservation o Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC)
covering a wide variety o conservation topics
NortheastDocumentConservationCenter, http://www
nedccorg/homephp A website with inormation and resources
regarding the preservation o paper-based materials
Preservation101,http://unacilitatedpreservation101org/
loggedinasp An online guide about preservation care or paper
and media collections
StoredAlive, http://wwwclimatenotebookorg/games/
storedalivehtml An interactive website showing how time andstorage environments impact dierent objects
Photos rom let to right:
One amily history resource to search genealogy is wwwamilysearchorg
Te De Divina Proportione by Paciolo Luca rom 1509 addressed mathematicaland artistic proportion, and included illustrations by Leonardo da Vinci Photocourtesy o Special Collections Williams Library, Stevens Institute o echnology.
Archives come in all shapes and sizes, and they hold incredible material waitingyour to exploration
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Appedix
sample Fidig Aid wih Aai
Below is an example o a nding aid describing an archival collection Tis annotated model is designed to help dene the separate
parts o a nding aid and the standard ormatting o nding aids in archives Not all nding aids will incorporate these elements,
but this sample should reect a range o options researchers might encounter in nding aid ormats
[Title Page: Te beginning o the nding aid includes the name o the archival repository, the title o the archival collection, nding aid
creation inormation, and a date range or the materials in the archive. Bulk dates reers to the date range where most o the materials in
the collection originate.]
CoRIntH HIstoRICAL soCIEtY
Finding aid or
Corinth Chamber O Commerce Records
Date range: 19212005
Bulk dates: 19751997
Finding Aid created by Laura Schmidt, 2010
Copyright Corinth Historical Society
[Summary Information: Tis section lists the creator o the materials in the archive, the size and extent o the collection (in boxes and
linear eet), call numbers and storage locations, language(s) represented in the collection, and a brie description (abstract) o the collection
contents.]
Creator: Corinth Chamber o Commerce
Extent: 25 linear eet (2 boxes and 1 oversize scrapbook)
Abstract: Te records o the Corinth Chamber o Commerce include correspondence, events les, meeting minutes, newspaper
clippings concerning community projects, and a scrapbook o photographs
Call number: 85741 PUm 2nd oor and Oversize Section
Language: Te material is in English
[Access and Use:I there are any restrictions placed on an archival collection, those should be noted here. Other inormation in this section
includes how the archives received the collection, and copyright and citation notes.]
Acquisition Inormation: Tese records came to the historical society in 2008, deposited by the Corinth Chamber o Commerce
(donor no 1297) Future additions to the records are expected
Access Restrictions: Te record group is open to research
Copyright: Copyright remains with the Corinth Chamber o Commerce
Cite as: [item], older, box, Corinth Chamber o Commerce records, Corinth Historical Society
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[Background Information:Tis section details the history or biographical inormation relating to the collection and how it was created.]
History: Te Corinth Chamber o Commerce was established in 1922 and is dedicated to helping the businesses o Corinth grow
and promoting the economic development o the region Te chamber is run by a combination o volunteers and proessional sta
Local activities and events are also sponsored by the chamber Tese records were created and deposited by the Corinth Chamber o
Commerce
[Scope and Content and Arrangement: Tis section provides an overview o the types o materials in the collection and how they have
been arranged. Te diferent sections o the collection (series and subseries) organize collection content by type o material, ormat, topic, orsome other ling system determined by the archival staf, and/or the original creator o the collection.]
Scope and Content: Te records o the Corinth Chamber o Commerce include correspondence, events les, meeting minutes,
newspaper clippings concerning community projects, and one scrapbook Te strength o the collection is ound with the
correspondence, meeting minutes, and newspaper clippings series Tese series give a historical overview o the involvement and
impact the chamber has had in the city o Corinth
Te correspondence series ranges rom 1921 to 1996 and includes correspondence rom sta members, local business owners, and
other civic leaders, arranged by date O particular prominence is the correspondence with Mayor Taddeus Gladstone (19451959)
who worked very closely with the Chamber on city improvements during his tenure
Te events les contain materials relating to various events sponsored by the chamber rom 1965 to 2005, including the annual town
Christmas play Arrangement is rst by date and then by event title
Meeting minutes are rom the Board o Directors quarterly meetings, led by date
Te newspaper clippings series contains a wide range o articles on community projects sponsored by the chamber and chamber
activities, led by date
Te scrapbook was created by chamber sta and is stored separately rom the rest o the collection It contains photographs rom
1926 to 1965 o town storeronts and events
[Subject Terms: Tis section includes a list o terms, topics, etc. covered in the collection and usually linked to a library catalog to provide the
researcher with materials in similar categories.]Subjects:
Boards o tradeCorinth
CorinthHistory
Municipal governmentCorinth
CorinthSocial lie and customs20th century
[Related Materials: Tis section o the nding aid points the researcher to other items in the archives (or elsewhere) that are closely related
to the collection described in the nding aid. Te items may be related by origin, subject matter, etc.]
Related Materials:
Researchers interested in this archive may also wish to consult the ollowing resources in the Corinth Historical Society holdings:
Corinth Community Park Project Records A collection documenting a landscaping project partly sponsored by the Corinth
Chamber o Commerce
Corinth Photograph Collection contains photos o local homes and businesses
Other materials in the historical society holdings may relate to the topics in this archive See the archivist or urther research
assistance
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[Contents listing: Sometimes also called container contents. Tis is a box-by-box, older-by-older listing o the materials stored in the
collection. Te level o detail in this section may vary depending on collection scope and individual repository practices.]
Folder # Description
BoX 1
Correspondence(19211996)
1 Correspondence, 19211931
2 Correspondence, 19321940
3 Correspondence, 19411955
4 Correspondence, 19561967
5 Correspondence, 19681975
6 Correspondence, 19761985
7 Correspondence, 19851996
EventsFiles(19652005)
8 Christmas play publicity, programs, and ticket stubs, 19651975
9 Christmas play materials continued, 19781993
10 Party in the Park Corinth Community Park dedication, 1994
Includes publicity, a transcript o the speech by the mayor, and 6 photographs
11 Main Street beautication project, 19941996 Includes planning documents, items rom grand opening ceremony,
and a piece o abric rom the ribbon-cutting ceremony
12 Christmas play materials continued, 19952005
MeetingMinutes(19352005)
13 Board o Directors meeting minutes, 19351952
14 Meeting minutes continued, 19561963
15 Meeting minutes continued, 19641975
16 Meeting minutes continued, 19761984
17 Meeting minutes continued, 19851996
BoX 218 Meeting minutes continued, 19972000
19 Meeting minutes continued, 20012003
20 Meeting minutes continued, 20042005
NewspaperClippings(19452003)
21 Articles relating to Chamber o Commerce events and activities, 19451963
22 Articles continued, 19691975
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BoX 2 (c.)
Folder # Description
23 Articles continued, 19761977
24 Articles continued, 19791985
25 Articles continued, 19871995
26 Articles continued, 19962000
27 Articles continued, 20012003
Scrapbook(19261965)
Contains photographs rom 1926 to 1965 o town storeronts and events
Stored separately rom the collection in the oversize section Ask archival sta or retrieval
Visittheonlineguideatwww2.archivists.org/usingarchives.
Abu he Auhr
Laura Schmidt graduated with a masters degree in archives and records management rom the
University o Michigans School o Inormation in 2005 She has served as archivist or six years at
Te Marion E Wade Center, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, and is also involved as a volunteer at
a local historical society and as a church librarian
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Te Society o American Archivists was ounded in 1936 and is North Americas oldest and
largest national archival proessional association SAAs mission is to serve the education and
inormation needs o its members and provides leadership to help ensure the identication,
preservation, and use o the nations historical record Visit wwwarchivistsorg
2011 by Laura Schmidt