Archivist Workstation Processing Instructions

 

  1. Using an External Hard Drive
    1. Navigating the Drive
  2. Surveying and Appraising
    1. Surveying
      1. Identifying Contents by Folder
      2. Identifying Contents by Filename
      3. Identifying Contents by Modified Date
      4. Dealing with Unreadable Files
  3. Arranging and Describing Files from a Workstation
    1. Arrangement
    2. Finishing up
    3. Entering your collection in ArchivesSpace

Archivists processing electronic records without using FTK or ePADD will receive an external hard drive or thumb drive with copies of files to be arranged. In some cases files might be available on remote storage.

Using an External Hard Drive

  • Attach the external hard drive or thumb drive to your workstation.
  • Navigate to the SPEC object inventory of the acquisition to view digital carrier information.
  • You may need to update fields in SPEC object records at various points during processing.
  • Select the drive icon to display the drive folders in Windows Explorer.
  • The folders will have the following structure:
    • 📁 M12345_workingfiles
      • 📁 ACQ_12345_54321
        • 📁 metadata
        • 📁 objects
          • 📁 data (optional)
  • Note the metadata folder may contain metadata created during the transfer of the files.
  • Note a file directory listing of the files in .csv format, if present.
  • Navigate to the objects folder to view the files to be arranged.

OR

  • Navigate to the data folder in the objects folder to view the files to be arranged.

data folders are not collection folders. Move the contents within data folders only.

Surveying and Appraising

Using their workstation the archivist will be able to survey and appraise a copy of
the records with the same structure as contained on the original media.
Surveying digital material relies on the same guidelines as other collection material.
“The goal of the survey is to attain a more comprehensive understanding of the
collection’s scope, content, and purpose.” 1

Appraising digital material relies on the same guidelines as other collection material.
“In archives, appraisal is the process of determining whether collection material has
archival value and should be retained, preserved, and described.” 2

Digital material that will be retained is arranged.

Surveying

  • Survey files as you would any other format.
  • Ascertain the arrangement of the files.
  • Note file naming conventions, how the files relate to each other, and possible duplicates.

When surveying digital material the content of some files might not be immediately obvious when viewed. The following strategies can help identify files or provide a best guess.

Identifying Contents by Folder

  • Compare unidentified content to other content in the folder
  • Check the folder’s descriptive information for information on the files it contains

Identifying Contents by Filename

  • Use any descriptive information from the filename when file content is not apparent

Identifying Contents by Modified Date

  • Use the modified dates to compare the files to files from similar dates
  • Describe files by dates if that is the most information you can obtain

Dealing with Unreadable Files

  • Appraise unreadable files by identifying them with the methods just discussed
  • Contact Digital Archives staff If you don’t feel you can make appraisal decisions
    • Digital Archives staff will assist in viewing files if possible
  • Contact Digital Archives when you include unreadable files in Finding Aid Components

Arranging and Describing Files from a Workstation

Using their workstation the archivist will be able to create a set of intellectual
components (arrangement), summarize the logical extents (size) and date ranges of
the components, and enter them into ArchivesSpace.

Do not rename collection files.

Arrangement

Once you have an understanding of the contents from identifying files during survey and making appraisal decisions, you can arrange the files you have decided to retain. Arrange electronic records by moving folders and files into ER folders. Refrain from renaming collection files and folders when moving. Try to avoid item level arrangement where possible.

Avoid creating an ER for a single file.

  • Create a new folder on the drive you received at the same folder level as M12345_workingfiles.
  • Use the naming convention CollectionID_FAcomponents to create a collection folder.
  • Name the folder M12345_FAcomponents, for example.
  • Create a folder for each series and subseries represented in the electronic records.
    • 📁 Series 1
      • 📁 Subseries 1
      • 📁 Subseries 2
  • Create a folder for each FA Component using ER # Title, dates.
  • Create an objects folder within each ER_# folder.
    • 📁 ER 1 Files, 2012
      • 📁 objects
  • Move the files into the new FA Component objects folders as your process the files.

objects must be lower case.

Finishing up

  • Email Digital Archives when you are finished processing.
  • Digital Archives will arrange to pick up the hard drive.
  • Digital Archives will email you a JSON file for import into ASpace.
  • Import the JSON file received from Digital Archives into ASpace.
  • Email Digital Archives when your arrangement is approved.

Entering your collection in ArchivesSpace

After arrangement is complete Processing Archivists notify Digital Archives and deliver the external hard drive containing FA Components to Digital Archives for review. Digital Archives staff then create a JSON file containing extents for import into ASpace. For detailed instruction on importing the extents JSON to ASpace review the Importing FTK ERs in ArchiveSpace guide.

  • Note in some situations ERs may have to be manually created in ASpace instead of imported. Contact the Manager of Archival Metadata when deciding whether manual creation or JSON import is pertinent to your processing.

  1. New York Public Library. 2024. “Archival Processing Manual.” New York Public Library. https://nypl.github.io/pres-docs/archivalProcessing/Survey.html#survey. ↩

  2. New York Public Library. 2024. “Archival Processing Manual.” New York Public Library. https://nypl.github.io/pres-docs/archivalProcessing/Appraisal.html#appraisal ↩