Processing

Archival processing is the arrangement, description, and housing of collections once they are permanently transferred and accessioned by an archive. Each archival collection is unique and requires varying levels of description based on its content, size, and existing arrangement. The ultimate goal of archival processing is to provide greater intellectual and physical access to collections. Processing also takes into consideration the preservation and long-term storage needs of materials.

While arrangement and description are the primary activities of archival processing, they are not necessarily expected to be performed in a particular order. Sometimes these tasks occur simultaneously, but they may also be performed in phases with gaps of time in between. Challenges such as reformatting of audio and moving image material or digitization can significantly alter the intended or expected workflow of archival processing.