Archives and Manuscripts Manual By Rebecca Rich-Wulfmeyer, Curator of Manuscripts and Archives, With Updating by AHC Staff October 2006 Version 4.7 Austin History Center z Austin Public Library 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................... 2 Section 1: Introduction............................................................................................................ 6 Section 2: Archives and Manuscripts Unit Description ......................................................... 7 Sub-Collection Summaries ..............................................................................................................8 Architectural Archives...................................................................................................................................8 Archives and Manuscripts .............................................................................................................................8 Postcards ...................................................................................................................................................8 Greeting Cards...........................................................................................................................................9 Club Year Books .......................................................................................................................................9 Mayors’ Collection....................................................................................................................................9 Art Collection ..............................................................................................................................................10 Artifacts Collection......................................................................................................................................10 Bible Collection...........................................................................................................................................10 Books...........................................................................................................................................................10 City of Austin Records ................................................................................................................................11 O. Henry Resource Materials.......................................................................................................................11 Oversized Archives......................................................................................................................................12 Oversized Volumes......................................................................................................................................12 Bound Manuscripts..................................................................................................................................12 Photograph Albums.................................................................................................................................12 Photographs .................................................................................................................................................12 Rare and Fragile Collection .........................................................................................................................13 Sister Cities Archives and Other International Materials ............................................................................13 Current Sister Cities: ...............................................................................................................................13 Defunct Sister Cities................................................................................................................................14 Disposition of International Program Records and Gifts ....................................................................14 Books and Recordings ........................................................................................................................14 Artifacts ..............................................................................................................................................14 Documents ..........................................................................................................................................14 Travis County Records ................................................................................................................................14 Travis County Microfilm.........................................................................................................................15 Tax Plats & County Records ...................................................................................................................15 Section 3: Appraisal............................................................................................................... 17 Section 4: Processing............................................................................................................. 19 Basic Principles of Processing .......................................................................................................19 Provenance...................................................................................................................................................19 Original Order..............................................................................................................................................19 Levels of Control.........................................................................................................................................20 1. Arrangement at the Depository Level .................................................................................................20 2. Arrangement at the Record Group and Subgroup Levels....................................................................20 3. Arrangement at the Series or Subseries Levels ...................................................................................20 4. Arrangement at the Filing Unit Level..................................................................................................20 5. Arrangement at the Document Level...................................................................................................21 Collection Level ......................................................................................................................................21 Series Level.............................................................................................................................................21 File Unit Level ........................................................................................................................................21 Item Level ...............................................................................................................................................21 2 Stages of Processing........................................................................................................................23 Stage 1: Accessioning..................................................................................................................................23 Gifts.........................................................................................................................................................23 Inquiries about Donations ...................................................................................................................23 Deed of Gift Procedures......................................................................................................................23 Instructions for Filling Out Deed of Gift Forms.............................................................................24 Guidelines for Donations Requiring Witness Signatures ...............................................................25 Guidelines for Monetary Gifts to the Austin History Center..........................................................25 Gift Options................................................................................................................................26 Acknowledging Gifts ..............................................................................................................................26 Transfers..................................................................................................................................................26 Purchases.................................................................................................................................................27 Stage 2: Initial Inventorying and Preliminary Processing............................................................................28 MARC Worksheet Instructions ...............................................................................................................29 Stage 3: Final Processing.............................................................................................................................32 Arrangement............................................................................................................................................32 1. Research..........................................................................................................................................32