Be
Satfady
Lib 666: Archives —
COURSE SYLLABUS
Umit Is Intreduction (2 sessions)
1. Overview; definition of archives and manuscripts; types ef repositories
2, Historical development of archival interest, principles, practices and
. institutions; manuscript collecting
Unit II: Fundamentals (4 sessions)
3. Bibliographic control I: Arrangement of archives; concept of provenance,
fonds, and record groups
kh, Bibliographic control II: Deseription of archives; preparation of finding
aids; manuscript cataloging; editing
5. Reference Service to Researchers and Others: levels and theory of service;
user characteristics |
6, Acquisition and Appraisal: concept of archival value; transfer of records,
| Manuscript collecting
Unit III: Specialized Topics (4 sessions)
7. Records Management I: the concept; problem of inactive records; record
vetentions record centers.
8, Reeords Management Ii: filing systems, vital records programs; ‘microfilm
| as a tool of records management
9. Preservation and restoration tools and techniques : ¢ microfilm as a preser-
vation tools; archives buildings .
10. Special materials: picture collections: ; film archives; sound recordings ;
computer media; cartographic records — |
Unit IV; Survey of Current Practices and Problems (3 sessions)
“11, Public Records: goverment archives at the national, state, and local
'. levels; nature of public records; freedom of information
12, Institutional Records: college and university archives; student records 3
- hospital archives; church archives; business archives
13. Manuscript Collections: research libraries; historical societies, manuse
eripts held by archives; private collections
Unit V; New Directions and Problems (1 session)
14, Automation; oral history; teaching with archives; neglected collecting
&PrcGas o a -
Required Readings:
1, TR. Schellenberg, Modern Archives (University of Chicage Press)
2. various articles as assigned in class
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Saffady
Archives: outline for Oct. 14, 2975
Recerds Management
Lo
Ifo
itT.
ees
Overview
Ae
Bo
the problem of inactive (nene-current) records
l. the expense of office storage
2. filing and retrievai difficulties compounded
3. danger of less of important records
Archival interest in records management
1. the analogy with the librarian’s interest in publishing inéustry
2o archival interest umique in America: the National Archives and Record Service
3. fine line between archives and records management
Basic Records Management Techniques
Ao
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The Records Inventory”
io Questionnaire method
2, consultation methed
30 On-site inventory
Records Analysis: the Retention and Disposition Schedule
i. parameters for record retention
&. legal/fiscal
bo administrative
ec, historical
2, methods of record disposition
2. destruction techniques: shredding, etc.
b. paper recycling
Organization and Administration of Record Centers
i, the function of the record center
2, shelving layout
3. transmittal procedures: the importance of forms
4, veference service
&. return of records
®. Copies of records
©, information from records
5. interface with archives
Vital Records Programs
As
Bo
Objectives
i. the concept of a vital record
2. long and short term vital records
Forms of vital records protection
1. duplication with off-site storage
2. dispersal
30 oMmesite protection: fire safes, protective files, ete.
Control of Records at their Creaticn
Ao
Bo
Go
Do
Forms Control
i. Yvestriction in creation of extra copies of forms
2o pre-printed retention parameters for all copies of forms
3. systems considerations: ease of microfilming, permanent papers, ete.
Reports Management |
i. the archives as a repository for reports
2. control and limitation of distribution of report: copies
Choice of paper for the creation of records
The problem of copiers in the control of records
~~ om 8
Saffady
Archives: outline for Oct. 14, 1975
Records Management (cont. )
¥. Filing Systems for Record Retrieval
A. The archivist’s interest in filing systems: relationship to original order
B. Criteria for filing systems design: how the record is asked for
C. Types of systems
lL. alphabetical
@. importance of rules for alphabetization: compare with card catalog
%. Variants: SOCUNDEA
2. mumericals: for case files. social security mumber files, etc.
3. the subject file: an example by office of origin in a University
4. ehronological file
5. hybrid systems
D. Equipment and Supplies for Control of Office Files
i, cabinets: letter, legai and special
@. vertical files
bo Lateral fiies
e¢. shelf files
a power files: Lektriever, Randtriever, etc.
2. commercially produced filing systems
@.o importance of paper goods vs. cabinets
b. color coded systems: ex ~ Tab Product’s AlphaCode
Cc. systems for particular businesses: ex ~ Shaw Walker, Remington Rand
VE. Mierofilm as a tool for the Control of Active Records
A. The Microforms and their Uses for Records
1. characteristics of micreforms as an active records medium
2. wnitized vs non-unitized microforms
3. the microformats
&. open spool or roli microfiim
b, cartridges /cassettes
©. microfilm jackets
G. aperture cards
8. microfiche
£. other: microtapes, microstrips, microstrips
B. Retrieval and Display Devices
1. ¥Feaders
2, reader/printers
3.0 retrieval systems and techniques
C. Methods of producing micrefiin
1. microfilm from source documents (records)
& rotary cameras
bo planetary cameras
Cc. special cameras
2. Microfilm as computer-cutput (COM)
Saffady
Lib.666: Archives
Acguisition and Aopraisail of Archives and Manuscripts
Lo
II.
Iii.
Overview
Ao the task of acquisition and selection in libraries
l. steps involved in each
2o techniques used
B. comparison with urchives and manuscrivts
lo acquisitions
a. records transmittal: archives
bo manuscripts collecting
2o selection: ¢opraisal
Acquisition: the ohysical procurement of ardéhives and manuscripts
Ae archives
lo routinizgat‘on of records transmittal
&2o use of forms
bo use of record retention schedules
2.0 Other teclniques: repvlevin of alienated snisiiihemie I etc.
Bo manuscript collecting
1. the imvo-tance of the donor
2.0 the case file
3. the coltecting area (geogravhic and subject)
Appraisal of Archives
A. the criteria for retaining archival records for any records}
lo. legai/fiseal
20 administrative
30 research
Bo Manuscrip;s: the exclusive relationshiv to research
C. Who does the appraising: the choices and their problems
lo. the srchivistZcurator
2. the scholar (for research value)
30 the creator
D. Determization of research value
lo the vrobleyv of anticivating research trends
Zo the role of subject knowledge
30 appraisal of MS for osychohistorical research: a case study
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY
School of Library and Information Science
Lib. 666
W. Saffedy
Outline
II. Historical Development of Interest in Archives
A. Scholarly Interest
1. sources available to historians
2. emergence of historical profession in U.S.
a. the amateur vs professional historian
1. narrative vs thesis history
2. style vs method
3. broad vs narrow scope
4, the choice of subject
5. the need for sources: scientific history
b. professional organizations
1. the American Historical Assn. (1884)
a. Historical Manuscripts Commission (1895)
b. Public Archives Commission (1899)
2. the Carnegie Institution (1904)
B. Antiquarian Interest
1. Historical Societies in the 19th Century
a. vreasons for development
i, post~revolutionary patriotism
2. nationalism
3. sectionalism: state pride
4, no other place for sources
5. respect for ancestors
b. the early societies
1. aim and function
2. membership
3. clientele
2. Private Collectors
a. relationship to historical societies
b,. origins in autograph collecting
c. relationship to rare~books
d. reasons for collecting.
C. Administrative Interest
1, archives vs bureaucratic specialization
2. problem of retention and disposal
D. Political - Social Interest and other
1. European precedents: French Revolution
2. freedom of information
3. the Mormons as a special case
Saffady
Lib 666: Archives
Final Examination
This is a take-home final examinstion. It is to be turned in on
Tuesday, December 16, 1975 at 12:10, the time regulerily scheduled
for the final examination in Room 98.
Using materials from the assigned readings and classroom discussions,
compere the problems and technicues of archival work with those
encountered and utilized in comparable aspects of librarienship.
Your essay will want to consider ~- but need not be limited to ~
the following points:
a. Classification and description
b. reference
d, selection/ appraisal
e. storage and environmental considerations
f, the proper education of practtezers practitioners
g. wnicue problems of copyright and literary property
h. questions of access and inteliectual freedom
There is an upper limit of ten (10) pages for this examination although
you are in no way to feel obligeted to write that much if you feel
that the topic can be covered adecuately in less space.
{it is very important that you support your generalizations with specific
examples taken from the readings and class discussion.
SAFFADY, LIB 666Q
Pinel Exam: Spring, 1976
Write an essay that compares archivel work with library work. Your essay
should consider. but need not necessarily be limited to, the fellowing
topics: eateloging, clessification, reference service, appraisal, training
of professionals, special problems common to both professions, problems
found in one profession but not in the other. There is a chapter in
Schellenberg that deals with this subject. Do not limit yourself to the
materiel found in that chapter. Rather, you should draw on the class
discussion, the other readings, your owm ideas. etc.
