Name: Melisa Martinez. Case Study Exercise #3 (75 pts.

) Due August 12 Assume that you have taken a position as University Archivist of a small liberal arts college. This is a newly-created position. Previously, the archives was built and maintained by a volunteer a retired history professor, who had no formal archival education, except for having attended a few archival workshops. It took six years for the archives to be at the point where it is right now. However, you know, after being in the position for a few days, there is much work that needs to be done. With enthusiastic support from your supervisor, the Library Director, you have decided to work on specific projects that would 1) highlight the materials and collections in the archives, and 2) to make sure that the archives has adhered to professional standards and best practices. With that, assume that you have encountered the following scenario: The library director wants you to put up a digital collection of the beautiful items that you have in the collection. She pointed to photographs that she had seen in the collection. In fact, there is a folder in one of your desk drawers that is labeled, Images for Display. The director told you that that folder would be a good place to start. Later, you learned that the images were scanned by previous archives staff, from a book titled, Trip to the Philippines, written by Henry Milton, with a publication date of 1952. You found the book on a bookshelf in your office, which was the office of the previous volunteer. The scanned images are, visibly, of poor quality. You also learned that Henry Milton was a Protestant missionary who earned his undergraduate degree from your university and that Milton had donated some of his papers to your university. These papers have not been processed and are stored in the corner of a storage room which clearly does not meet archival storage, housing, and preservation requirements. One of the staff members who has worked in the archives longer than anyone else explained that some of the papers and original photographs, with the exception of those in his book that had been scanned and put in the folder labeled, Images for Display, showed the primitive nature of the Filipinos and included some nudity, and the staff was reluctant to provide access to them. You have decided to write up some FAQs or Frequently-Asked Questions about archival collections and preservation beginning with the issues that have emerged in the scenario above. You expect that these FAQs will initiate the development of policy and procedures for the archives. You probably can write more than seven FAQs but for this assignment, just write (7).

Q: Has Henry Milton and/or his descendants been contacted concerning display of the images? When donating the material, were there any restrictions placed on the materials? A: Henry Milton and his descendants should be contacted concerning the display of images. In typical cases, the display of material in the university should have been addressed when the material was donated. In addition, restrictions placed on materials should have been addressed at the time of donation. In the case of the images copied from the book, the university archives cannot display copied images from Miltons book that is currently under copyright. Originals can be displayed according to the Miltons and his descendants wishes and perhaps the photographers permission.

Q: How should collections be initially processed? Both new and existent collections? A: When initially receiving a collection, a deed of gift/donation should have signed by the donators and should be with the collections at all time. It must easily accessible. Once this has been done, an initial inventory of the collection must be done. During processing, the collections information must be analyzed, research conducted if needed, examination of the contents, organization and arrangement, and creation of descriptions for the content must be done. Arrangement can be done as a record group (collection) and subgroup, series, file unit, and item. Descriptions are typically done through finding aids and through a catalog if accessible. Rehousing and preservation is included in the organization and arrangement step. When processing existent collections, a deed of gift/donation must be found and acquired. An initial inventory should also be sought, but is not necessary.

Q: What type of preservation procedures and storage and housing procedures does the university archives have for documents, books, and photographs? A: Storage and housing procedures depend on the type of item. For example, documents must be stored in acid free folders with the removal of any metal objects such as staples and paper clips. If staples cannot be removed because they will induce more damage, staples should be left alone. Acid free folders must be housed in acid free boxes. Photographs follow the same procedure as documents. Depending the condition of the book, books can be left alone without being rehoused. If they are in poor condition, books must be stored in archival book boxes.

Q: Does the university archives display scanned images of photographs in copyright or does the university only display originals? A: Scanned images of photographs in copyright such as the photographs scanned from Miltons book cannot be displayed based on best practices. Originals, however, can be displayed depending on copyright and the owner and descendants permission. In most cases, original photographs can be displayed along with a copyright discourse. Q: What is the process for digitizing material, especially photographs? A: Due to low budget costs, photographs, documents, books, and other archival material are scanned on a typical scanner such as a Cannon scanner. The scanner must be clean at all times. When handling archival material for digitizing, a glove must be used. Resizing can be done to the digital image if needed such as for the catalog. Q: When digitizing material, what steps and precautions does the university archives take in order to ensure copyright? A: In order to ensure copyright when digitizing material, the university archives has limited options, but considers them in a thorough manner. In any event, the university archives can reference a variety of resources in order to make decisions concerning copyright. One such resource is title Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for Digitization for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums by Peter B. Hirtle, Emily Hudson, & Andrew T. Kenyon available at http://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/14142/2/Hirtle-Copyright_final_RGB_lowrescover1.pdf Q: What is the university archives take on intellectual freedom, especially concerning controversial material including documents, books, and photographs? A: Like any cultural institution and library, we preserve a users right to access a variety of material from different perspectives. In the university archives, we uphold this fundamental statement and belief. In no manner do we act as censors when acquiring, processing, and digitizing material for accessibility nor do we act as censors in any steps of the archival process.