SPEC Kit 314: Processing Decisions for Manuscripts & Archives (November 2009)

Abstract

Committed to assisting research and academic libraries in the continuous improvement of management systems, ARL has worked since 1970 to gather and disseminate the best practices for library needs. As part of its commitment, ARL maintains an active publications program best known for its SPEC Kits. Through the Collaborative Research/Writing Program, librarians work with ARL staff to design SPEC surveys and write publications. Originally established as an information source for ARL member libraries, the SPEC Kit series has grown to serve the needs of the library community worldwide. What are SPEC Kits?Published six times per year, SPEC Kits contain the most valuable, up-to-date information on the latest issues of concern to libraries and librarians today. They are the result of a systematic survey of ARL member libraries on a particular topic related to current practice in the field. Each SPEC Kit contains an executive summary of the survey results; survey questions with tallies and selected comments; the best representative documents from survey participants, such as policies, procedures, handbooks, guidelines, Web sites, records, brochures, and statements; and a selected reading list-both print and online sources-containing the most current literature available on the topic for further study. Subscribe to SPEC KitsSubscribers tell us that the information contained in SPEC Kits is valuable to a variety of users, both inside and outside the library. SPEC Kit purchasers use the documentation found in SPEC Kits as a point of departure for research and problem solving because they lend immediate authority to proposals and set standards for designing programs or writing procedure statements. SPEC Kits also function as an important reference tool for library administrators, staff, students, and professionals in allied disciplines who may not have access to this kind of information. SPEC Kits can be ordered directly from the ARL Publications Distribution Center. To order, call (301) 362-8196, fax (301) 206-9789, e-mail pubs@arl.org, or go to http://www.arl.org/resources/pubs/.Information on SPEC Kits and the SPEC survey program can be found at http://www.arl.org/resources/pubs/ spec/index.shtml. The executive summary for each kit after December 1993 can be accessed free of charge at http://www.arl.org/resources/pubs/spec/complete.shtml.

Establishing Processing Priorities: Recommendations from a 2017 Study of Practices in US Repositories

“…Some respondents noted that the experience, special skills and number of staff could also impact their processing decisions. 12 The archival literature also reflects the importance of researcher influence in determining the research value of collections, which affects processing priorities. Alexis Ramsey observed in "Viewing the Archives: The Hidden and the Digital" that archivists should evaluate each collection for its anticipated use, size, the nature of its contents, the resources available for processing, preservation concerns, confidentiality issues (such as the presence of social security numbers) and relevance to the archives collecting mission.…”