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Reading Room Manual

Standardized practices for researchers handling archival materials are described below:

  • Researchers are limited to one folder at a time, keeping the folder flat on the table with the contents always within it, and reading and turning the pages like they were a book. They should use an Out card to mark the folder’s place in the box.

  • For nontraditional containers (such as accordion folders or boxes of index cards), the monitor should engage with the researcher about proper handling and an appropriate solution for using the Out card.

  • Researchers may not rearrange the order of materials in folders nor the order of folders in boxes.

  • They should turn the pages within a folder or bound volume gently.

  • They should not lean on, write on, fold, bend, fasten, or unfasten archival materials.

  • They should use weights and/or cradles with bound volumes.

  • They may insert a piece of acid-free paper under thin paper as needed when taking photos.

  • They should not walk around the room with archival materials. The desk monitor should go to them to answer a question about the records.

  • They may not remove materials from the Reading Room.

  • They should always leave the call slips in place so that the barcode can be easily scanned.

Exhibit Policies and Procedures

Archival staff should be with materials at all times if materials are staged and exhibited in a room without a lock (i.e., a public room), and staff assigned to that space should remain with the materials until the exhibit has been dismantled and safely rehoused.

RAC staff who are involved in exhibit security should ensure the following objectives are carried out:

  • Familiarize yourself with the Exhibit Guide

  • Station yourself in and orient yourself to the exhibit space before the visitors arrive

  • Stay with the exhibit materials at all times

  • Alert another staff member if you need to leave the exhibit space

  • Introduce yourself when a visiting group enters the exhibit space

  • Articulate handling procedures to visitors before the exhibit narrative begins

  • Model correct handling techniques when interacting with the documents

  • Engage with the visitors and answer questions

Reappraisal Policy

To make an informed reappraisal decision, the following questions will be answered in the context of the Reappraisal Form.

  • What is the collection name associated with the records?

  • Does the RAC have ownership of the records?

  • Does the RAC have any legal requirements to keep the collection?

  • Has the donor of the collection or another institution/individual provided funding for processing, staffing, preservation work, or additions to the RAC endowment?

  • What is the approximate cubic footage of the collection?

  • Does the collection contain archival material?

  • Does the collection fall within the Collection Policy of the RAC?

  • Are there any access restrictions on the collection?

  • Are there electronic records in the collection? What is their extent?

  • Does the collection include special formats? If so, what are the types and their extent?

  • Has preservation work been done on the collection previously?

  • Does the collection have formats that are obsolete or physically degraded beyond use? Is the collection or any part of the collection hazardous to the staff or other collections?

  • What are the types of records present in the collection (i.e. correspondence, subject files, board minutes, etc.)?

  • Have materials been removed from the collection?

  • Does an inventory or finding aid exist for the collection?

  • Has the collection been made accessible to researchers?

  • How often has the collection been accessed by researchers?

  • Has the collection been used by RAC staff? If so, how?

Social Media Policy

Social networks are one of the fastest growing areas in modern communications technology and are an effective way to encourage two-way communication with the RAC’s stakeholders.

Examples of such platforms and networks include:

  • Social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn

  • Video and photo sharing sites, such YouTube, Flickr, and Instagram

  • Microblogs, such as Twitter and Tumblr

  • Weblogs (blogs), such as the RAC’s “Bits and Bytes”

  • Electronic Newsletters

  • Online forums and discussion boards

  • Encyclopedias, such as Wikipedia

  • Other online communities

Processing Manual

  • Projects are assigned primarily by accession or in small sets of material.

  • All archival staff conducting processing should utilize project management software and create archival description in the RAC collections management system.

  • Projects focus on priority collections and areas of greatest risk for degradation and loss including legacy backlog holdings, audiovisual, digital media, and special formats.

  • Priority is given to those projects for which the RAC has a contractual obligation.

  • Priority is also given to recent accessions and born-digital materials when feasible.

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