The Blog of Special Collections and University Archives at Iowa State University
Starting after Memorial Day, the reading room will be open 10-4, Monday-Thursday.
As always, we can also be reached by email at archives@iastate.edu. Hope everyone has a fun and restful summer planned!
This past spring, SCUA migrated from our previous collection management system to ArchivesSpace (ASpace). One of the reasons for this migration was ASpace’s interoperability with other systems used by SCUA and other departments at Parks Library. However, we quickly ran into a problem trying to get ASpace to work with Aeon, the patron request system that we use in the reading room. If you have searched CARDinal in the last six months, you might have noticed that that the “Aeon Request” button on an individual resource page does not always work.
We originally thought this was just a simple issue caused by the plug-in fields not mapping correctly. It turned out that the issue itself was simple but the solution was going to be a time-consuming long-term project. After weeks of discussing the issue with colleagues and developers at both ASpace and Aeon and troubleshooting, we realized that the issue was caused because none of the containers (i.e. boxes) were attached to the resource records (i.e. finding aids). The system knew that they existed since patrons could request individual folders but the containers themselves were not attached to the resource record and not requestable. The solution? We now had to attach the containers individually to each of SCUA’s 1852 resource records.
To begin this project, we downloaded a list of all the resource records in ASpace, which we used to track our progress and document any issues that arose. One helpful feature in ASpace is the ability to assign profile types, including dimensions, to containers that the system can use to calculate a resource’s extent. Since we had to manually add the containers to each ASpace record, we saw this as an opportunity to also do a shelf read and assign container profiles in order to get a better handle on what exactly is in our holdings and how much space is utilized in the stacks.
Since June, I have been spending a few hours a week conducting this shelf read, which requires that I look at each box to figure out the box type and count the number of boxes in each collection, and have run into some interesting problems. The first issue that I uncovered was how many of the extents and box counts listed on our finding aids were incorrect. This was easy to fix by just noting the discrepancy in the tracking spreadsheet and adding new containers to ASpace as needed. The second issue I discovered is much larger and multiplied the amount of work needed. This is now a multi-part, long-term project to fix.
The second issue was caused by our local practice of numbering university archive sub-groups being in conflict with the ASpace software expectations. Traditionally, box numbers are consecutive throughout an individual resource records hierarchy, however, in the case of university archives record groups, the box numbers start over with each sub-group, as you can see in the photo above. This means that there can be multiple box 1’s, box 2’s, etc. within a single resource record. However, when the data was transferred, Aspace flattened this hierarchy, assuming that each Box 1 within a record group was the same Box 1. This is a problem because it can affect the resource extent calculations as well as pulling the correct box for researchers. Our solution was to expand the spreadsheet to include all the sub-groups and document the box count and type for each subgroup and create the containers in ASpace. Once all of the containers have been added to ASpace, we will begin part II of this project which is to barcode all the boxes in our collection. After everything is barcoded and the barcodes are tied to the proper containers in ASpace, we will use the Bulk Update Spreadsheet to move files out of their shared box into the correct individual boxes. That will make it easier to pull the correct box for research requests and provide a more accurate measure of total linear feet in SCUA’s holdings.
The ongoing success of this project is largely due to our student workers Landon Broadhead and Marios Tsekitsidis, who have been helping conduct the shelf read and are adding containers to ASpace daily. Without them, part one of this project would take much longer to complete.
Figuring out why the Aeon plugin wasn’t working and how to solve the problem took a lot of discussion with colleagues and working with the systems until we figured out the issue. Although the shelf read has been time-consuming, it has also helped the department gain insight into our holdings and when it is completed, will make it easier for researchers to request material. Containers are being added to resource records daily but if you have trouble making an Aeon request or have any reference questions, please contact us!
For the month of July, SCUA will be open between 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Below are other policies in place starting in July.
Allow three business days for SCUA to bring materials from off-site storage to the Reading Room.
Email us at archives@iastate.edu for instruction requests.
For the month of June, SCUA will be open by appointment only between 10 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. A 24-hour (one business day) notice for appointment requests is required. Below are other policies in place through June.
Allow three business days for SCUA to bring materials from off-site storage to the Reading Room.
Email us at archives@iastate.edu for instruction requests.
This post is about two important elements of archival practice: trying things and writing them down
Writing things down is, unsurprisingly, an important part of archival work. The one thing all archives have in common is that no two are alike: archives collect unique materials, and every archive has its own set of collecting, preservation, and access concerns and priorities, which they address from within a broadly uniform theoretical framework. What that means is that, while we use certain tools (both intellectual and technological) and follow certain professional standards and practices, how we enact and apply them varies from place to place. And what that means is that trying things and writing them down is a crucial part of working in an archive, and that’s true whether it’s a community archive preserving the history of a local theater, a university or government archive collecting public records, or a corporate archive maintaining design and manufacturing specifications.
One example of trying things and writing them down as archival practice here at SCUA is how we catalog artifacts. To keep track of these three-dimensional objects (we have a lot of buttons), we use a software called Past Perfect, which was developed for use in museums. It lets us create records for artifacts, attach pictures, track where they are in our storage (or on display in an exhibit, out for preservation, etc), and export inventories– like the searchable PDF catalog on our website. There’s a manual for the software which details how to input information, how to save records, etc– basic software functions– but what it doesn’t, and can’t, tell us is how we want to use the software. Since Past Perfect was designed to support a broad range of institutions, it has a lot more options and features than we even need, and the interface can be pretty overwhelming, which was only part of the problem. The issue we found was that not enough of the artifacts in our collection had records, and the records were inconsistent, mostly because the existing instructions for cataloging artifacts weren’t very thorough and there wasn’t a clear workflow to follow.
How do we decide which fields are important for our artifacts, what kind of language to use in the descriptions, and what the standard cataloging procedure should be? That’s where trying things comes in. In order to develop a SCUA-specific manual for creating artifact records with Past Perfect, we had to take a look at what kind of records had been made before, what kind of artifacts we had, and what we thought was important to capture: most of all, though, we had to try cataloging artifacts. Every time we made a decision– enter the date of creation like this, use this term first to describe this kind of object– we wrote it down. Every time we took an action, we wrote it down. Eventually, we had a list of steps and directions for using Past Perfect to create the kind of records we want to have for the kind of objects SCUA holds. And then the testing began… There’s a manual now, with screenshots, that lays out the process so that anyone can do it and get the expected result.
This came up as a part of a larger project reviewing how we handle artifacts. Examining the artifact catalog, it became obvious that the existing procedures hadn’t been working and we needed a new approach. This is fairly common in an archive: a task becomes a bottleneck, or a procedure hasn’t been kept up to date, and creates a problem that needs to be solved inside the archive’s existing systems. Changing our approach is often a lot easier than acquiring (and training on, and migrating information to) a new tool for doing it. In this case, we already had Past Perfect, and Past Perfect was designed for the job, it just wasn’t being used consistently and to its potential. Fully documenting the workflow, the expected outcome, and our decision-making process in a manual solved the problem (not enough artifacts had records, and the records weren’t consistent) and also created a means to update that manual as needed.
We tried some things, and once we had tried enough things, we wrote them down, and now there’s a resource that anyone in the department, from a student worker to the next University Archivist, can pick up and use– or change, if it needs to be changed.
All this contributes to the life of the archive, both in shaping how materials are handled and made available, and becoming a record of how the people who work here do their work, what they’re passionate about, what they’ve changed and why. It’s the sort of work that supports all the rest of the work we do, not just now but for years to come. Which, given that our job is to preserve, make available, and store materials in the holdings for future generations, is sort of important.
As we start another unusual semester at Iowa State, I wanted to highlight the ways you can still use Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) materials.
We are still open for appointments to see materials in person. Our hours are 10-12 and 1-3, Monday-Thursday. We do require appointments at this time to ensure enough physical distance in the reading room. Email archives@iastate.edu to set up an appointment.
Of course, we understand that some simply aren’t able to or aren’t comfortable venturing to SCUA to do their research. Luckily there are many more ways to access our materials.
Digital Collections Digital Collections highlight works and collections from the Iowa State University Library. These materials include photographs, manuscripts, artifacts, books, and audiovisual formats.
Digital Repository Iowa State University Digital Repository provides free and open access to scholarly and creative works, research, publications and reports by Iowa State’s faculty, students, staff and administrative units. The repository is administered by the University Library, with support from the Office of the Vice President of Research.
For A/V materials, please see our collections on YouTube and in Aviary.
Archive-It Archive-It is a website preservation service provided by the Internet Archive. Browse historic websites created by Iowa State University or other organizations whose records we collect.
When you search our finding aids, if we have digital materials available, they will be linked in the finding aid, which is a great new feature to get you the information you need quickly. Not all collections have digital materials available, and you can learn how to find collections that do have electronic materials in this post. If there are electronic materials available, you will see them linked at the beginning of the finding aid.
Lastly, we can make copies of materials, though the wait time is longer than usual as we navigate the challenges of keeping staff, students, and the rest of our community safe.
We are excited to announce the reopening of our Reading Room on Monday, August 17th. We are committed to providing a quality learning and research experience for the Iowa State community and also our off-campus and off-site researchers.
In order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we have revised some of our policies and rearranged our furniture to protect both our researchers, staff, and our collections.
Please email us at archives@iastate.edu for any questions or concerns you may have regarding our reopening.
Check out and bookmark this page for updates by the University Library
Here is more information on Fall Semester start for Iowa State University: https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2020/06/10/fallplan.
The beginning of August is ushering in a lot of change for Special Collections and University Archives! One of those changes is Aeon, our new registration and materials request system.
Patrons will create a user account online, saving time and paperwork when visiting the reading room. You can also make requests to see materials in the reading room or have them copied by filling out the forms online. This can even be done straight from the library’s quick search catalog or from CARDinal, the database of our special collections and archives finding aids.
One of the exciting advantages of using this system is that Aeon keeps a history of what you have requested for you to revisit in the future. No more hanging on to the pink piece of carbon paper to try to write your citations later! You can also save a search without requesting if you may want to look at something in the future but don’t need the material now.
We will be publishing tutorials to help you navigate Aeon in the coming days on our LibGuides. Of course, we’re always available to answer questions at archives@iastate.edu.
We are excited to announce the reopening of our Reading Room on August 17th. We are committed to providing a quality learning and research experience for the Iowa State community and also our off-campus and off-site researchers.
In order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we have revised some of our policies and rearranged our furniture to protect both our researchers, staff, and our collections.
It is likely there will be additional updates, but we wanted to share these new policies now so that people can begin planning for their class visits and research.
Here is more information on Fall Semester start for Iowa State University: https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2020/06/10/fallplan.
Please email us at archives@iastate.edu for any questions or concerns you may have regarding our reopening.
As part of our #COVID-19 Stories Project we’re happy to announce a partnership with the Center for Excellence in the Arts & Humanities (CEAH) to archive faculty responses to the pandemic. CEAH is offering mini grants of up to $250 to faculty to create a local record of their experiences during these trying times. We will work with Digital Initiatives to preserve and provide access to these narratives in the ISU Digital Repository. Read more on the CEAH funding site.
For more info about our COVID-19 Stories Project visit: https://specialcollections.lib.iastate.edu/about/projects/covid-19.
Cardinal Tales 