Technical services staff should initiate and foster communication about accessioning and processing practices within their repository as they are intimately familiar with these practices. Prior to any communication, it is essential that staff fully understand their approach to accessioning and processing, including areas for improvement and barriers to implementation, and that they have a general sense of their repository’s backlog of special collections and archives materials.
Communication with staff who acquire collections
Collections/curatorial staff play a pivotal role in gathering and capturing subject and provenance information at the point of acquisition and then transforming it into a collection summary or acquisition report. This documentation provides a wealth of information that not only informs how to proceed with accessioning and processing, but can also potentially be repurposed by technical services staff into bibliographic records or finding aids.
Open communication lines between staff who acquire collections and technical services staff can reduce the time to accession and/or process newly acquired materials, eliminate duplication of efforts, and ensure that critical information providing insight to special collections and archives materials is not hidden or missed. Collections/curatorial staff’s relationship with the donor can also improve with good communication. Staff can relay to donors that with minimal processing, their donation will be open for research in a timely manner, and explanations on added value processing may even result in donors providing financial support for more in-depth processing and greater accessibility.
Recommendations
Take time to show staff who acquire collections what a typical collection may look like when accessioned or processed to Level I, Level II, and Level III and how this information can be shared with donors and offices transferring records.
Encourage collections and curatorial staff to communicate with donors the importance of donor-created description, with the understanding that the description will be carefully assessed against internal guidelines.
Document workflows for the sharing of collection summaries, acquisition reports or any other documentation created by collections/curatorial staff during acquisition. Establish mechanisms for feedback for improving or enhancing information in these documents.
Consider proactively engaging with collections/curatorial staff throughout the accessioning or processing lifecycle with an eye towards exchanging information that can head-off issues that could either delay or stop accessioning or processing altogether.
Communication with staff who work with users
As the first point of contact with users in many repositories, research and public services staff locate resources to fulfill requests for outside users or for offices on campus. They are also the most familiar with a user’s experience in searching for, accessing, and using collection materials, and regularly collect, compile and analyze user data to inform improvements to services and programs. Research and public services staff rely on accurate, standardized accession and processing practices that can assist in effectively and efficiently locating the resource. Conversely, they are a critical resource for user feedback that can inform accessioning and processing practices. A clear articulation of accessioning and processing practices, the reasoning behind them, as well as the benefits, will greatly help research and public services staff in their work with users.
Recommendations
Spend time outlining how a move from more traditional to streamlined accessioning and processing may impact research and public services staff, including:
- the immediate availability of the material;
- fulfillment of off-site reproduction requests if a collection is open to research with just a high-level, minimal description. An interested user might require more in-person mediation in order to get more information or order a reproduction of a part of the collection.
- how to handle user discovery of material potentially posing privacy concerns; and
- tracking the use of collections. Tracking use of collections will determine if collections are in high demand, if the level of description is not adequate for user needs, or if the materials are found to be at risk.
Consider proactively engaging with research and public services staff throughout the accessioning or processing lifecycle with an eye towards exchanging information, emphasizing the interdependence of different functional areas. Remember that processing is iterative and knowing from users what is and isn’t working is a great way to prioritize processing work.
Proactively highlight collection materials that can be used for instruction.
Communication with library leadership and administrators
Library leaders and administrators provide the strategic vision, direction and leadership for the continued development and advancement of our libraries, ensuring that collection materials, programs and services support faculty instruction and scholarship, student learning, and user communities. Leaders and administrators regularly grapple with competing needs for resources, including those necessary to preserve, describe, store, and make accessible collection materials.
Recommendations
Meet with library leaders and administrators on a regular basis, highlighting the work of technical services staff and how it supports the mission of both the repository and institution.
Provide real-time statistics gathered as part of assessment, clearly tying the statistics directly to the mission of the repository.
Clearly articulate needs, understanding that if you make a suggestion or proposal and the answer is no, don’t take it personally—but do try again the following year.
Consider that part of the job of technical services staff is to make the library leaders and administrators look good. It’s about helping to create the buzz that will ultimately help the repository boat to float higher in the organization. A repository’s leadership and administrators are likely competing with many other departments for resources
Dissin’ The Director: The Library Worker’s Favorite Pastime, ACRLog, February 12, 2008