Archives 101

For volunteers or staff at small organizations, collections management can be a daunting task. Archives 101 is a guidebook for people who care for historical records, photographs, and collections but do not have the appropriate professional training. Lois Hamill provides practical, step-by-step guidance for managing all facets of archival collections, from acquisition, arrangement, and description to storage and security. The book also offers advice on how to utilize PastPerfect software for collections database management.

Archives 101 is written for those who manage cultural collections regardless of their professional education or institution type. It has been recommended by archivists, public historians, librarians and museum specialists, from the national to local level, as a comprehensive and practical ready reference handbook. Authoritative yet accessible to all readers, this volume addresses all phases in the process of managing cultural collections including use by researchers, for exhibits, work with other specialists such as conservators or appraisers and more.

This handbook is unique in its comprehensiveness; practicality; inclusion of low cost options for tight budgets; discussion of questions to consider which enable the reader to adapt guidance to their specific setting; step-by-step guidance based on accepted theory; inclusion of specific instructions to perform tasks in PastPerfect 5.0, a collection management software; readily available free additional resources for each chapter; and an appendix rich with templates and examples illustrating the text.

You’ll find information on how to manage a basic digitization project from beginning to end; delivery options for digital files; incorporation of the DACS and Dublin Core descriptive standard(s) resulting in an updated finding aid template; several additional approaches to processing; and incorporation of considerations for donor confidentiality and specific questions for donors of digital records.