Creating a local history archive at your public library

Archival collections at public libraries present their own challenges distinct from other library materials, but they also offer the promise of unique connections between the library and its users, particularly when the archives relate to local history. Written by an archivist and librarian with hands-on experience in multiple archival and manuscripts repositories, this concise guidebook presents best practices for the acquisition, access, and care of local history materials in public libraries. Providing guidance on creating a new archive as well as reinvigorating an existing one, it addresses

what makes for a successful local history collection, with real-life examples that can serve as models; policies, planning, procedures, and day-to-day work involved with archival collections; processing, from appraisal and legal transfer to arrangement and description; maintenance of the collection, offering guidance on proper care, storage, security, and disaster prevention and recovery; and continuing education for staff.

This book will help public librarians and archivists give their local history archive the care and attention it so richly deserves.

• Acknowledgments p. ix
• Introduction p. xi
• 1 Defining, Creating, and Developing a Local History Archive p. 1
• The History of Local History p. 1
• Scope and Formats of Materials p. 4
• Mission Statements p. 8
• Managing p. 11
• Policies and Procedures p. 11
• Planning p. 12
• Staffing p. 20
• Scenarios p. 21
• 2 Collection Development Policies for the Local History Archive p. 27
• Defining and Building p. 27
• Priorities and Limitations of the Local History Archive p. 30
• Users/Patrons p. 32
• Programs p. 32
• Gift Policy p. 34
• Deaccessioning Policy p. 35
• Resource Sharing/Cooperative Policy p. 36
• Policy Implementation and Review p. 37
• 3 Acquiring and Making Local History Collections Accessible p. 39
• Processing Step 1: Appraisal p. 40
• Appraisal Theory p. 42
• Organizational and Institutional Records p. 45
• Personal Papers p. 47
• To Acceptor Not to Accept p. 48
• Recap: Conducting an Appraisal, How to Do It p. 51
• Processing Step 2: Legal Transfer p. 53
• Deed of Gift p. 53
• Organizational Agreement p. 56
• Records Transmittal Form p. 57
• Monetary Appraisals for Donors p. 59
• Donor Requested Restrictions p. 59
• Abandoned or Orphaned Collections p. 60
• Recap: Legal Transfer, How to Do It p. 61
• Processing Step 3: Accessioning p. 62
• Deaccessioning p. 67
• Processing Plan p. 68
• What's in a Name? p. 68
• Recap: Accessioning, How to Do It p. 69
• Processing Step 4; Arrangement p. 70
• Levels of Arrangement and Description p. 72
• Recap: Arrangement, How to Do It p. 81
• Processing Step 5: Description p. 82
• Finding Aids p. 84
• Digitization p. 92
• Unknown Provenance p. 94
• Recap: Description, How to Do It p. 94
• Processing Step 6: Access p. 96
• Access-Policy p. 97
• Utilizing the Online Public Access Catalog p. 98
• Web Finding Aids p. 100
• Copyright p. 101
• Outreach p. 104
• Reference Services p. 107
• Recap; Access, How to Do It p. 110
• 4 Care of a Local History Archive p. 113
• Preservation p. 115
• Digitization as Access and Preservation p. 122
• Security p. 131
• Disaster Awareness, Prevention, and Recovery p. 134
• Conclusion p. 139
• Bibliography p. 143
• Index p. 147