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ArchivesSpace Local Practices Manual for UHM Archives Staff: Assessments

Overview

Purpose: To record collections assessment / survey data.  

Who creates, and when: Anyone who wishes to document a systematic review of a set of archival materials.  Assessments may be added to several types of records: Accession records, top-level Resource records, individual Archival Object / Component records (at any level of a collection hierarchy), and to Digital Object records. 

Note that an Assessment record describes an evaluation of a group of materials, not an evaluation of a container.   This distinction and its ramifications will be explained more fully in the descriptions of the 'Scope of Assessment' field and of the 'Assessment Information' and 'Conservation Issues' sections.

To Create a New Record:

Create an Assessment record from the main 'Create' menu by choosing 'Assessment'. 

  • Once the blank Assessment record loads, find the Accession, Resource, Archival Component, or Digital Object record that you wish to link the new Assessment record to by typing its name in the 'Records' field (and/or clicking the downward-pointing triangle to bring up the Browse menu).

 

Minimum Fields For Good Practice: ArchivesSpace only requires the ‘Records’, 'Surveyed By', and ‘Survey Begin Date’ fields, but if known, then also fill out the 'Survey Completed Date' field.   If applicable, also fill out the 'Review Required?' checkbox and its associated fields (the 'Who Needs to Review' drop-down menu and the 'Review Note' field).   Additionally, in the 'Existing Description' section, either check the applicable box(es) to denote what description already exists or write a brief narrative description in the 'Existing Description Notes' field (or do both).  

 

The nature of the assessment that was completed will determine which of the remaining fields should get completed.   (This page also provides guidance for additional desirable fields, as well as for optional fields.)  Save throughout the process to ensure you don't lose data. 

Good Practice: Basic Info > Records

In the first box, enter the acquisition’s accession number.  Don’t split the parts of the number into different boxes.  (I.e. the department code if present, the accession year, and the numeric sequence should all go into the first box.)

  • (This isn't standard practice--most places put each section of an accession number into its own separate box--but at this point it would take a fairly significant change to switch everything.) 

Good Practice: Basic Info > Existing Description Fields

In the first box, enter the acquisition’s accession number.  Don’t split the parts of the number into different boxes.  (I.e. the department code if present, the accession year, and the numeric sequence should all go into the first box.)

  • (This isn't standard practice--most places put each section of an accession number into its own separate box--but at this point it would take a fairly significant change to switch everything.) 

Good Practice: Basic Info > Surveyed By

In the first box, enter the acquisition’s accession number.  Don’t split the parts of the number into different boxes.  (I.e. the department code if present, the accession year, and the numeric sequence should all go into the first box.)

  • (This isn't standard practice--most places put each section of an accession number into its own separate box--but at this point it would take a fairly significant change to switch everything.) 

Good Practice: Basic Info > Survey Date(s)

The 'Survey Begin Date' field defaults to the current date.  If the survey of the materials began earlier, then replace the default date with the actual date the survey started.

However, the date listed should be specific to the set of materials covered by the Assessment record currently being created.  For very large surveys, this may mean entering a date later than the start of the overall survey. 

  • Example 1) A birds-eye view survey of accessions and/or collections, with Assessment records linked to Accession records and to top-level Resource records
    • Today's date is 2019.03.31.   The overall survey started 2019.03.01, but the collection in question was assessed on 2019.03.15.
    • Enter "2019-03-15" in the 'Survey Begin Date' field.
  • Example 2) An in-depth survey of a single large collection, with Assessment records linked to individual File-level Archival Component records
    • Today's date is 2019.03.31.   The overall survey started 2019.03.01, but the file in question was assessed on 2019.03.15.
    • As above, enter "2019-03-15" in the 'Survey Begin Date' field.
  • Example 3) An archivist/librarian assesses an accrual while accessioning it.
    • Today's date is 2019.03.31. The materials were received on 2019.03.01, and accessioning--including an assessment--are happening today.
    • Keep the default date of "2019-03-31" in the 'Survey Begin Date' field.

If the assessment of the materials being described has been completed, then also enter the date of completion (if known) in the 'Survey Completed Date' field.

Good Practice: Basic Info > Review Fields

In the first box, enter the acquisition’s accession number.  Don’t split the parts of the number into different boxes.  (I.e. the department code if present, the accession year, and the numeric sequence should all go into the first box.)

  • (This isn't standard practice--most places put each section of an accession number into its own separate box--but at this point it would take a fairly significant change to switch everything.) 
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