Behind the Scenes - Processing & Cataloging Archives

With larger manuscript and photo collections, processing efforts can take years, but with the Julius P. Ambrusch Terra Cotta photograph album we discussed in our last post, it was a matter of just about a day. As an intact photo album, the collection did not need to be organized (no messy papers), and the archivist determined it was in good physical condition for an item of its age. The album did not require much special attention. In short:

• The photos were stable and largely still attached. Photos facing each other did not appear to be causing damage
• The paper the photos are affixed to was not acidic and did not need flattening or repair
• The binding was sturdy enough that the album did not require rebinding, or special handmade housing. 

As far as physical preservation efforts, our archivist placed a few loose photos that had come free from their mooring into archival-quality polypropylene sleeves. She also housed both album and photo sleeves in an archival box where they sit snugly (but not too tight!).

As very few researchers would request to see an item listed merely as “a photo album” our archivist knew it was key to describe the contents themselves. While describing every item in a collection is impractical with larger collections, the simple nature of this one allowed her more time for indexing. A look at the final collection guide she created will show that each photograph is listed and succinctly described. Researchers using our archives research tool can now discover exactly what exists, and where to find it.

Following processing and indexing, the next station on the Terra Cotta photo album's journey will be cataloging. Our archivist has handed the collection over to our special collections cataloger, who will further research Julius P. Ambrusch and the studio where he worked. He will create a catalog record for the collection that contains a biographical summary, a brief description of the contents, and a link to the more detailed collection guide. 

Our cataloger will also assign Library of Congress subject headings (LCSH) to the catalog record. These subject headings have been developed and edited by librarians over the past 110 years to describe what a collection or book is about. They are shared by libraries worldwide, and are how a subject search in the library catalog produces a list of items. Historically LC subject headings have also skewed towards a white, Christian, heterosexual viewpoint, and so our cataloger is also mindful of assigning or altering terms to be more inclusive and respectful than one might have seen in the past.