Works in Progress Webinar: Holistic approaches to born-digital appraisal and accessioning
Channel: OCLC Research
Date: 2021-03-19

In 2012, a group of librarians seeking to tackle significant backlogs published the “Guidelines for Efficient Archival Processing in the University of California Libraries.” This document served as a touchstone for archival staff both within the University of California and beyond. Over time language and linked references in the document became outdated, and the recommendations began to feel out of touch with emerging discussions of holistic collection management. In 2018, this shift in the profession, coupled with the increasing prevalence of born-digital collection materials, led a group of UC archivists to embark on a two-year-long revision project to make key changes in the document to address the impact that appraisal, accessioning, and over-collecting have on the existence and growth of backlogs.

This webinar will provide an overview of the revisions to the Guidelines for Efficient Archival Processing, making the case for a more holistic approach to collections stewardship that emphasizes the interrelatedness of each stage in the archival lifecycle. Presenters will focus on the process of developing recommendations for born-digital appraisal and accessioning, and provide context on the decision to structure the document in a way that reflects the interconnected nature of born-digital and physical collections care.

This webinar will be of interest to anyone working in Special Collections and/or managing, acquiring, and processing born-digital materials.