1. ARCHITECTURAL RECORDS
ARRANGEMENT
AND
DESCRIPTION
© Waverly Lowell

2. STANDARD SERIES Make it easier for:
Researchers
Processors
Automation
Are intended to be flexible not fixed
Are designed to work for the records you have in each collection

3. STANDARD SERIES
A guide to series and subseries that are commonly found in architect’s papers
Not all series and subseries will be found in each collection
some collections may have series or subseries not listed here

4. STANDARD SERIES I. Personal Papers II. Professional Papers
III. Faculty Papers
IV. Office Records
V. Project Records
VI. “Large Projects”
VII. Art and Artifacts
VIII. Additional Donations

5. PERSONAL PAPERS A. Biographical Information (original) B. Diaries
C. Correspondence
D. Student Work/Education
E. Travel
F. Personal Photographs
G. (Unique Subseries)

6. PERSONAL PAPERS Unique Subseries -- Examples: Family Papers
Military Service
Creative writing
Art Work on paper (not related to profession)

7. PROFESSIONAL PAPERS A. Correspondence
B. Writings (related to the profession)
C. Lectures/Presentations
D. Research Notes (original)
E. Faculty Papers
F. Associations and Committees
G. Awards
H. Reference Files/Subject Files (secondary)
I. Printed Materials
J. (Unique Subseries)

8. FACULTY PAPERS A. Personnel files (CV, Merit promotions)
B. Administration
C. Lecture Notes
D. Course Outlines
E. Research Notes
F. Student Works
G. (Unique Series)

9. OFFICE RECORDS A. Administrative B. Correspondence
C. Photographs (if part of marketing dept)
D. Presentation Materials (i.e. boards, models)
E. Public Relations
F. Legal Records
G. Financial Records
H. Clippings/Tear sheets/Clipbooks
I. Scrapbooks
J. Product Literature
K. (Unique Subseries)

10. PROJECT RECORDS A. Files
B. Specifications & Contracts (if filed separately by firm)
C. Photographs
D. Drawings
E. (Unique Subseries) [eg. Models]

11. “LARGE” PROJECTS A. Files
B. Specifications & Contracts (if filed separately by firm)
C. Photographs
D. Drawings
E. (Unique Subseries)

12. ART & ARTIFACTS artworks created or collected by the architect
three-dimensional objects (other than models)

13. ADDITIONAL DONATIONS
Drawings or other records donated by individuals in addition to the main body of the collection.
do not include accretions from the original donor

14. Description

15. FINDING AIDS Front Matter Narrative: Biographical/Firm/Historical
Title Page
Table of Contents
Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Narrative: Biographical/Firm/Historical
Scope and Content Note
Colophon
Series Description
Container List
Project Index

16. TITLE PAGE Collection Name, Collection Dates Institution
Contact information
Processor (optional), date processed
Funding source (optional)

17. DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY Collection Title (Last Name, First Name)
Inclusive Dates
Collection Number
Creator (Last Name, First Name)
Extent (Number of Containers)
Birth and Death dates
Language

18. DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY - EXAMPLE
Collection Title: John Funk Collection
Inclusive dates:
Collection Number:
Creator: Funk, John Cooper ( )
Extent: 4 boxes, 6 flat file drawers, 1 tube
Language: English

19. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Access Statement
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation

20. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION – EXAMPLE
Access Statement
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in the collection should be discussed with the Curator.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], William G. Merchant / Hans U. Gerson Collection, ( ), Environmental Design Archives, University of California, Berkeley.

21. ACQUISITION INFORMATION
Repository
Additional information optional
source

22. BIOGRAPHICAL/ FIRM/ HISTORICAL NOTE
significant dates
major projects
information about creating unit that provides insight to understanding the collection, its organization, and its contents
concentration on a certain period or subject
should not be definitive or interpretive
cite the sources used

23. SCOPE AND CONTENTS overview of both physical and intellectual contents
collection’s size, date span, and organization
list the series
briefly describe each series include types of records
name subjects, activities, projects, or events
highlight areas of particular interest
may include collection’s provenance

24. SERIES LIST Series Number and Title, Series Dates
Box Numbers (when appropriate)
Arrangement Statement (if useful)
Descriptive Paragraph
Sub-series List
Sub-series descriptive paragraph

25. SERIES LIST - example PERSONAL PAPERS, 1929-1988 Box 1, Flat File
Arranged chronologically.
A. Student Work
B. Photographs
C. Reference Files
OFFICE RECORDS,
Box 1
A. Licenses
B. Exhibition Materials
C. Clippings and Published Material
PROJECT RECORDS,
Box 1-3, 6 Flat file drawers
Arranged alphabetically by project.
A. Files
B. Drawings
C. Photographs

26. ARRANGEMENT STATEMENTS
Arranged alphabetically.
Arranged alphabetically by project.
Arranged hierarchically.
Arranged chronologically.
Arranged by job number.

27. DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH example
C. Drawings
Projects include commercial, governmental and residential buildings, including the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition Complex, the Spreckels buildings, the Gregory residences, and several Berkeley office buildings. Includes various project stages, with drawings on trace and linen as well as blueprints and Vandyke prints.

28. CONTAINER LIST- example
Box Folder Title Date
SERIES I. Personal Papers
In Memory of John Galen Howard 1931
"The Tech" Student Paper, Dec. 1884, J.G. Howard, ed.
Ecole des Beaux-Arts, class programmes ca
Ecole des Beaux-Arts, notes and assignments ca
Sketchbook, Europe ca.1891
FF Watercolors, Europe ca.1891
Photographs n.d.,
FB Ecole De Beaux-Arts Certificates

30. PROJECT INDEX
Lists all formats related to a single project including drawings, photographs, slides, manuscript/text/financial materials, and/or details
Lists descriptive material for each project such as location, date, type of project, collaborator and photographer
incorporates the location of the materials, substituting for the folder list for all project records

31. PROJECT INDEX- Data Elements
project number
project name/client/title
location
state
date
project type
collaborator (or variable of firm name)
photographer
set of fields to designate types and location of any materials related to the project.

32. PROJECT INDEX - example