1. Evolution of Access to OSU Archives, 1991-2003 Non-Traditional Partnerships for Access to Collections Oregon Library Association Corvallis, Oregon April 25, 2003 Elizabeth Nielsen, Senior Staff Archivist Oregon State University Libraries http://osulibrary.orst.edu/archives/

2. Overview How we currently provide information about archival materials; how this access has evolved during the past ~12 years at OSU; future forms of access. Differences between describing archival materials and more typical library materials. How these processes can be applied to other atypical collections in public and academic libraries.

3. Collaborators Debbie Hackleman Richard Sapon-White Larry Landis Karl McCreary and Faye Harkins

4. Why? To inform potential users/patrons about collections. To enhance access/use of collections by providing more detailed information. Especially important for archival collections which are not “browsable” and with which most patrons are not familiar.

5. OSU Archives Established in 1961 within the Library. Transferred to central administration in late 1960s. Became a department of the University Libraries in Sept 2000. Located in Kerr Administration Building from early 1970s until summer 2003.

6. Archives Collections Record Groups Manuscript Collections Photographic and Moving Image Materials Collection strengths include forestry, wildlife conservation, and agriculture. Photographic collections document the people and places of Oregon.

7. Principles for Description of Archival Materials Different materials best served by different types/levels of description. Collection-level. Hierarchical. Item-level description only for certain materials (e.g. photographs).

8. What’s a Finding Aid? Document that describes an archives collection. Two parts: –Collection-level information. –Inventory or container list at folder- (or item-) level.

9. Challenges of Automation Archivists have modified finding aids format to best fit materials they are describing. For automation, format needs to be standardized.

10. Examples of Finding Aids College of Home Economics and Education Records (RG 141) William H. Carlson Papers Helen M. Gilkey Papers Gifford Photographic Collection (P 218) Herbarium Photographs (P 93)

20. Development of OSU Archives’ Finding Aids 1990 – no finding aids in electronic form 1991 – convert existing finding aids into digital form via OCR and re-keying 1993 – Gopher 1995 – World Wide Web

21. Remember Gophers? Client-server application. No graphics; no hyperlinks; limit of 25kB (!!) to file size. Archives was early adopter at OSU. June 1993 – OSU Archives and Records Management Gopher became available to on- and off-campus internet users.

22. WWW Archives website launched in 1995. One of first college/university archives websites and one of first extensive uses of the OSU campus website. Offered graphics, hyperlinking, and much larger file capability. Initially linked to gopher server for many of finding aids.

24. Gopher’s Demise Maintained both Gopher and WWW for ~ 18 months. Gradually shifted to WWW as preferred provider. OSU Gopher discontinued March 1, 1997.

25. Need More than Finding Aids Need access point that reaches broader audience than finding aids in repository or on web server. Especially need way to inform “typical” library user of archival materials. Union catalogs will reach patrons away from our campus.

26. Archivists Struggle with MARC Records Limited length (especially of note fields). Difficulty in applying MARC format to archival and manuscript materials. … But we knew it was an important step.

27. Development of OSU Archives’ MARC Records 1970s/early 1980s – few records submitted to NUCMC 1991 – Archives purchased microMARC.amc 1992 – staff training in MARC cataloging for archival materials 1993 – began working with Library staff …

28. MARC Records … cont’d. mid-1990s – experimentation phase; efforts concentrated on WWW; maybe didn’t need MARC records? 1994-1997 – submitted ~40 records to NUCMC 1998-1999 – Library migrated from GEAC to III automation system and became an Orbis member Technology now allowed for linking from MARC records to full finding aid

29. MARC Records … Y2K – MicroMARC.amc not Y2K compliant 2000 –jump-started collaboration with Libraries coincident with administrative transfer in fall Sept 2000 – loaded first MARC records to OASIS, Orbis, and OCLC

30. Current Procedure Initial record created (using CatMe) by Archives staff person who prepares finding aid; reviewed by other Archives’ staff. Draft record reviewed by Catalog Librarian (Richard Sapon-White). Modifications are made by Archives’ staff. Record is loaded by Richard to OASIS, Orbis, and OCLC.

31. Progress to Date 114 catalog records –72 manuscript collections –42 record groups

32. Examples Ava Milam Clark (browse) Search Home Economics

43. What Does the Future Hold? Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Digital Library Projects –Braceros in Oregon Photograph Collection

44. What’s EAD? A set of rules for designating the intellectual and physical parts of archival finding aids so that the information can be searched, retrieved, displayed and exchanged in a predictable, platform-independent manner. XML format.

45. Northwest Digital Archives (NWDA) Database of EAD finding aids from 13 institutions in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Idaho being developed with grant from National Endowment for the Humanities. Requirement of the grant that all finding aids also be represented by collection- level MARC records.

46. Braceros in Oregon Photograph Collection Digital Library project within OSU Libraries to provide enhanced access to heavily used collection of photographs. Searchable web interface to scanned images. MARC record for full collection.

51. Application to Other Collections Vertical Files Pamphlet Files Poster Collections Any integrated group of materials with common features that benefits from collection-level as well as more detailed description.

52. Lessons Learned Archives couldn’t do this alone. All much easier after we joined Libraries. Two-pronged approach works well; MARC record linked to finding aid. Always be alert regarding migration issues of proprietary software. Be poised to take advantage of new technologies/opportunities. Persistence pays off.

53. Thank You. Elizabeth Nielsen Elizabeth.nielsen@orst.edu 541-737-0543