Accessioning

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1. Accessioning
   1. Accessioning Overview
   2. Accessioning Media Workflow

Accessioning Overview

Accessioning includes actions to examine, stabilize, and document information about a collection upon receipt to establish administrative control. Born digital materials are particularly subject to degradation and require additional measures beyond the usual degree required for accessioning analog materials. Because born digital materials are not inherently “browsable” in their base state, content must be mounted on a computer and copied to the Z: drive in preparation for appraisal and processing. As part of accessioning procedures for digital materials, the Digital Archivist or authorized person will document digital media or remote file transfers and move files and any relevant documentation into a working directory in preparation for future processing. The result of the accessioning process is the creation of a Submission Information Package, or SIP, as outlined in the OAIS reference model.

The steps in this section assume that the materials have been formally accepted into the archive by an authorized agent within the WVRHC, that a Deed of Gift has been completed, and that an accession record with an associated accession number has been created in ArchivesSpace. Digital materials will be flagged by the Accessioning Archivist as part of standard accessioning procedures using the Reformatting Request Form (accessible to WVRHC employees only but shared in Appendix 2). Once the form is submitted, the Digital Archivist will add the materials to the Digital Archives Work Tasks board (accessible to WVRHC employees only but shared in Appendix 2).

Though the process of accessioning media seemingly only applies to new collections that are being accessioned for the first time, born digital media may be found in existing processed collections that were never formally accessioned and processed according to current standards. These legacy materials must also undergo the same processes outlined in this section.

Any donor restrictions regarding collection content or expectations regarding the usage of digital materials should be communicated at the point of accession.

Accessioning Media Workflow

The Digital Archives Work Tasks board (accessible to WVRHC employees only but shared in Appendix 2), as well as consultation with Archives and Manuscript staff, will be used by the Digital Archivist to determine which collection is next in the born digital accessioning queue. Once an item is pulled for accessioning, a Removal Sheet will be completed, with one half of the sheet stored in the item’s original location and the other half of the sheet stored with the item.

A Born Digital Processing Checklist is used to guide the overall actions taken when processing born digital collections. It should be saved in the Administration folder in the file directory created below.

Before beginning to accession media, the directory structure for the accession must be created to house the content on the media and relevant documentation that will be needed as part of processing. This structure, when fully implemented, adheres to the OAIS AIP standard.

In the directory structure outlined below, bolded terms represent folders and non-bolded text indicates the type of content that is stored within the folder. Materials prefaced by the word “Example” are simply representative to show what content will go within the folder and are not required for directory creation. All other materials will be present, are based on templates, and will have intended usage outlined in this section following the directory structure. If working with materials from a processed collection, the directory structure should be added to Z:\A&M\ with the top level folder named with the A&M number. If working with materials from an unprocessed collection that only has an accession number, save the materials in Z:\Working Files\Backlog\ with the top level folder named with the accession number. An empty version of this file structure can be copied from Z:\Working Files\Resources_For_Born_Digital_Processing\TemplateAccessioningFileStructure to the appropriate location.

• Accession-[accession number] or [A&M number]
  • Born Digital Content
    • Example: Accession-[accession number] _Disc_1
      • Files and any structural metadata (may be embedded into file names, may be a CUE sheet) required to use the files
    • Example: Accession-[accession number] _Card_01
      • Files and any structural metadata (may be embedded into file names, may be a CUE sheet) required to use the files
    • Example: Accession-[accession number] _DigTran_01
      • Files and any structural metadata (may be embedded into file names, may be a CUE sheet) required to use the files
  • Digitized Content (if applicable)
    • Digitized files from the collection go here and are named according to the File Naming Conventions portion of this document.
  • Administration
    • Audiovisual Media Inventory Template
    • Born Digital Processing Checklist
    • Born Digital Processing Spreadsheet
    • Digital Media Inventory Spreadsheet
    • Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies (PREMIS) Spreadsheet
    • Metadata
      • CSV file manifest(s) containing a list of all files, fixity information, and technical metadata for each media item or transfer
    • Logs
      • Fixity check reports, fixity verification reports when moving files, etc

Delete any example folders. Once the directory structure is created, check off the appropriate task in the Born Digital Processing Checklist, then the Digital Archivist or authorized person will complete a Digital Media Inventory Spreadsheet that contains information about each item within an accession or collection as relevant. The Digital Media Inventory Spreadsheet will be added to the Administration folder in the previously mentioned directory structure; an unpublished note will be made in the Accession Record (or Resource Record, if this step is occurring at that point) noting the completion of this spreadsheet and the date of completion. The Digital Media Inventory will include the following:

• Person Completing Inventory
  • Name of person completing inventory.
• Date of Inventory
  • Date person is completing the inventory.
• Accession Number
  • Accession number for materials being inventoried.
• Box Number
  • The box number for the box from which the item originated.
• Identifier
  • Unique alpha-numeric code that identifies the digital media carrier. Use the collection number, the appropriate format abbreviation from the list below, and a number in sequential order. The example code 4050_disc_0043 indicates that the item is from collection A&M 4050 and is the 43rd CD accessioned in the collection.

• Label/Title
  • Transcription of written content on the physical media that can be used as a title. If the title is overly lengthy or if it, for example, includes a track list, write that in the description field.
  • If there is no label on the media, use the identifier as the title until an artificial title can be generated during processing.
• Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
  • Any date information present on the physical media.
• Description
  • Additional information that is too lengthy for the Label/Title field. Include a transcription for information that is written on the media itself. Note other information such as the presence of a written inventory or other physical materials documenting the content of the media. Do not transcribe these latter types of notes; simply note their presence.
• Format
  • Format of item.
• Condition Issues
  • Any issues, such as damage or missing parts, with the physical media.
• Notes
  • Other information related to actions taken by the person conducting the inventory or information that does not fit in any of the previous fields.

Items should be labelled with their identifier. CDs and DVDs should be placed in jewel cases with a slip of paper that includes the identifier placed in the case. Other materials should be foldered with the identifier written on the folder. A sticky note may be used only if the adhesive is not in contact with the media item.

This spreadsheet will be saved in the Administration folder of the previously mentioned directory structure as it is being completed. If the person completing the spreadsheet has to stop part way through completing an inventory and resume the inventory another day, the in-progress spreadsheet should be saved in the Administration folder for the collection. After completing the Digital Media Inventory Spreadsheet, create a folder within the Born Digital Content folder for each media item recorded with the name of the folder being the same as the item’s identifier. Check off the appropriate task in the Born Digital Processing Checklist.

Note: the Digital Media Inventory Spreadsheet is meant to serve as an initial inventory of the physical media that establishes identifier information and initial condition information. The PREMIS Spreadsheet uses the identifiers outlined in the Digital Media Inventory Spreadsheet to track what preservation and broader processing actions have been taken on what items.

As preservation and accessioning actions are completed, they will be recorded in the PREMIS Spreadsheet and saved within the Administration folder for the accession. The spreadsheet records all preservation actions, or events, in the PREMIS data model, taken on the collection. Actions are recorded and the success or failure of each action is outlined. Definitions of each event are included in the spreadsheet. Events that may be, but are not necessarily, related to the accessioning process include:

• Brunnhilde report - completion includes the following events:
  • Information package creation
  • Format identification
  • Message digest calculation (i.e. checksum generation)
  • Metadata extraction
  • Virus check
• Imaging
• Quarantine
• Replication
• Transfer
• Unquarantine

Once all media has been inventoried, each item must have the content removed from it or transferred if a digital transfer. Each carrier or method of transfer of born digital materials may require different imaging or other content acquisition techniques to ensure accurate content retrieval. The following list contains the general born digital carriers that are supported. All procedures are in the Imaging and Born Digital Content Acquisition Procedures, with the following formats supported:

• 3.5 inch floppy disks
• 5.25 inch floppy disks
• Zip disks
• Thumb drives, internal hard drives, external hard drives
• Memory cards
• CDs and DVDs
• Digital transfer

In cases where born digital materials are widely commercially available, forward the identifier of the media to the Digital Archivist who will make recommendations for deaccession to Archives and Manuscript processing staff. If deaccession is approved, a Deaccession event will need recorded in the PREMIS Spreadsheet for the collection. An accession/deaccession report should be sent to Head of A&M at this step for material at the resource record or processing stage; for material at the accession record stage, a report should be sent to the Accessioning Archivist.

Following the Imaging and Born Digital Content Acquisition Procedures will generate a report containing a file manifest, technical, and preservation metadata to be used in processing. The report for each item will be stored in the Metadata folder for the collection.

The report, using the command line utility Brunnhilde which bundles several pieces of software together, includes a virus scan using ClamAV as well as checksum generation, file format characterization (using PRONOM), file size, and date information about a file generated by Siegfried. Also included are specific reports useful for future processing actions, including sensitive information detection.

If content acquisition for an item is unsuccessful or duplicate media items are present, forward the identifiers for these materials to the Digital Archivist.

Once content imaging or transfer of all items has been completed, content has been verified to be in the appropriate folder, and a report for each media item has been generated, check off the appropriate tasks in the Born Digital Processing Checklist. PREMIS Events that need recorded in the PREMIS Spreadsheet will be noted in the checklist or in the Imaging and Born Digital Content Acquisition Procedures.

For items which are of an unsupported format, such as 8-inch floppy disks, forward the identifier of the item and the item’s location to the Digital Archivist. They will update the Digital Archives Work Tasks board (accessible to WVRHC employees only but shared in Appendix 2) to reflect an unsupported format is present in the collection for tracking purposes and to inform future hardware acquisitions.