Once the survey has been completed, the archivist writes a processing plan in the form of a memo to relevant stakeholders, outlining the work necessary to process a collection. Once all stakeholders sign off on the plan, the archivist can begin processing the collection.
Archivists should refer to the processing plan template (located on Sharepoint) when writing a processing plan.
Generally, the Processing Proposal includes:
-
Outline of proposed arrangement options. Final arrangement decisions usually are determined in the course of processing, as the papers are more carefully examined.
-
Recommended processing level or levels, with reference to the collection’s access and preservation requirements.
-
Summary of the work required, including explanation of any unusually time-consuming tasks. The proposal may specify which tasks can be assigned to processing assistants and students.
-
Estimate of the amount of time required to complete all work on the collection, including post-processing tasks. A preliminary processing calendar may also be required, including milestones for completion of portions of the collection.
-
List of any special or unusually voluminous archival supply needs.
-
Overview of preservation concerns, with mention of significant (i.e., costly/time consuming) conservation needs.
-
Identification of any significant runs of material that may require priority preservation reformatting (microfilming or digitization).
-
Outline of significant special storage needs (e.g., framed art work, folio or broadside shelving, Art Storage/Object Storage).
-
Description of printed material (e.g. books, serials, newspapers, pamphlets, and ephemeral imprints) that, if retained, will require separate cataloging in Orbis (either in situ in the collection or after transfer to Printed Acquisitions).