David Carmicheal's classic guide for organizing a small archive, now updated to include real-life examples, information on computer use in organizing records, and a bonus CD-ROM.

Many of our nation’s historical records reside in small historical societies, libraries, cultural organizations, houses of worship, and museums. The hard work of non-professional archivists is to thank for preserving much of our documentary heritage. Organizing Archival Records equips non-professional archivists with the skills to tackle one of the most challenging tasks of archiving: arranging and describing archival materials. Carmicheal offers step-by-step guidance to understanding the purpose of organization and the essentials of how to do it. He covers the basic terms and theory of organization, and how to avoid some common pitfalls. Carmichael brings this third edition into the 21st century with extended discussions about computerizing the process, making descriptions available on the web, and organizing electronic records. With real-world examples, exercises, and step-by-step directions, anyone can organize archival materials in a professional manner. Organizing Archival Records is an excellent resource for both computerized and manual organization and recordkeeping.

Much of our nation’s documentary heritage resides in small historical societies, libraries, cultural organizations, houses of worship, and museums. The preservation of this heritage often depends on the dedicated efforts of people who, in their workaday world, practice some profession other than archivist. For twenty five years, Organizing Archival Records has equipped non-professional archivists to tackle the challenging task of arranging and describing archival materials. The latest edition preserves the practical, easy-to-follow, step-by-step approach of earlier editions while updating its content to reflect current archival practices: practical ways to arrange and describe digital records; simple tools you can use to manage and store your descriptions, whatever the level of your computer skills; how to share your descriptions with others; why provenance and original order are foundational to arrangement and description; how the principles codified in SAA’s Describing Archives: A Content Standard can guide your arrangement and description process; an expanded discussion of related topics, including appraisal, security, safe handling of records, storage conditions, and what to do with all the records that were in your archives before you read Organizing Archival Records.

An archival collection is a unique body of information, created at a particular time by a particular organization or individual as a result of a particular activity. If the cultural record contained in an archive is to be accessible, the archivist must examine, organize, and describe each collection individually. Introduction to Archival Organization and Description guides the novice to an understanding of the nature of archival information and documentation. Chapters cover topics such as the characteristics of archival materials, the gathering and analysis of information for archival description, and the implementation of descriptive tools in information systems. The Introduction to series acquaints professionals and students with the complex issues and technologies in the production, management, and dissemination of cultural heritage information resources.

Access and reference services are central to engaging with historical resources. As more people encounter archives for scholarly and avocational research, as part of creative pursuits, or to exercise their rights as citizens to access records, the possibilities for how collections are used will continue to evolve. Archivists need to be familiar with who their users are, understand why they're using archival collections, and engage in outreach so that they can provide excellent reference services. Reference and Access for Archives and Manuscripts outlines the various components of: providing physical, intellectual, and virtual access, acquiring reference knowledge and skills, navigating legal regulations and ethics, and designing use policies and effective outreach. Cheryl Oestreicher contextualizes how all of these components fit within other archival functions and offers strategies and detailed practices for creating comprehensive reference programs that archivists can adapt for any type of institution. Both new and experienced archivists will find Reference and Access for Archives and Manuscripts a solid foundation on which to add their own ideas for how to bring people into the archives as well as bring archives to the people. Readers are encouraged to examine these concepts and practices in conversation with others and to consider how archivists can continue to advance reference and access.