[Metadatalibrarians] folder names in archives question

Tue Nov 10 07:19:48 PST 2009

>Digitally I would also assume that the photographs will be searchable in 
>some sort of database, so their folder names and locations become less 

Yes, at least the photos can be searched (not so much with other digital 
documents), but our DAMS displays the collection as a folder hierarchy for 
browsing purposes.  Personally, I don't feel we need to preserve the 
original order/information, the previous reference librarians (20+ years 
ago) put the physical photos in folders, without notes or documentation. 
However, I will leave the decision to the reference librarian.

thank you very much!

Yvonne J. Beever
Catalog/Metadata Librarian
Material Processing Center
Austin Independent School District
745 Mansell Ave., Austin, Texas 78702
ybeever at austinisd.org
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From:
"Kristin E. Martin" <kmarti at uic.edu>
To:
A listserv for Metadata Librarians 
<metadatalibrarians at lists.monarchos.com>
Date:
11/10/2009 08:41 AM
Subject:
Re: [Metadatalibrarians] folder names in archives question
Sent by:
metadatalibrarians-bounces at lists.monarchos.com

I think you have two questions going here: respect des fonds and 
preserving the original order of the archival collection, and properly 
identifying the content of the photographs.  I don't really know how 
this collection was put together, if you have original order to 
preserve.  If these folders were created by the library/archives, then 
in that case someone who originally arranged and described them made a 
mistake. I would have no problem at all moving the photographs to their 
proper folders and relabeling the folders with the correct form of the 
name, both digitally and physically.  If there is original 
order/information from the collection creator that you are trying to 
preserve, I would save the original information in the metadata record, 
but have access points for the correct schools/forms of names (which it 
sounds like you've already done) in the finding aid, but leave the 
organization and folder labels alone.

Digitally I would also assume that the photographs will be searchable in 
some sort of database, so their folder names and locations become less 
important, although you can leave that information in the metadata so 
that people could find the photographs regardless of how they search for 
it, whether with the correct information or the wrong information.  The 
nice thing with digital is that your photographs can occupy more than 
one virtual space.

Kristin

Kristin E. Martin
Metadata Librarian
Catalog Department (MC 234)
2-390 Richard J. Daley Library
University of Illinois at Chicago
801 S. Morgan
Chicago, IL  60607
312-413-5052
312-413-0424 (Fax)
kmarti at uic.edu

ybeever at austinisd.org wrote:
> If I should be directing this question to another list, please let me 
> know! Thanks! This question is regarding the naming of folders in the 
> archives, and I have two different situations to address.  Maybe we're 
> thinking too hard on this (especially for a Friday!) :)   The librarian 
> keeps stressing that these archives are finite, and cannot be changed. 
We 
> have physical archives, and are in the process of creating digital files 

> of all the physical photographs and documents in the archives.
>
> Short version: 
> 1). If there is a folder for an entity that didn't exist, does the 
folder 
> (physical and digital) remain with the original name (and the correct 
> information listed in the Finding Aid), or can the folders be changed to 

> the correct name? 
>
> 2). If there is a folder for an entity that was frequently misspelled 
> (Robinson for Robertson) in documentation, does the folder (physical and 

> digital) remain with the original name, and the correction is noted in 
the 
> Finding aid? 
>
> All the metadata records reflect subject headings for the appropriate 
> schools, and the authority records have See also references.
>
>
> The longer version with examples:
>
> First situation.
> While creating the metadata record for one particular photo, I have been 

> researching the schools involved.  The physical photo (and it's digital 
> counterpart) is in a folder for Rice Elementary School. The first 
problem 
> is that (apparently) this school did not exist when the photo was taken. 

> The photo was labelled as the first hot lunch program in Austin schools, 

> and the date was 1930.  The principal credited with the first hot lunch 
> program is F.R. Rice.  Judging from the date of the photo, the hot lunch 

> program, and the history of the principal, the school in the photo is 
most 
> likely Gregory School.  There are five adults in the photo, and one is 
> most likely F.R. Rice. I have noted in the description that F.R. Rice is 

> most likely in the photo, that it is in the Rice Elementary folder, and 
> that the school is most likely Gregory School.  I thought maybe the 
> metadata record and digital photo should appear in the digitial 
hierarchy 
> (in our DAMS) under Gregory School, rather than Rice Elementary. Neither 

> the physical nor digital photo has been moved from the Rice folders. 
>
> The librarian brought up the fact that it may have been placed in the 
Rice 
> Elementary folder because F.R. Rice (most likely in the photo) is the 
> namesake of the Rice Elementary. Therefore, it may be appropriate to be 
in 
> the Rice Elementary folder. 
>
> However, another problem that cropped up: I have not found any 
> documentation that "Rice Elementary School" ever existed.  I have 
sources 
> that show Rice Secondary School existed.  However, staff directories (as 

> well as district newsletters) only show that there was a Rice campus 
> listed under the name of Oak Springs Elementary--it was never called 
"Rice 
> Elementary".  If we find out there never was a school known as Rice 
> Elementary (there is no folder for Rice Secondary) do we leave the 
> physical and digital folders as is, and note the correction in the 
Finding 
> Aid? There's only this one photo in the folder, so none will be added to 

> it. 
>
> Second situation:
> A physical and digital folder was named Robinson Hill, named for a 
> neighborhood in Austin, Robertson Hill.  The name has appeared 
incorrectly 
> as Robinson Hill in a district book from the 1950s, and in other books 
and 
> newspapers.  The correct name is Robertson Hill.  Do the physical and 
> digital folders remain as "Robinson Hill" with the correction listed in 
> the Finding Aid? 
>
>  thanks!!!
>
> Yvonne J. Beever
> Catalog Librarian
> Material Processing Center
> Austin Independent School District
> 745 Mansell Ave., Austin, Texas 78702
> ybeever at austinisd.org
> This email message, including all attachments, is for the sole use of 
the 
> intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential student and/or 
employee 
> information. Unauthorized use of disclosure is prohibited under the 
> federal Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (20 U.S.C.§ 1232g; 34 CFR 
> Part 99; 19 TAC 247.2; Gov ’ t Code 552.023; Educ. Code 21.355; 29 CFR 
> 1630.14(b)(c)). If you are not the intended recipient, you may not use, 
> disclose, copy or disseminate this information. Please call the sender 
> immediately or reply by email and destroy all copies of the original 
> message, including attachments.
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