ArchivesSpace Workflow 

Title (Basic Information section)

Use the pattern: [Creator Name] [Record Type]

Verify the formal name of the congregation or creating entity. Check founding documents, letterhead, or official publications in the collection for the correct legal or canonical name. Watch for name changes over time and use the most current name unless the collection is closed.

Agent Links → Role: Creator

Most HARC collections use Corporate Entity for the congregation. If a collection is the personal papers of an individual, use Person.

Confirm the agent record matches the authorized form of the name. Check whether the agent record already exists before creating a duplicate. If the congregation has gone through name changes, mergers, or reorganizations, note these in the agent record’s biographical note and add “also known as” name forms.

You discover new biographical information (founding date, key leaders, related institutions) while processing physical materials. Add this to the agent record’s biographical note.

Dates (Basic Information section)

The full span of the collection, from earliest to latest item. Label: Creation. Type: Inclusive. Enter Begin and End dates in YYYY-MM-DD format (or YYYY if only the year is known).

The date range within which the majority of materials fall, if significantly narrower than the inclusive dates. Label: Creation. Type: Bulk. This is optional but helpful for large collections that span long periods.

Look at the earliest and latest dated items in the physical collection. Check publication dates, postmarks, dated correspondence, inscriptions, and photographs with dates on the verso. Update the Begin and End dates if the physical materials extend beyond what was originally recorded.

Enter a human-readable date string in Expression. This is what displays in the finding aid.

Subjects (linked subject records)

Every resource should have at least 2–3 subject headings. Include at least one topical term and one geographic term where applicable.

Women in the Catholic Church • Nuns • Catholic education • Religious communities • Catholic hospitals • Missions • Social work • plus geographic headings for ministry locations

As you process physical materials, note recurring topics, geographic locations, institutions, and activities that are not yet reflected in the subject headings. Look for evidence of ministries (schools, hospitals, social services, foreign missions), geographic reach, and thematic content (governance, spirituality, community life, social justice) that may warrant additional subjects.

You find significant content areas not covered by existing subjects. Search for the term in ArchivesSpace first—if the subject record already exists, link it. If not, create a new subject record using LCSH authority.

Extents (Basic Information section)

Select Whole if describing the entire collection. Select Part if adding a supplementary extent for a subset (e.g., the photographic materials within a larger collection).

Enter the numeric count and select the unit type. Common types: Linear Feet (for textual records in boxes), Items (for discrete objects), Cubic Feet (for oversized materials).

Provide a parenthetical breakdown of the container types. This helps researchers and staff understand what the linear footage translates to physically.

Recount and remeasure after processing. The extent often changes as materials are rehoused, duplicates are removed, or new accessions are integrated. Update the number, container summary, and any supplementary extent entries to reflect the processed state.

Extents → Container Summary, Notes → Physical Description, and Notes → Scope and Contents

Textual records (correspondence, reports, minutes) • Photographs (prints, negatives, slides, albums) • Audiovisual (reel-to-reel, cassettes, VHS, film) • Publications (newsletters, directories, annals, books) • Born-digital (floppy disks, CDs, hard drives, email) • Artwork and artifacts (paintings, textiles, liturgical objects) • Maps, architectural drawings, and oversized materials

Inventory formats during processing. Note the presence of any format that requires special handling, storage, or preservation attention, particularly audiovisual media, born-digital media, nitrate or acetate film, and fragile or oversized items. If you discover formats not mentioned in the original description, add them to the Physical Description note and update the Scope and Contents.

Add a Physical Description note (Note Type: physdesc) listing the formats present and any significant condition issues.

Notes → Add Note → Scope and Contents

Summarize the content, time period, geographic scope, and significance of the collection. Describe the major series or groups of materials. Identify key individuals, institutions, events, and topics documented. Note what formats are present and any significant gaps or absences.

As you work through physical materials, note content that is not reflected in the existing scope and contents note. Common discoveries include: correspondence with notable individuals or institutions, documentation of ministries not previously identified, photographs or publications that expand the collection’s geographic or chronological coverage, and materials documenting community governance, canonical processes, or institutional transitions.

You find content that significantly expands what the collection documents, discover series or groups of materials not described in the existing note, identify topics or individuals that would be important to researchers, or determine that the existing note overstates or understates the collection’s coverage.

Write in clear, professional prose. Avoid jargon. The scope and contents note is often the first thing a researcher reads—it should help them decide whether the collection is relevant to their project.