The University of Michigan
School of Information and University Library
Spring - Fall 2000
The following procedures detail the steps that should be followed in the use of the Archives collections and in the accessioning of new materials by the Archives. Consistent completion of the required forms will facilitate efficient record keeping and collection control and management, allowing the Archives to better serve its community and protect its materials.
Standardized usage procedures are essential for assuring fair, equal, and safe access to the Little Big Horn Archives resources. All users are expected to adhere to these procedures it they wish to utilize the Archives materials.
1) All users must agree to follow the rules of the Archives as detailed under the Little Big Horn Access Policies section of this manual. Rules are posted in the Archives building and should be reviewed by all users.
2) All on-site users must sign the log every day including address, date, and collection used.
3) To request access to materials, researchers should fill out the Researcher Application form (see Appendix A) and submit the form to the Archivist. Keep in mind that some materials may require up to two days prior notice. If possible, it is recommended that researchers contact the Archivist prior their visit to assure that the materials will be available at that time.
4) Photocopies of materials may be made on the premises of the Archives if the Archivist deems that no damage is posed to the selected materials. Photocopies are 5 cents a page for Little Big Horn College students, faculty, and staff and 10 cents for non-affiliates of the College.
5) To obtain copies of photographs, slides, audio/video tapes, etc., users must fill out and submit to the Archivist a Request for Reproduction form (see Appendix B). If there are no restrictions on the reproduction of the desired materials, the Archivist will then determine cost and time on a case by case basis.
The Little Big Horn Archives focuses on collecting and preserving original materials of interest and value to the Crow Indian community. It is particularly important that collections coming to the Archives be properly assessed and accessioned following the outlined procedures due to space and resource limitations. Collections not properly accessioned can pose difficulties for archival management and control and can severely hinder processing. If the Archivist is not available to perform the accession procedures, a responsible representative of Little Big Horn College may do so with the Archivist’s consent and guidance.
1) Interested donors should contact the Little Big Horn College Archivist to discuss their potential gifts and donations. The Archivist will help evaluate the materials to be donated and determine if they fall within the parameters of the Archives’ collection policies. Examples of materials the Archives may decline include books in print that are available through the library system and photocopies of materials that are readily available elsewhere and are not an integral part of a Donor’s research process. The Archivist may suggest alternative repositories or uses for materials if they are not suited for the Little Big Horn College Archives collection.
2) If the Donor and the Archivist decide to proceed with the donation, an Archives and Records Transfer Agreement (Deed of Gift) (see Appendix C) should be completed and signed by both parties. If the donation is a taped oral history, an Oral History Release Form (see Appendix H) should be completed and signed in place of the Transfer Agreement.
3) An accession number should be assigned to the collection immediately.
4) Using information from the Donor and any other necessary research, the Archivist should complete a Provenance Statement sheet (see Appendix E).
5) The Archivist should complete the Collection Data Sheet (see Appendix D), including as much of the requested information as possible.
6) The collection should be examined and evaluated in regards to its physical condition and a Conservation Assessment sheet (see Appendix F) should be filled out noting specific conservation needs.
7) Once the above steps are completed, copies of each form should be placed in a file folder labeled with the collection’s name. A Collection Information Check List (see Appendix F) should be completed and placed in the folder as well.
7) Using the information from the file folder contents, the collection should be added to the Little Big Horn Archives inventory sheets.
8) The collection should be prioritized for processing and conservation needs.
9) Upon completion of any processing or conservation tasks, the Collection Information
Check List and the Little Big Horn Archives inventory sheets should be updated.
Archives work done 07/2000 by Cris Paschild, student, University of Michigan School of Information.
Last update was November 14, 2000 by KRS. The URL is: http://www.si.umich.edu/chpi/lbhc/
If you have comments please contact Nancy Pulsipher, the webmistress.