All accessions of the University Archives will be described at the Series level using standard inventory methodology, eventually resulting in inventories published on the Archives web site. Accessions that have not yet been fully inventoried or have not been processed will be temporarily described on the Archives web pages in summary description form at the Series level. See the Summary Descriptions policy for more details on the development of these initial finding aids.
2. PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to make uniform the description of the holdings of the University Archives in order to promote their access and use by the public and the University community.
3. SCOPE:
This policy applies to all University of Missouri - Columbia Archives staff members.
4. RESPONSIBILITIES:
4-1. The University Archivist is responsible for all decisions concerning the description of record collections within the Archives.
4-2. The University Archives staff are responsible for the description for record collections within the Archives.
5. DEFINITIONS:
5-1. Accession Number - a unique number assigned upon receipt to each group of records. The number begins with the letter "A", followed by the last two numerals of the current year, a hyphen, and the next number in sequence from that year's list of accession numbers. The number is usually set within parentheses, e.g., (A98-14).
5-2. Box List - a finding aid that describes the size and the contents of each box or container, usually by listing of folder titles.
5-3. "C" - part of the call number of a record group or sub-group which indicates that the records were created by an administrative unit of the University of Missouri-Columbia campus and not the University of Missouri System.
5-4. ca. - abbreviation for "circa", an indication that a date is approximate and not exact. Its proper use is for records or documents for which there is no written date and the only evidence of the time and date is by inference from collection context. It is always written as "ca." on any web page.
5-5. Call Number - a number which provides two pieces of information about the collection or record group. The first letters either "UW" or "C", identify whether the records are System (University Wide) records or Columbia campus records. The numbers which follow indicate the originating office and the number of collections processed from that office.
5-6. Dates - dates of archival materials are noted in two forms, span dates and bulk dates. Span dates indicate the first and last date of materials in a body of records being described; bulk dates indicate the date span of most of the materials or the bulk of the records.
5-7. Kardex - manual card-index system that contains summary descriptions and control information on archival accessions.
5-8. Location Codes - these designations list the location and/or storage facility of the records.
5-9. Series Description - description of the function or relationship of the records within a record series.
5-10. UMUW Form 171 - University Archives Inventory Worksheet.
5-11. UMUW Form 106 - University Archives Control Card, used in the Kardex File system.
5-12. UW - used as part of the call number of a body of records, it indicates that the records were created by an administrative unit of the University of Missouri System and not the University of Missouri - Columbia campus .
6. PROCEDURES:
6-1. A Control Card (UMUW Form 106; after 2020, this form is only to be completed electroncially) must be filled out after the Inventory is completed. The Control Cards in the Kardex file are similar in nature to the card catalog system in a library. They give the researcher an overall view of what is available in each classification or Record Group and a brief description of what is contained within each collection. The control cards in the Kardex file are color-coded as described below. Color coding is not as strictly adhered to, since the advent of web descriptions.
Blue cards were used for regular University records or manuscript material such as general correspondence, photographs, copies of speeches, etc.
White cards are used for printed materials such as bulletins, news releases, annual reports, etc.
Yellow cards - materials which require mechanical assistance to view them. These include microfilms, tapes, cassettes, movie films and video cassettes.
The Control Card (Form 106) should include all requested information including the accession number, title and dates of the collection, and a brief description of the contents. The location and volume of the collection are also entered on the card.
6-2. A Box List should be completed after the Inventory Sheet and Control Card have been completed. This list includes the classification number and titles for the classification, the dates of the collection, and the number of boxes or packages and their size. Across from each box or package should be entered a brief description of what each contains, such as the number of file folders in each, or other suitable description. The purpose of a box list is to provide some rudimentary information about how materials are divided among boxes. This container information allows the archivist to select and call back from the Records Center the most likely box(s) of material for research when a collection has not been processed or inventoried.
6-2-1. In the case when a collection is immediately inventoried after being accessioned into archival custody, the full inventory listing with stand in for the basic box list for an inventoried.
6-3. Each box or package should then be identified with a label.
6-3-1. If the boxes are intended for on-site storage, then the small white label will be used. Cubic foot boxes require two labels, one on an end underneath the handle hole, the other on the left hand side of the box from the first label. 1/3 and 1/6 foot boxes require only one label, below the cover flap on the same end of the box as the pull string. These labels should contain the Record Group and Sub-Group titles, the dates of the collection, the collection number, and the box number.
6-3-2. If the boxes are intended for off-site storage, either a UMUW Form 121 label (for Records Center storage) should be used or the labelling for on-site storage (for University of Missouri Library Depository storage) described in Section 6-4 above should be used. In the latter case, additional annotation on the top end of the box is added: repeating the unique Classification number and box number as well as applying an "Archival Preservation" sticker. Labels for boxes intended for off-site storage can be secured with a piece of the wide, clear packaging tape.
6-4. The final step of the description process is the creation of the archival finding aid for the collection. See the Archival Finding Aids policy, for details on the preparation of finding aids to archival records.
Return to the Table of Contents
7. APPENDICES:
7-1. University Archives Inventory Work Sheet, Form UMUW 171, completed.
7-2. University Archives Control Card (Kardex Card), Form UMUW 106, completed.
7-3. University Records Center Box Label, Form UM 121, completed.
7-4. MU Archives Box Label, completed.
Revised: 03 May 2024
Copyright © Curators of the University of Missouri 1997-2005
Published by: University Archives muarchives.missouri.edu/
URL: https://muarchives.missouri.edu/man-p6.html
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