free guides
free guides
These resources and guides are best practices used by various trusted archival, historical, and information institutions/professionals. These are not meant to be definitive authorities. Please be sure to also do your research, consider consulting published resources first, and be open to standards and best practices changing over time. The archives field is full of many best practices and little standardization.
Congregational Leadership – New
Overview of Archives Central Dominican Repository Problems and Possibilities submitted by Mary Navarre, OP
Arrangement and Description
Arrangement & Description Manual for Processing Archival Collections by Alaska State Historical Records Advisory Board
Finding Aids
How to write your finding aid
Describing Archives: A Content Standard by Society of American Archivists
Finding Aid Examples by Georgia Historical Society
Learning EAD and EAD Examples
EAD by EAD Diva
Encoded Archival Description by Library of Congress
EAD Template by Catholic Research Resources Alliance
Creating an XSLT Stylesheet for EAD Records by Practical Technology for Archives
Audio Preservation
General Guide
Sound Directions: Best Practices for Audio Preservation by Mike Casey and Bruce Gordon
Care and Handling of AV Materials
Proper Care and Handling of Audio Visual Materials by Library of Congress
Caring for Audio by National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Audio and Video Carriers by Dietrich Schuller
Magnetic Tape Storage and Handling by John Van Bogart
AV Storage
IPI Media Storage Quick Reference by Peter Z. Adelstein
Digitization of Audio Records
Guidelines for the Creation of Digital Collections (Audio) by Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois
Video Preservation
Care and Handling of AV Materials
Proper Care and Handling of Audio Visual Materials by Library of Congress
Audio and Video Carriers by Dietrich Schuller
Videotape Identification and Assessment Guide by Texas Commission on the Arts
Magnetic Tape Storage and Handling by John Van Bogart
AV Storage
Quick Reference for AV Storage by Peter Z. Adelstein
Digitization of Video Records
Guidelines for the Creation of Digital Collections (Moving Image) by Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois
Film Preservation
General Guides
The Film Preservation Guide by National Film Preservation Foundation
Home Film Preservation Guide by The Association of Moving Image Archivists
Photograph Preservation
Care, Handling, and Storage
Care, Handling, and Storage of Photographs by Library of Congress
Care of Photographs by Northeast Document Conservation Center
Preservation and Conservation of Photographs Resources gathered by Harry Ransom Center
Introduction to Digital Preservation
General Guides
Digital Preservation—A Focus on Metadata by Emily Reed
Digital Preservation 101 by Digital Powrr
You’ve Got to Walk Before You Can Run: First Steps for Managing Born-Digital Content Received on Physical Media by Ricky Erway
Walk This Way: Detailed Steps for Transferring Born-Digital Content from Media You Can Read In-house by Ricky Erway
Scanning/Digitization
Scanning
Personal Digital Archiving: The Basics of Scanning by Mike Ashenfelder
Minimum Digitization Capture Recommendations by Ian Bogus, George Blood, Robin L. Dale, Robin Leech, and David Matthews
BCR’s CDP Digital Imaging Best Practices by Bibliographic Center for Research
Best Practices and Procedures Guides by Visual Resources Association
File Types
Digital File Types by National Archives
Format Conversion Strategies for Long-Term Preservation by Bentley Historical Library
Naming Conventions
File Naming Best Practices by Renee Wilson, Utah State Archives
Guidelines on File Naming Conventions for Digital Collections by University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
Metadata
What is Metadata?
Metadata by Society of American Archivists
Digital Preservation—A Focus on Metadata by Emily Reed
General Guides
Metadata for Archivists, PowerPoint by Chris Prom
Learning XML and XSLT by w3schools
Standards
Introduction to DublinCore by Stephanie Taylor
DublinCore by dublincore.org
MODS by Library of Congress
METS by Library of Congress
PBCore by pbcore.org
Digital Storage
What People Are Asking About Personal Digital Archiving: Part 2 by Library of Congress
Personal Archiving by Library of Congress
Oral History
Oral History in the Digital Age by Institute of Museum and Library Services
Artifacts/Museum
“Basic Guidelines for the Preservation of Historic Artifacts” by Texas Historical Commission
“National Park Service Museum Handbook” by National Park Service
Records Management
2000 ACWR Records Management Guide
This Records Management Plan is considered a guide. Each congregations’ archival depository is unique and reflects the charism of their particular order. Some: undeCongregations feel strongly about holding on to the terminology of their founders/ foundresses, others differ on what is confide~tial or not confidential while others see some topics under different headings. An Archivist should do what is best for its Congregation and its Charism.