Taking care of your family archives- part 8

We have already discussed what family archives are, what to keep, the physical conditions, packaging requirements and options, storage guidelines and environment, arrangement of your family archives and the format and layout of the inventory. This time we will discuss the description of the documents in an inventory and the numbering system.

9. Description of the documents in an inventory

If you have already compiled a rough list of the different series in your family archives during the detailed sorting, these can now be utilised to serve as a basis for compiling the final inventory. This will contain a description of all the individual items in your archival collection.

Remember that the description should begin more generally and then become more specific. Start at the main series, which are described in a general manner, before moving to more specific levels of sub-series and items. The items should be described in 3 columns, namely volume number, description and period. For example: Diaries, Jo Els, 1950 July 5 – 1966 May 1.

General suggestions for adding archives to an inventory:

You can begin each main series on a separate page. This offers a fixed spot for locating each main series and facilitates its retrieval. This also allows additions to be inserted in the main series without disrupting the inventory.

Three basic principles are used when drawing up an inventory. It must be: logical and consistent, elastic and as simple as possible:

- Logical and consistent: The inventory should not merely be patched together without reason or purpose. The fixed pattern decided on must be followed consistently, throughout.

- Elastic: The numbering system should be elastic so that additions can be made at the correct place without disrupting the original pattern.

- As simple as possible: Preference is given to an uncomplicated approach, rather than one which involves too many methods.

Numbering systems:

After the main series and sub-series have been determined, each archival record or item has to be given a reference number which will be indicated next to the items in the inventory as well as provided on the items themselves.

The numbering of archives serves multiple purposes: It is a necessary technique for keeping the different divisions under control, it reflects the underlying relationships of the subdivisions, and it serves as a handy label for reference purposes.

There are several numbering systems that can be used to describe archives in an inventory. For example, numerical (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), alphabetical (A, B, C, D, etc.), alpha-numerical (A1, A2, B1, B2, etc.) and many more. There are people who use alphabetical or alpha-numerical systems, but alphabetical systems can be impractical. With this system, the related main series are separated from each other. Therefore, the alphabetical sequence cannot be effectively maintained when additions have to be made. This makes determining a generally acceptable set of keywords an impossible task and can cause confusion with regards to retrieval.

When compiling an inventory, provision should be made for immediate and future needs. No collection remains so static that there is never a question of any amendments or additions being necessary. One of the best systems is to distinguish volumes of archives by stroke numbers (1/1, 1/1/1, 2/1, 2/1/3/1, etc.). Stroke numbers are useful in that they enable additions to be made without disturbing the original numbering in the inventory.

The method of stroke-numbering lends a natural elasticity to the inventory, allowing additions to be made in the correct place without disrupting the entire inventory. The use of underlining also forms an integral part of the numbering technique. An underlined description indicates a heading. This in turn denotes further subdivision, which provides for the creation of subsequent, more specific subdivision. See example a.

The first or primary number indicates the main series, the secondary number the sub-series, and the tertiary number the volume – 1/1/1:

Main subject or series/subject or sub-series/sub-division or item = Diaries/Jan Els/diary = 1/1/1. See examples b, c and d.

A number is allocated to each main series, sub-series and item, starting from 1 at each series or sub-series. A number for an item is then obtained by combining the numbers of all the series, and separating them by means of diagonal strokes, e.g. 5/2/3. Each figure in a sequence of numbers such as this, represents a particular level of division. Where the figure falls in the sequence indicates whether the item is subordinate to, or an aspect of, the previous figure.

Once the numbering system is understood, you will know exactly where to find the appropriate item. It is seldom necessary to use more than four stroke numbers. The objection that a long number is confusing is not always valid for if the inventory is logical, it can usually be remembered very easily. The problems inherent in an inflexible inventory, far exceed those using sets of stroke numbers.

There are certain records that are more difficult to describe in an inventory by using stroke numbers. There are others that can accumulate so rapidly that using stroke numbers will make your inventory look bulky and clumsy, for example published books, photographs, maps, etc. For this reason, and to find a solution to adding a large amount of items in the inventory, the use of annexures are valuable.

Publications can be included in the annexures alphabetically, according to the surname of the author. Photographs can be numbered consecutively or described chronologically or alphabetically; as long as there is a complete list of all your photographs. This is especially important for those photographs which were created before digital pictures were introduced. If you do decide to digitise these photographs, it would be worthwhile to preserve the original paper photographs as well. Maps can be described alphabetically in the annexures according to the place(s) they cover.

When your inventory is completed, volume numbers should be affixed to the items. Volume numbers can be written in pencil on the volumes. If labels are used, make sure that they are archival quality or only affixed to the enclosures (not affixed directly onto the archival volumes). There are many innovative ways to affix numbers onto your archives without damaging the items. Once the labeling has been completed, check that the volume numbers in your inventory correspond exactly with the labels on the archives.

Always keep a hard copy of the inventory somewhere it can be found easily (close to your archives). It is also valuable to have a copy that can be filed elsewhere.

Next time, we will deal with the digitisation of your archives.