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• This section of the University Archives Procedure Manual addresses archival processing.

• Processing includes the core archival functions of arrangement, archival description, and archival storage.

• Processing also involves a number of software applications. For more information, see the explanation of archives systems provided in the Introduction to the Dalhousie University Archives learning module.

Basic concepts

Staff working on archival arrangement and description should understand the following terms:

• Access point

• Archival appraisal

• Archival arrangement

• Archival authority record

• Arrangement

• Collection ID

• Description

• Level of arrangement

• Office ID

• Office of Primary Responsibility

• Office of Secondary Responsibility

• Original order

• Producer

• Provenance

• Reference code

Training

Arrangement and description training is best done through dedicated courses on the subject. Examples include:

• Arrangement and description workshop delivered by the Council of Nova Scotia Archives (semi-regular schedule)
  

• INFO 6800 Archives and INFO 6860 Archives II courses offered annually by the Dalhousie School of Information Management
  

• Archives Learning Community

Documentation

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