Archival Consulting Services
SERVICES
Archival Consulting
Did you just inherit a large collection of family documents, but have no idea what they are, what to do with them, or where to start? Are you coming from an organization whose digital files are in disarray or you simply need help updating to current standards and best practices while also processing your backlog of materials?
How Can Anderson Archival Help?
No need to worry! The experts at Anderson Archival provide archival consulting services for both your physical collection and digital holdings based on best practices as laid out by the Society of American Archivists (SAA), American Library Association (ALA), ARMA International, and the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC), along with trusted cultural heritage institutions such as the Smithsonian and the National Archives and Records Administration. Trust our team comprised of Master's degree-educated staff with a love for library sciences.
Customized Plans to Meet Your Needs
Not sure where to begin with your collection or how to start a digitization project or even? We can help you sort out the collection and the scope of the project you want to do. We look at content (physical or digital), condition, processes utilized within the collection, uses of the collection, and the health of any digital materials. If something is too damaged for us to safely handle, we can recommend a skilled conservationist.
Collection Assessment
Not sure where to begin your digitization project or even what you have? We can help you sort out the collection and the scope of the project you want to do. We look at content (physical or digital), condition, and the health of any digital materials. If something is too damaged for us to safely handle, we can recommend a skilled conservationist.
Custom Discovery and Intake
Feeling overwhelmed with boxes upon boxes of photos, videos, albums, letters, and mementos? Unsure where to start with digitizing your cherished memories? Don’t have the time to comb through everything? Let us take the burden off your shoulders with our Custom Discovery and Intake Service.
Collection Assessment and Analysis
- Scope and Content Evaluation: Thorough review of the collection (either physical or digital) to determine material types, subject themes, time periods, gaps in the collection, and items of significance. This includes a basic finding aid and detailed description of collection content, findings, and consultations with our expert team. Preservation solutions for the collection can be added.*
- Condition Assessment: Evaluation of the collection’s condition and current storage practices to determine if conservation treatment is required or if either the collection or storage areas would benefit from specialized rehousing and storage solutions. This includes detailed documentation of findings and recommendations that fall within scope and budget based on client interviews.
- Digital Collection Assessment and Use: Inspection of the digital collection that includes an assessment of how files are/could be utilized within the collection and issues such as file corruption, outdated file formats, limited storage space, or disorganized files. This includes detailed documentation of findings and recommendations for digital preservation that fall within scope and budget based on client interviews.
*Please note that Anderson Archival does not offer financial appraisal services of any kind.
Custom Discovery and Intake
Not everyone has the time, expertise, or personnel available to sort through boxes of unorganized photos or documents to figure out what’s there and how much is important to save. Anderson Archival will handle the discovery process for you and provide an inventory of the collection according to your specific needs. We will also offer recommendations for any physical needs such as conservation for fragile or famaged materials or rehousing to ensure future preservation.
Preservation Solutions
- Collection Arrangement: Creation and implementation of a customized collection arrangement plan for the physical and/or digital collection. The plan may include basic finding aids and collection arrangement options such as maintaining original order, arrangement into series and subseries by subject themes and/or time periods, or a more customized solution based on the collection and client’s needs.
- Rehousing: Development and application of a customized rehousing plan that meets the client’s budget and utilizes archival-quality housing materials. May also include a collection storage plan that addresses current storage area concerns discovered in the condition assessment.
- Preservation and Digitization Planning: Preservation plan formulated with the client based on the Collection Analysis that determines how and what in the collection will be preserved physically and/or digitally, the collection arrangement and rehousing plans, scanning and image processing standards, metadata creation, and final deliverables. Unable to send your collection to us? We can travel to you or work with you to create a thorough digitization plan.
- Records Management: Records management solutions and support, including an evaluation of current records management systems, such as Digital Asset Management Systems (DAMS). May also include DAMS recommendations, setup, collection and metadata upload, and client training in the chosen DAMS.
Client Support
- Grant List: A list of potentially applicable grants available on the Anderson Archival website that clients may utilize to assist with project funding. Please note that Anderson Archival is not associated with any of the listed programs and is therefore unable to answer questions or give further information about them.
- Access and Outreach: Options for enhancing access to client’s digital collection through online platforms and other outreach initiatives.
- Policy Development: Client support throughout the development of archival policies and guidelines for the continued preservation of the physical and/or digital collection, including any new materials that may enter the collection.
