Archives and Manuscripts
Processing Manual

Continued

Preparing news releases about new acquisitions and recently processed collections is an important part of the archival enterprise. Once a significant collection has been acquired and accessioned, the archivist will want to write a general news release about the acquisition. The decision to write a release should be made on a collection-by-collection basis. Not all collections merit releases. The release should be relatively brief (no more than three pages double-spaced or two pages single-spaced) and include the following information (see the examples of a news release at the end of the chapter):

A. Releases for New Acquisitions                                                                

Name of the collection

Information about the collection, including size, bulk dates, items or series of particular interest, and strengths of the collection (be truthful; do not exaggerate)

Name of the donor (if applicable) and when it was donated

Reason why the donor chose Special Collections; provide a quote from the donor if possible or a quote from the Assistant Director for Special Collections or the archivist handling the collection

Information on whether the collection is open or closed until it is processed; if the latter, give an estimate on when processing may be completed (if possible)

Information on whom to contact about the collection; include complete name, address, fax and telephone numbers

Once the release has been written, double-check it for any grammatical and factual errors. If appropriate, have the donor review and revise the release before it is mailed to ensure that all of the information is correct. After this is done, send the release to the addresses in the division's news release database and make sure a copy is sent to the university's News Service. Also, target other publications for releases, such as scholarly journals and organizational newsletters specializing in subjects covered by the collection. This will require some research, but it is well worth it. Ask the donor for appropriate addresses too. Often the donor is your best source for specialized addresses. Make sure a copy of the news release is placed in the collection holding file for possible future reference. It is not to be included in the finding aid.

B. Releases for Newly Opened Collections                                                    

A news release should also be written when important collections are processed and open for research. As mentioned above, the decision to write a release should be made on an individual basis. The more significant and important a collection, the more likely a release should be written and distributed. The release should follow basically the same format and include much of the same information as outlined above. The release for a processed collection, however, may be slightly longer than one for a new acquisition because the collection is more familiar.

The archivist distributing the release should keep the considerations discussed above in mind when identifying and targeting media and scholarly channels for it. Also, consider mailing releases at a time when the collection relates to a particular holiday or celebration. For example, send releases about a labor collection near Labor Day; mail one about an African American collection during Black History Month, etc. Newspapers in particular are always looking for a "hook" for stories about these observances. News about archives and historical materials makes a great "hook."

The second example that follows is of a release for a recently processed collection.

The Special Collections Division of the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries is pleased to announce the acquisition of the personal papers of A. C. Greene, noted journalist, historian, and radio and television commentator. A generous donation by Greene and the support of the University of Texas System Board of Regents made the acquisition of the papers possible.

The Green papers include sixty cubic feet of material and consist of the writer’s personal papers and the historical materials he has amassed during his lifetime. Greene’s personal papers are by far the most important of the two groups and the most voluminous. Among his papers are a thirty-year collection of daily journals maintained by Greene; voluminous correspondence with various literary figures, including most Texas writers of the 1960-1990 period; much material about his involvement with the Texas Institute of Letters, an organization for which he served as vice president, president, and newsletter editor; personal material reflecting his childhood, education, and military service during World War II; notes, drafts, second sheets, corrections, letters, and manuscripts for many of his books and for his "Texas Sketches" syndicated column; photographs, posters, awards, and broadsides reflecting his life and work; and extensive correspondence with Angus Cameron, senior editor for Alfred A. Knopf and former editor for J. Frank Dobie.

The historical materials Greene has collected are also a part of the acquisition. These include the records of the George M. and George E. Dilley Foundry located in Palestine, Texas (1880s-1930s); extensive files relating to the Texas YMCA and Red Cross during World War II; notebooks, unpublished poetry, and essays of Maude E. Cole, Greene’s grandmother and an accomplished poet; and extensive sources and manuscripts relating to Texas railroads.

A. C. Greene was born in Abilene, Texas, in 1923. After serving in the military during World War II, he graduated cum laude in history from Abilene Christian College in 1948 and spent many years as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Abilene (Abilene Reporter-News) and Dallas (Dallas Times Herald). In 1968 he left his editorial position at the Times Herald to pursue a career as a writer and to enroll in the American Civilization program at the University of Texas at Austin. He left the university shortly after receiving a prestigious Dobie-Paisano Fellowship and after publishing his highly regarded first book, A Personal County, in 1969. To date Greene has written eighteen books, scores of magazine articles, and numerous screenplays. Most of his works focus on the history and literature of Texas.

Since the deaths of J. Frank Dobie and Lon Tinkle, it has been Greene, more than anyone else, who has been called upon to define and interpret Texas to a national and international audience. Greene has won a number of regional and national awards, and has recently retired as Resident Professor of Texas Studies at the University of North Texas. He and his wife, Judy, live in Salado, Texas, where he continues to write.

The Greene papers document the life and work of Greene and the development of the Texas literary scene in the second half of the twentieth century, according to Gerald Saxon, assistant director for Special Collections at the University of Texas at Arlington. "Because of his notoriety, personality, and outspokenness," Saxon said, "Greene has led the effort in the popular and academic press to define and promote regional literature. Greene’s own creative work, in addition to his role as literary booster and lightning rod for Texas letters, will draw researchers now and in the future to his collection."

The Greene papers will be open to researchers after they are fully processed. For more information, please contact:

Shirley R. Rodnitzky
Archivist
Special Collections Division
UTA Libraries
Box 19497
Arlington, Texas 76019-0497
817-272-7512 (phone)
817-272-3360 (fax)
Email: Rodnitzky@library.uta.edu

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Women. Women’s history. Women’s issues. Feminism. If you are interested in any of these topics, the most recent collection open for research at UTA can help address these interests. The Special Collections Division of the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries is pleased to announce the opening of the UTA Women’s Center Records. The collection includes eleven boxes plus oversize materials, and dates from 1974-1989, with the bulk of the materials spanning 1974-1984. The collection focuses on the work of the UTA Women’s Center in the area of women’s issues and advancement.

The importance of the collection can be seen in the overall evolution of the Women’s Center and its commitment to the advancement of women. From the sanctioning of the Center for Women’s Studies in 1974, the struggle for women in the academic arena is reflected in these records. As the Center for Women’s Studies grew to encompass the Women’s Center and the Displaced Homemakers Center, the evolution of women’s issues broadened and vied to hold a permanent place in the academic world as well as a place for women in the community to seek aid and assistance. Providing counseling, continuing education, seminars, workshops, training and job placement, the Women’s Center sought to answer the needs of all women.

Of particular interest will be the series of materials on WomanFair, the second annual convention for the South Central Women’s Studies Association that was held at UTA in 1980. These materials contain many original works, such as poetry, plays, and art, and attracted many prominent women from different fields, such as education, business, law, and government. WomanFair brought these professional women together to bring awareness as to what the role of women could be in society. The different panels and workshops that took place during WomanFair represent a diverse and unique look at the interests and concerns to women in the early 1980’s.

The area of women’s studies and women’s issues continues to be one of growth as more researchers and scholars address the role of women in society, past and present. As the interest in women’s issues grows, the need for understanding how women have come to be in the position they hold in society will grow as well. The UTA Women’s Center Records will help address this understanding and aid in the overall picture of women, their issues, and place.

For information about the UTA Women’s Center Records, please contact:

Cynthia Stevenson
Archivist
Special Collections Division
UTA Libraries
Arlington, TX 76019-0497
817-272-7511 (phone)
817-272-3360 (fax)
Email: stevenson@library.uta.edu

Accession Log Form

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Accession Record Form

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Biographical and historical information (Include dates, e.g., birth, death, corporate beginning, ending) (3-4 sentences)

Description (Types of materials in the collection and dates, if available, e.g., correspondence, 1910-1925; ledger, 1912; a summary of the scope and content of the collection; and other persons and/or organizations either as subjects in or having responsibility for the collection ) (1 concise paragraph).

Subjects: people/organizations (List individuals or organizations that created the collection, are well-known or prominent, or for which there is a large amount of material)

Subjects: topics (See list of frequently used headings or use Library of Congress subject headings. Choose a subject or subjects that best identify the collection as a whole. List subjects in order of importance.)

Rev. 1995

Conservation/Preservation Form

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Document Removed Form

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Donor Record Form

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Preliminary Processing Form

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Transfer of Title Form

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Assignment of levels of processing will be made during the accessioning process. The level assignment can be added to the accession form below the Accession Number until the form is revised.

All collections will be housed in acid-free, lignin free folders and boxes. Paper clips, staples, rubber bands and any hardware that is damaging to the materials shall be removed for any level of processing. See chapter five for processing procedures.

Level 1: Full processing, complete finding aid, container list to the item level. This level is rarely used. Reserved for collections of rare documents or collections of very few items.

Level 2: Full processing, complete finding aid, container list to the folder level or a combination of box and folder level description as appropriate. Reserved for collections that are important, will have heavy use, and have much research value.

Level 3: Full processing, condensed finding aid, container list to the box level, bound volume, or microfilm reel. Reserved for very large collections, such as political, labor, or business collections and collections with large groupings of the same document types that need little detail or elaboration, such as grievance files, constituent correspondence, or newspaper clippings. The scope and contents section should briefly summarize the subject content of the materials in lieu of elaboration in the container list.

Level 4: Minimal processing, finding aid optional or more frequently no finding aid. Assign collection number and shelve in the final location. Create collection description for addenda to the Guide to Archives and Manuscripts in lieu of a finding aid. Reserved for single items, such as a scrapbook, diary, ledger, manuscript, photo album, one letter, or a collection of a few letters or other document types, or a small collection of printed materials.

Special Collections Division
The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries

If a processed and open collection is to be returned to the donor or sent to another repository, the Libraries may decide to negotiate with the donor or repository the recovery of costs (such as archival supplies, etc.) associated with the storage, processing, and preservation of the collection. Once a collection has been deaccessioned, the Special Collections Division will keep in its holding files a permanent record of its disposition along with all relevant documentation about it.

Appendix C: Charts and Tables

Conversion Chart
Boxes to Linear Feet

PROCESSING FLOW CHART

    ACCESSION FORM

        CREATE HOLDING FILE

            TRANSFER TITLE & THANK YOU LETTER

                DONOR RECORD

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