Message
I wonder if we are not confusing what the archival supply catalogs refer to as record storage boxes (15x12x10) with document cases (letter size 12.25x10.25x5 and legal size, 15.25x10.25x5).  The former will hold upwards of 25 folders, depending upon whether they are legal or letter, while the latter holds 8-15 folders.
 
For what it's worth, the standard for processing that I always followed was that it was possible to completely process 1 cubic foot of records in 8 hours on average.
 
Kevin Logan
Special Collections Librarian
Lakeland (FL) Public Library
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kathy Mitchell
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 12:52 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: cost to process a collection - supplies issue

Hi Laurie,
I was curious about your estimate of 10 or 12 folders to 30 or 40 folders per box.  We recently finished processing a large political papers collection, and it seemed to me there were more folders per box, so I did a quick estimate.  We also use the legal by letter record center boxes, and we use letter size folders (for just about everything except some newspaper clippings).  Our average is 40 folders per box, with a low of 20 and a high of 101.  I suppose if you use legal folders you might have only 10 folders in a box, but that struck me as really low.  I know some of our collections have an average more around 50 folders per box.  I think if I had both legal and letter size folders I would estimate them separately.
 
Just some thoughts.  Interesting discussion!
 
Kathy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathy Mitchell
Archives Specialist
Special Collections & Archives
Penrose Library
University of Denver
2150 E. Evans Ave.
Denver, CO 80208
ph. 303.871.3428
fax 303.871.2290
[log in to unmask]

http://library.du.edu/about/collections/specialcollections/


From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Laurie Langland
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 8:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: cost to process a collection

I’ve been asked to calculate some estimates to finish processing one of our collections (the non-political papers, photos, memorabilia, etc. of a former politician) and to re-process another collection (political papers and other material of a former politician). I’m to use my salary and benefits to calculate the labor. But we’re unsure of the amount of time to use. One formula we’ve been told is 4 hours per linear foot. Does that seem reasonable for processing additional boxes of papers and other material, as well as updating the current finding aid?

 

As for supplies for both collections, I can estimate the number of record storage boxes we’d need – we use the legal by letter size archival boxes. But I’m unsure of how many folders to estimate as an average per box, as it can vary from 10 or 12 per box to 30 or 40. I also need to guesstimate supplies for other formats, such as photos, audio and visual material, and artwork.  

 

Re-processing may not be quite the right word for the one collection – it’s approximately 250-300 linear feet of political papers plus family memorabilia, artwork, and other miscellaneous items. It was indexed quite extensively 40 years ago, but the collection has undergone many changes over the years. It needs to be re-housed in archival folders and boxes and other storage containers. Also, the massive index needs to be corrected and updated as the collection is worked through. Would the 4 hours per linear foot be a workable estimate for this type of project? (In the handling of this collection, files have gotten out of order – some may have been misfiled, but we’re afraid that others have disappeared forever.)

 

Is there anything else we haven’t thought of? Any suggestions and advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

Laurie Langland

University Archivist/Director of Service Learning

Layne Library, Dakota Wesleyan University

1200 W. University Ave.

Mitchell, SD 57301

 

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