All digitization projects should have pre-established handling guidelines. The following provides general guidance on the proper handling of archival materials for digitization projects. This appendix is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute a policy. Handling guidelines may need to be modified for specific projects based on the records being digitized and their condition.
1. Physical Security
As records are received for digitization, they should be logged into the lab area for temporary storage. The log should include-
o date and time records received
o job or project title (batch identification if applicable) o item count
o NARA citation/identification (including custodial unit or LICON) o media or physical description of the records
o person dropping off records (archivist/technician/etc. and unit) o lab personnel log-in or acceptance of records
o requested due date o special instructions o date completed
o date and time records picked-up
o person picking up records (archivist/technician/etc. and unit) o lab personnel log-out of records
The above list is not intended to be comprehensive, other fields may be required or desirable.
Records should be stored in a secure area that provides appropriate physical protection. Storage areas should meet all NARA requirements and environmental standards for records storage or processing areas - see 36 CFR, Part 1228, Subpart K, Facility Standards for Records Storage Facilities at
http://www.archives.gov/about_us/regulations/part_1228_k.html
2. Equipment
a. Preservation Programs, NWT, shall review and approve all equipment prior to beginning projects. b. The unit/partner/contractor shall not use automatic feed devices, drum scanners or other machines that
require archival materials to be fed into rollers or wrapped around rollers, that place excessive pressure on archival materials, or require the document to be taped to a cylinder. Motorized transport is acceptable when scanning microfilm.
c. The unit’s/partner’s/contractor's equipment shall have platens or copy boards upon which physical items are supported over their entire surface.
d.The unit/partner/contractor shall not use equipment having devices that exert pressure on or that affix archival materials to any surface. The unit/partner/contractor shall ensure that no equipment comes into contact with archival materials in a manner that causes friction. The unit/partner/contractor shall not affix pressure sensitive adhesive tape, nor any other adhesive substance, to any archival materials.
e. The unit/partner/contractor shall not use equipment with light sources that raise the surface temperature of the physical item being digitized. The unit/partner/contractor shall filter light sources that generate
ultraviolet light. Preservation Programs, NWT shall have the right to review the lighting parameters for digitizing, including the number of times a single item can be scanned, the light intensity, the ultraviolet and infrared content, and the duration of the scan.
f. The scanning/digitization area shall have sufficient space and flat horizontal work-surfaces (tables, carts, shelves, etc.) to work with and handle the records safely.
3. Procedures
a. Custodial units shall maintain written records of pulling archival materials for digitization and of the receipt of materials when returned to the custodial units. The unit/partner/contractor shall keep any tracking paperwork with the archival materials and/or their containers.
b. The unit/partner/contractor shall keep all archival materials in their original order and return them to their original jackets or containers. The unit/partner/contractor shall not leave archival materials unattended or uncovered on digitizing equipment or elsewhere. The unit/partner/contractor shall return archival materials left un-digitized, but needed for the next day’s work, to their jackets and containers and place them in the appropriate secure storage areas in the unit’s/partner’s/contractor’s work area. The unit/ partner/contractor shall return completed batches of archival materials to NARA staff in the unit’s/partner’s/contractor’s work area.
c. Review of the condition of the records should take place prior to the beginning of the digitization project and shall be done in consultation with Preservation Programs, NWT. During digitization, the
unit/partner/contractor shall report archival materials that are rolled (excluding roll film), folded, or in poor condition and cannot be safely digitized, and seek further guidance from NARA custodial staff and
Preservation Programs, NWT, before proceeding.
d.The unit/partner/contractor shall not remove encapsulated archival materials from their encapsulation or sleeved documents from L-sleeves. The unit/partner/contractor may remove L-sleeves with permission of custodial staff.
e. The unit/partner/contractor shall place archival materials flat on the platen- rolling, pulling, bending, or folding of archival materials is not permitted, and items shall be supported over their entire surface on the platen- no part of an item shall overhang the platen so that it is unsupported at any time. The
unit/partner/contractor shall not place archival materials that may be damaged, such as rolled, folded, warped, curling, or on warped and/or fragile mounts, on the platen. The unit/partner/contractor shall place only one physical item at a time on a surface appropriate for the item’s size and format, except when
scanning 35mm slides in a batch mode on a flatbed scanner. The unit/partner/contractor shall handle archival materials in bound volumes carefully and not force them open or place them face down. The unit/partner/contractor shall use book cradles to support volumes, and volumes shall be digitized in a face up orientation on cradles.
f. The unit/partner/contractor shall not place objects such as books, papers, pens, and pencils on archival materials or their containers. The unit/partner/contractor shall not lean on, sit on, or otherwise apply pressure to archival materials or their containers. The unit/partner/contractor shall use only lead pencils as writing implements near archival materials or their containers. The unit/partner/contractor shall not write on or otherwise mark archival materials, jackets, or containers. The unit/partner/contractor shall not use Tacky finger, rubber fingers, or other materials to increase tackiness that may transfer residue to the records. g. The unit/partner/contractor shall not smoke, drink, or eat in the room where archival materials or their
containers are located. The unit/partner/contractor shall not permit anyone to bring tobacco, liquids, and food into the room where archival materials or their containers are located.
h. Unit/partner/contractor staff shall clean their hands prior to handling records and avoid the use of hand lotions before working with archival materials. Unit/partner/contractor staff shall wear clean white cotton gloves at all times when handling photographic film materials, such as negatives, color transparencies, aerial film, microfilm, etc. The unit/partner/contractor shall provide gloves. For some types of originals using cotton gloves can inhibit safe handling, such as when working with glass plate negatives.
i. The unit/partner/contractor shall reinsert all photographic negatives, and other sheet film, removed from jackets in proper orientation with the emulsion side away from the seams. The unit/partner/contractor shall unwind roll film carefully and rewind roll film as soon as the digitizing is finished. The
unit/partner/contractor shall rewind any rolls of film with the emulsion side in and with the head/start of the roll out.
j. NARA custodial staff and Preservation Programs, NWT, shall have the right to inspect, without notice, the unit/partner/contractor work areas and digitizing procedures or to be present at all times when archival materials are being handled. Units/partners/contractors are encouraged to consult with Preservation
Programs, NWT, staff for clarification of these procedures or when any difficulties or problems arise. 4. Training
Training shall be provided by Preservation Programs, NWT, for archival material handling and certification of unit/partner/contractor staff prior to beginning any digitization. Any new unit/partner/contractor staff assigned to this project after the start date shall be trained and certified before handling archival materials.