Balancing the Art and Science of Archival Processing Metrics and Assessment

Authors

Sarah R. Jones, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Cyndi Shein, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Tammi Kim, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Karla Irwin, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2020

Publication Title

Journal of Western Archives

Volume

11

Issue

1

First page number:

1

Last page number:

36

Abstract

At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) University Libraries, archival processing metrics are used to support value propositions, project proposals, project management, and strategic planning. When making data-driven decisions, UNLV Special Collections Technical Services staff strive to balance the art and science of archival processing metrics—to critically assess their data and look beyond the numbers for additional information that brings meaning to the metrics. In this research paper, the authors review processing metrics across the profession and place their own archival processing field data within the context of more than three decades of professional practice. They report and explore UNLV’s processing rates and the variables that potentially influence their rates. Learning from methods piloted during special projects, they reach toward a more streamlined, sustainable assessment practice. They also include a “work in progress”—an experimental framework that suggests core processing data points for UNLV with a second tier of optional data points that may add value to metrics in specific circumstances. The flexibility and extensibility of the framework give it the potential to serve as a model for other repositories.

Disciplines

Archival Science | Library and Information Science | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Language

English

Repository Citation

Jones, S. R., Shein, C., Kim, T., Irwin, K. (2020). Balancing the Art and Science of Archival Processing Metrics and Assessment. Journal of Western Archives, 11(1), 1-36.