Margot Note
Margot Note is an author, archivist, and records manager helping individuals and organizations harness their history. As the principal of Margot Note Consulting LLC, she facilitates the understanding of the importance of unique collections, suggesting ways to manage them and use them to tell stories to connect with people. To learn more, please visit margotnote.com.
Webinar recordings
Margot Note Webinars
Measuring Archival Impact
From Caretakers to Catalysts: Leadership in Archives
Embracing Technology for Stakeholder Engagement
Unlocking Potential through Collaborations
Archivists: Elevating Through Branding
Harnessing Marketing Strategies for Archival Services
Championing Exceptional Archival Services
Archival Relationship-Building
Organizational Culture and Internal Advocacy
Archivist’s Guide to Internal Advocacy
Archivists and Records Managers: The Dynamic Duo
Archival Access
Archival Description
Archival Digitization Planning
Selection for Archival Digitization
Archival Digitization Fundamentals
Making the Case for Archival Digitization
Reach New Archival Audiences: Optimize Communication
Reach New Archival Audiences: Foster Creativity
Reach New Archival Audiences: Prioritize Connection
Reach New Archival Audiences: Create a Community
Archival CMS Efficiencies; Metrics and Reporting
Archival CMS Efficiencies; Export Standard Formats
Archival CMS Efficiencies; Email Integration
Archival CMS Efficiencies; Impact on Service
Archival CMS Integrated Portal Impact
Archival CMS Essentials Visibility Access
Fully Leveraging Collections Management Systems
Implementing Collections Management Systems
Preparing a Transition Plan for Your New Archival CMS
Everything You Want to Know About Digital Preservation
Selecting Collections Management Systems—Know Your Options
Digital Preservation Without Tears: Fundamentals for Future-Ready Archivists
Illuminating Archival CMS Requirements
Improving Archival Work through Collections Management Systems
Why Reviewing Completed Projects Makes All the Difference
Monitor Performance to Keep Your Project on Track
Key to Successful Archives Project Management Part 3: Leading and Managing Project Teams
Keys to Succesful Archives Project Management Part 2: Dynamic, Iterative Project Planning
Keys to Successful Archives Project Management Part 1: How to Position Your Archival Project for Success
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Blog posts
Margot Note
Honoring Cultural Protocols in Archival Practice
Learn how archives can honor Indigenous cultural protocols, reframe stewardship, and move toward ethical, reciprocal, and commun...
Centering Sovereignty in Archives: Decolonial Approaches to Indigenous Knowledge
Margot Note explores how centering sovereignty in archives supports Indigenous rights, decolonial practice, justice, and cultura...
The Ethical Use of Born-Digital Materials in Archives
Born-digital records introduce complex ethical dilemmas involving consent, privacy, preservation, and access. Archivists must re...
Ready to Read: Funding Your Archives’ Future: How to Secure Support and Budget for Success
Archivist Margot Note’s newest title is now available from Lucidea Press: Funding Your Archives’ Future: How to Secure Support a...
Redaction in Archives: Ethical Imperatives in a Digital-First World
As archives increasingly digitize collections and acquire born-digital records, redaction has become more complex than ever. Arc...
Data Privacy in Archives: Navigating Ethics and Access
With the proliferation of personal data in born-digital and digitized collections, archivists must navigate the tension between ...
The Archivist’s Dilemma: Ethical Approaches to Surveillance
As surveillance technologies evolve, archivists are increasingly faced with difficult ethical questions. Decisions about what to...
Designing for Emotional Engagement in Archives
Discover how emotionally engaged archives use empathy, trauma-informed design, and storytelling to foster meaningful archival ex...
Designing Accessible Archives: Rethinking the Reading Room Experience
Discover how archivists can use design thinking to transform archival reading rooms into accessible, welcoming spaces that suppo...
How to Develop User-Centered Archival Discovery Tools with Design Thinking
Design thinking offers a flexible, user-focused approach to improving archival discovery tools. Learn how to apply it to make yo...
How to Create Neurodiverse-Friendly Archives
In today's blog post, archives expert Margot Note discusses the importance of designing archival spaces that are inclusive, acce...
The Role of Transcription in Archival Accessibility
For archives, transcription isn’t just a helpful add-on—it’s a foundational practice for accessible, ethical archival design. Fr...
Prioritizing Screen Reader Access: A Fundamental Responsibility for Digital Archives
As archives increasingly move into the digital realm, ensuring online accessibility has become a fundamental responsibility. For...
How to Design Inclusive Archives: Accessibility in Physical and Digital Spaces
Inclusive design in archives is a commitment to equity, participation, and dignity. From reading rooms to digital catalogs, acce...
How to Empower Archives Users Through Effective Reference Services
A well-structured reference service can demystify the research process and support archives users by offering personalized consu...
How to Improve User Access to Archival Materials
Ensuring user access to archival materials is essential for supporting research, education, and community engagement. Archivists...
Post-Disaster Recovery in Archives: Best Practices for Damage Assessment and Preservation
When disaster strikes an archive, immediate action is critical to stabilize collections, assess damage, and prevent further loss...
How to Prepare for the Unexpected: Archival Disaster Response and Recovery Plans
Learn how to create an archival disaster response and recovery plan to protect collections from natural and human-made threats.
5 Essential Elements of Archival Security: Creating a Safe and Accessible Collection Environment
Discover the essential elements of archival security—from access control to environmental monitoring—and learn how to protect yo...
Developing a Long-Term Preservation Strategy for Archives
Short-term fixes can’t protect archival collections forever. A long-term preservation strategy is essential to ensure materials ...
Best Practices for Archival Storage: Materials and Planning Essentials
Learn how to choose archival storage materials and enclosures to preserve documents, photos, books, and digital records for long...
Principles of Archival Preservation: Agents of Deterioration and Preservation Strategies
Explore the 5 key agents of deterioration and essential archival preservation strategies to safeguard your collections for futur...
Creating Effective Archival Finding Aids: Tips for Writing Clear Descriptions
Clear, concise archival descriptions improve accessibility, support discoverability, and enhance the research experience. In thi...
Balancing Collection- and
Item-Level Information in Archival Description
How much detail is enough when describing an archival collection? Finding the right balance between broad overviews and detailed...
Best Practices in Archival Description
Standards like ISAD(G), DACS, and EAD guide archivists in creating clear, consistent descriptions for easier access. Learn more ...
Practical Strategies for Arranging Mixed-Media Archives
Managing and arranging mixed-media archives requires balancing the unique needs of physical and digital records. Discover best p...
Arranging Digital Archives: 4 Unique Challenges for Modern Archivists
Arranging digital archives comes with unique challenges, requiring new strategies to preserve context, manage volume, and ensure...
Original Order and Provenance in Archival Arrangement
Archival arrangement is the foundation of efficient records management, ensuring materials are structured for preservation and a...
Archival Accessioning: A Foundational Process for Well-Managed Archives
Accessioning is the critical first step in managing archival collections, ensuring that newly acquired materials are formally ac...
7 Elements of a Strong Archival Acquisition Policy
A strong acquisition policy is the foundation of a well-managed archive. It ensures collections align with an institution’s miss...
Understanding Archival Acquisition: Purpose, Methods, Challenges, Best Practices
Archival acquisition is the heart of preserving history, ensuring records of lasting value are saved for future generations. In ...
Ethical Considerations in Archival Appraisal
Archival appraisal involves not just technical processes but significant ethical considerations. Archivists must navigate privac...
Archival Appraisal and Selection: Balancing Present Needs and Future Value
Archival selection determines which records should be retained for long-term preservation. The process focuses on the practical ...
Archival Appraisal: Determining Long-Term Value of Archival Materials
As archives grow, effective appraisal becomes increasingly important to ensure that only records with enduring value are retaine...
5 Keys to Establishing a Sustainable Archives
Developing strategies for sustaining and growing the archives over time is essential to ensure long-term success.
7 Practical Steps for Starting an Archives
Once the need for an archives is established and the necessary approvals have been secured, the next phase involves setting up t...
Establishing the Need for an Archives: Elements of a Strong Foundation
Starting an archives in any institution is crucial to preserving its history and ensuring that vital records are maintained for ...
Improving Collection Management Through Archival Surveys
Archival surveys are powerful tools for improving collection management. By surveying collections, archivists can gather essenti...
How to Conduct Comprehensive Archival Surveys
Conducting a comprehensive archival survey is critical to successfully managing archival collections.
Unveiling Archival Impact
The transformative power of storytelling depends upon the strategic choices that top archival performers make and the shift from...
Effective Measurement of Archival Impact
Effective measurement is the key to assessing the impact of archival endeavors. Archivists play a crucial role in preserving his...
Blending Data and Narratives to Demonstrate Archival Impact
Archivists can learn to measure and showcase their contributions using methodologies, metrics, and narratives.
Ensuring Long-Term Access to Digital Archives
Long-term preservation is essential to ensure digital archives remain accessible and usable.
5 Best Practices for Personal Digital Archiving
Archivists have developed best practices for organizing and maintaining personal digital archives, safeguarding digital legacies...
The Importance of Personal Digital Archiving (Plus Steps to Get Started)
Archivists often help individuals manage and preserve digital files of personal significance.
Archival Leadership in the Digital Age
Leadership should take center stage in the archival profession. The essence of leadership lies in embracing change and fostering...
Archival Collections Management: From Stewardship to Advocacy
A unique challenge arises in the intricate world of archives—the risk of archivists being perceived as self-promoters.
The Organizational Impact of Archives
In archives, leadership is not merely a role but a proactive stance transcending the archival domain’s boundaries.
The Role of Technology in Archives
Digital preservation is crucial to safeguarding cultural and historical heritage for future generations.
The Archivist’s Tech-Powered Journey
Archivists leverage technology to unearth data-driven revelations from historical materials, extracting valuable insights.
Embracing Technology for Archival Engagement
Digitization is a pivotal tool archivists use to transform historical artifacts into searchable and shareable resources.
Preserving Legacy with Family Office Archives
Effective governance is key to family office success. Archives mitigate risks by documenting legal structures, compliance, and g...
Archival Collaborations: Technology, Planning, Learning, and Trust
Archivists have adopted technology to transform collaborations; digital platforms enable communication, project management, and ...
Unlocking Collaborative Archival Potential
Archivists can solidify their position as valuable collaborators by showcasing the tangible impact of their contributions.
Collaborative Archival Relationships
Collaborative projects are instrumental in showcasing how archival collections can benefit various organizational departments.
Informational, Evidential, and Intrinsic Values within Archives
Archives provide authentic, reliable information and hold values that reflect their functions and uses; informational, evidentia...
A Sustainable Archives
Archivists prioritize sustainable practices and policies, rooting their work in ethics of care, often preferring digital process...
Archival Branding and PR Strategies
Archivists who adopt branding and PR strategies both safeguard historical treasures and contribute to their organizations’ evolu...
Establishing Archival Identity
Archivists can shape their brand through the four Vs: vision, voice, visibility, and vigilance.
Strategic Archival Collaborators
Archivists communicate a departmental identity that positions them as strategic partners by establishing a clear archival brand.
Archival Marketing Strategies
Archivists who embrace marketing techniques amplify their impact on their colleagues and the communities they serve.
The Power of Archival Stories
Archivists create connections that transcend time by harnessing the emotive impact of narratives.
Ready to Read: Preserve, Promote, Persevere: The Archivists’ Guide to Internal Advocacy
Book by archives expert Margot Note on navigating ‘inreach’ and becoming indispensable to influential archives users and decisio...
Archivists as Modern Marketers
Content creation is a cornerstone of marketing strategy, and archivists are leveraging this approach to showcase their organizat...
Archivists as Champions of Social Responsibility
Archivists are the champions of social responsibility, dedicated to preserving the memory of individuals and communities for the...
Unlocking the Power of Service in Archival Practice
Service in archival practice is founded on accessibility, inclusivity, and a commitment to connecting people with the past.
Archival Customer Service
Archivists extend their expertise beyond traditional reference services by aiding and training users, as champions of exceptiona...
Unlocking Access in Archives
The shift in archival processing from a rigid structure to a more flexible, access-oriented approach is crucial in meeting the d...
Enhancing Collaboration; Methods for Archivists
Archivists can enhance collaboration through user-centric approaches and efficient processing methods based on customer service ...
Navigating Selection in Archival Practice
The archival selection process is far from straightforward, given the limitations of long-term preservation and ongoing accessib...
Responsible Stewardship in Archival Practice
Responsible stewardship is a philosophy that guides the actions and decisions of archivists in safeguarding collective memory.
Stewards of the Past, Guardians of the Future
Archival preservation bridges the past and future, allowing the voices and stories of bygone eras to resonate with contemporary ...
Archival Relationship-Building
Relationship-building for archivists emphasizes collaborative partnerships, overcoming challenges, and shaping the organization’...
Unlocking the Power of Archival Relationships
A strategic approach enables archivists to prioritize building relationships with decision-makers who hold the keys to resources...
Building Bridges: Archivists in Organizational Dynamics
Archivists ensure their expertise receives due acknowledgment and advocacy by relationship-building within their organizational ...
Preserving Archival Pillars
Archivists play a pivotal role in shaping organizational culture cannot; they go beyond record-keeping to become agents of cultu...
Elevating Archives’ Impact with Advocacy
Results-driven advocacy, budget-conscious requests, and comprehensive agendas help archivists contribute to an institution’s suc...
Navigating Organizational Culture
Archivists are influential agents shaping organizational culture and safeguarding institutional memory.
Navigating Resource Challenges in Archives
Archivist’s advocacy strategies serve as bridges between tradition and innovation, securing the future relevance of archival pro...
Securing Funding for Archival Software
Archives expert Margot Note on proven practices for getting the budget for archival software including collections management sy...
Digitization and Internal Advocacy
Archival digitization democratizes access to historical records once reserved for a privileged few.
Internal Advocacy in Archives
Archival advocacy plays a pivotal role in addressing the challenges of the digital age; expert analysis and strategies.
Preserving History and Memory in Archives
Archival materials allow individuals and societies to examine historical events and gain insight into human experiences.
Embracing Diversity in Archival Work
Embracing diversity in archival work is a noble aspiration and a fundamental necessity.
Promoting Archival Work
Archivist advocacy extends beyond the archives’ walls; archivists advocate for preserving historical records and the role of arc...
Accountability through Archiving
Archivists serve as the guardians of a society’s memory, ensuring past actions and decisions are not lost or altered, ensuring a...
Promoting Openness, Access, and Use
The dual principles of access and use underpin archivists’ work; they ensure records remain accessible while respecting legal an...
Leading with History
Archives are invaluable for leadership, providing historical context, data-driven decision-making, and preservation of instituti...
Legal Perspectives of Archives and Records Management
Working with the legal department archivists can develop comprehensive and legally defensible retention policies that balance co...
Preserving Grant Management Records
Grant management records serve as the backbone of accountability, transparency, and compliance in the archival and records grant...
Establishing an Institutional Archives
Archives preserve institutional memory, enhance transparency, and provide valuable resources for research and education.
Archiving University Functions
7 basic university archives roles: credentialing, knowledge dissemination, socialization, research, sustainability, public servi...
Stewardship for University Archives
Archival stewardship is more than just safeguarding historical records; it encompasses strategically managing these invaluable m...
The Socially Intelligent Archivist
Tips and proven practices for developing and using social and emotional intelligence within the context of archival projects fro...
Empowering Archivists through Project Management
Successful archival projects go beyond preservation; managing archival projects well also involves delivering projects on time a...
The Records Continuum Model: Bridging the Gap
The records continuum model represents a paradigm shift in theory that bridges the gap between the roles of archivists and recor...
Archival and Records Management Perspectives
Collaboration between records managers and archivists is crucial for organizations to achieve present business objectives and pr...
Embracing Archival and Records Management Differences
Archivists and records managers play distinct equally vital roles in information management. Collaboration is crucial for a prac...
Connection and Convergence: Archivists and Records Managers
Collaboration between archivists and records managers strengthens their roles and contributes to comprehensive, efficient record...
Mastering People Skills in Archives
Interpersonal skills in archives are vital. Understanding and mastering them can lead to better outcomes and stronger team dynam...
Delivering Archival Results
Balancing projects and operational duties, archivists ensure collections’ comprehensive care while promoting engagement with his...
Enhancing Archival Practices with Evaluations
Review and evaluation offer opportunities to assess effectiveness of archival practices, ensuring alignment with evolving standa...
Archival Preservation and Conservation
Preservation and conservation practices ensure the long-term survival and accessibility of archival materials, preserving their ...
Processing for Archives
Archival processing involves arranging, describing, and cataloging materials to facilitate discovery and retrieval.
Developing Acquisition Strategies for Archives
Acquiring materials is crucial to archival collection development. It is essential to develop effective acquisition strategies.
Establishing Selection Criteria for Archives Collection Development
Establishing clear and well-defined selection criteria is crucial when developing a collection development policy for archives.
Building a Purposeful Archives
Archives collection development policies guide the growth and management of collections in alignment with the mission statement.
Understanding the Archives’ Purpose
This archives expert’s post explores how understanding the purpose of the archives influences the development and management of ...
Archival Collection Development Policies
Archival collection development policies are crucial; they provide a roadmap for acquiring, preserving, and managing historical ...
Securing Buy-in for Archival Programs
Expert tips for how to talk about archives to decision-makers; ways to emphasize the value archives bring to our society
Conducting Oral History Interviews: Guidelines for Archivists
The art of conducting oral history interviews requires archivists to develop some essential skills and techniques to ensure a su...
Why Oral Histories Matter
Oral histories capture the unique stories and experiences of individuals, families, and communities not recorded on paper that w...
Elements of a Records Survey Worksheet
A records survey worksheet is vital; it helps to systematically identify, organize, and describe records to ensure proper manage...
Surveying Organizational Records
A records inventory includes identifying, organizing, and describing records; its steps include surveying, analyzing, and classi...
Preserving Digitization Results
Digitization projects based on careful review, analysis, and planning are functional and faithful to the archival sources and su...
Investing in Archival Digital Projects
Archival digital projects offer greater efficiency, opportunity costs, increased institutional prestige, build staff expertise, ...
Strategizing for Digitization Projects
Archivists strategize before a digitization project. Digitization requires a significant investment, and assessing costs and ben...
Reading Room Recommendations
An archives reading room should provide reader comfort with optimum security for historical materials.
Processing Room Recommendations
A processing room provides a separate workspace from storage areas where archivists examine, sort, arrange, describe, and rehous...
Archival Storage Room Recommendations
Archival storage should incorporate only the materials required to house and store the collections. Detailed recommendations and...
Metadata Creation for Digitized Collections
Metadata provides users with a standardized means of intellectual access to digitized materials.
Descriptive Practices
Digitizing archival materials requires describing them to aid users in discovering them. Description is challenging due to detai...
Description of Archival Collections
Description of archival collections assumes archivists should increase the number of access points to materials to help users na...
Quality Control and Post-Production in Digitization Projects
As part of a digitization project, some post-production is necessary to obtain surrogates that match the original’s detail, shar...
Digitization Labor Options
Archives and archivists should consider both in-house and outsourced labor options for digitization projects; guidance on weighi...
Digitization Planning and Cost Projection
Organizations rely on best practices to justify the investments made in digitization projects; strategic planning, management, r...
Selection Criteria for Digitization
Aesthetic, evidential, informational, intrinsic, and artifactual values, influence selection for archival digitization.
Issues to Consider Before Digitization
Prior to archival digitization, archivists should address areas of concern: publicity, privacy, copyright, legal matters, includ...
Appraisal for Digitization
Selection is an indispensable tool for digitization because maintaining collections is expensive, and expenses for digital mater...
Creating Sustainable Digital Files; What Archivists Need to Know
Technical post, digital archives. Converting physical information to electronic form requires archivists to understand digitizat...
Dynamic Range and Resolution for Digitization Projects
Technical post; archival digitization; additive and subtractive light mixtures differ; this complicates reproduction of images o...
Digitization Basics for Archivists
Archivists embrace the digital world as they transform their physical holdings into electronic records through digitization proj...
Ready to Read: The Digital Decisive Moment—Transformative Digitization Practices
Archivists have entered the digital decisive moment; digitized and born-digital images have substantially departed from the lega...
The Business Case for Archival Digitization
Archivists can accelerate gains from digitization by presenting a business case for digital transformation to those who lead the...
Digitization in a Post-Pandemic World
Increases in remote working, changing needs, and user preferences for remote research have made digitization of archival holding...
The Benefits of Digitization
Archival digitization projects are complex but when managed successfully their benefits outweigh the skills, costs, and time req...
The Purpose of Corporate History
The history of a business is a key to its identity; keeping the memory of its strategic path via corporate history helps focus t...
Identifying Records for Retention
Organizations evaluate records and set retention periods based on records lifecycles; there are 3 stages: active use, semi-activ...
Record Filing Methods and Maintenance
The functions of records maintenance include organizing and filing records and identifying which records to retain and for how l...
Conducting a Records Survey
The purpose of a records survey is to determine records categories users create, receive, process, or maintain in operational or...
Archival Arrangement Principles
Archivists transform complex groupings of primary sources into insightful and succinct information through arrangement and descr...
Archival Program Advantages
Organizations benefit themselves and the public by preserving records, organizing them, and making them available within and out...
Advocating for Archives: Tips for Archivists
Archivists can identify advocacy content that fits into customer service interactions, represents the archives’ perspective, and...
Offsite Storage for Organizational Archives
Organizational archivists must decide whether archival collections must or should be located in the same facility as the organiz...
Placing Organizational Archives in Repositories
Archival holdings may need external repositories; archivists must consider how often materials are used and how quickly they are...
Public Use of Organizational Archives
Archivists should establish means and protocols for accommodating external researchers who want to consult the organizational co...
Arrangement and Description; The Value of Archival Labor
Archivists refine the arrangement (processing) of archival materials, rehouse material, and create inventories to facilitate fut...
Records Disposition for Archives
Creating a records retention schedule should be one of the archivists’ first tasks after an archival assessment.
Safe Storage for Archival Preservation
Many organizations have no room to store archival collections, so vigilance is needed to protect rare and fragile materials, esp...
Archives Assessment Questions
An assessment of archival collections assists in strategically meeting user needs, allocating resources effectively, and securin...
Assessing the Archives Program
Professional archival principles and standards are developed over decades; each organization adheres to them in its own way.
Building Support for Archival Programs
Whatever an archival program’s shape, archivists should enlist all possible stakeholders’ input at inception to build foundation...
Preserving Organizational History
Organizations need to retain certain records beyond current needs according to regulatory, legal, financial, and operational req...
Records and Archival Management within Organizations
An archival program allows archivists to identify, save, and retrieve necessary information while safely removing unnecessary ma...
Leading with Organizational Archives
People who lead with history understand that storytelling about the past can shape the future. Organizational archives help lead...
Email Management and Archiving
Archivists and records managers should be concerned with email; a significant percentage of an organization’s unstructured recor...
Data Warehouses and Decision Support Systems; A Primer
A data warehouse is a repository of an organization’s electronically stored data, designed to facilitate reporting and analysis.
Deciding Records Retention Parameters: A Primer
Archivists and records managers determine retention based on compliance with external or internal requirements and identifiable ...
Records Retention for Archivists, Records Managers, and Knowledge Managers
Records guidelines provide recommended standards for records retention; implementation is based on usefulness or on risks of mai...
Inactive Storage of Electronic Records; Tips for Archivists & Records Managers
Archivists and records managers make sure that offline records aren’t forgotten, regular retentions are applied, and records rem...
Authenticity, Reliability, Integrity, and Usability
To effectively create and capture records, archivists need to decide on several issues at the organizational or business process...
Archival Preservation Options
A preservation program requires policies, procedures, processes, and the right technologies. A mixed strategy based on organizat...
The Minnesota Method Explained
The Minnesota Method appraisal model is labor-intensive but less political than others. It is a transparent methodology for maki...
Introduction to Macro-Appraisal
The benefits of macro-approach include providing context and forcing a planned rather than a random approach to archival managem...
Archival and Records Management Preservation
Archivists and records managers face digital preservation challenges. No permanent solution to digital preservation; medium-term...
Deciphering Archival Software Solutions
Archivists manage information about their collections with a number of different software solutions, which may have overlapping ...
Archival Communication, Outreach, and Training
Archivists can be creative and have fun communicating their holdings’ value; the ways to spread the word are varied
Interpreting Archives Through the Digital Humanities
Archivists applaud new technological capabilities that promise new knowledge based on archival materials can be produced in ways...
Communicating Archival Value
Communicating the importance of records of enduring value benefits archival programs, the profession, users, and society; detail...
Technical, Organizational, and Cultural Considerations for Digital Preservation
Until digital preservation is simplified, archivists must contend with technical, organizational, and cultural roadblocks that i...
Engaging with Artists in the Archives
Archivists can combine creative and archival practice to fulfill a significant function of cultural heritage: memory and communi...
Artist-Driven Archives
Artist-driven archives offer further opportunities for audiences, researchers, and even the artists themselves to engage with th...
Creative Use of Archives
Archival collections inspire and inform creativity, allowing users to learn about different eras and view historical objects dir...
Recordkeeping Governance Policies
Archivists and records managers need executive support, the ability to influence decisions, resources (budget and staff), and st...
Records and Business Change
The role records play in organizational change isn’t always clear; helping manage records created by change is the domain of inf...
Connection through Genealogy and Family History
Archivists are delighted to help their users discover more about their family history, become engaged in the community, and forg...
Connection with Users and Within Collections
The evolution of archives from static repositories to dynamic networking institutions drives access and collection management ex...
Reusing Archival Content to Connect with New Audiences
Archivists can reuse and repurpose content, to reach new audiences, enabled by these actionable ideas that they can easily imple...
Visible Archives, Vital Communities
Archivists must reach out to internal and external communities; effective community engagement leads to more patrons, monetary d...
Spotlight on Archival Labor
Few people understand what archivists do; in a field where so much is misunderstood, showcasing our work and demonstrating its v...
Reaching New Audiences by Adapting Archival Materials
Archivists can enhance online collections by adapting and repurposing content to release the untapped potential of records of en...
Access, Privacy, and Security Considerations for Archivists and Records Managers
Privacy issues for archivists and records managers include compromised data, deductive disclosure, and making public data availa...
College and University Archives; An Evolving Role
Academic archives fulfill an informational role; many repositories embrace the archive as an essential information center for th...
The Ins and Outs of Business Archives
Businesses should have archives and archival records to document the company’s history, become more efficient, and provide legal...
Government Archives; Democracy in Action
Archivists bring order to government archives, which reflect democracy in action, allowing citizens access to records that affec...
Building Archives Program Support
If the connection between the archives department and institutional success is clear, the organization will generally support an...
Archival Filing, Retrieval, and Management
Improving an organization’s ability to access its information is one of the key contributions information professionals make.
Electronic Records and Traditional Archival Values
Electronic archival records allow for presentation and retrieval of information in ways that have not been possible in an analog...
Records as Evidence and Information Containers
Archival records are both evidence and information containers; organize them by transaction, but facilitate access for their inf...
Preserving the Usability of Digital Records
Archival digital records have 3 levels of usability that build on each other; as an organization matures archivists can aim to a...
Digitization and Digital Preservation in Heritage Organizations
Any heritage organization considering a digitization project must also create digital preservation strategies for their newly di...
Archival Responsibilities
Archivists use many techniques to manage, control, and use their information assets, working to gather, process, store, access, ...
Privacy Concerns in Archival Records
Archivists balance legal mandates, ethical concerns, and accessibility, enabling as much access as is responsible, given informa...
Legal Records in Archives
Legal history and the valuable information legal archives hold are critical for research; making these materials available requi...
Records Recovery for Vital Records
Archivists must prepare for records emergencies so they can respond with damage assessment and records recovery services to prot...
Protecting Vital Records from Disaster
Historically, vital records were preserved as microforms stored remotely. Digital vital records and disaster management are now ...
Sampling Case Records
Archivists have several appraisal options to consider when reviewing case files; this post offers an overview and pros and cons ...
Handling Case Files in the Archives
Determining what to do with case files—balancing legal and ethical obligations against research values—involves thoughtful consi...
Considerations Used to Appraise Archival Records
Archivists account for all aspects of a records’ value, and balance it against the cost of arranging, describing, preserving, an...
Change and Continuity with Analog and Digital Records
The basic principles of archives and records management need to be adapted to the current information environment, including tec...
Managing Electronic Records in Archives
Preserving archival electronic records requires identifying, classifying, and storing them, as well as coordinating internal and...
How Electronic Records and Physical Records Differ
Archivists contribute their expertise to managing a broad range of records that need to be preserved.
Archival Description and Cataloging
Researchers and archivists use the catalog to locate a particular collection or find everything an institution has on a topic; t...
Providing Access to Archival Collections
Archival finding aids are the primary access tool for archivists, providing the most information about a collection.
Strategies for Archival Advocacy
Archivists must continually advocate for and promote themselves, their institutions, and their missions to the larger world; tip...
Creating Reports in Collections Management Systems
An archival CMS that offers canned and custom reports on the fly enables archivists to advocate for themselves, their resources,...
Why Archivists Should Collect Metrics
Metrics tell the story of archival collections. A robust archival collections management system can be used to gather powerful s...
Archival Usage Metrics: Needs and Challenges
Collecting archival usage statistics helps archivists show the value of the collections—and sometimes even their positions—to de...
Selection Criteria for Digitization
Archives are making more materials available online, in large part due to the pandemic; this means investing in broader digitiza...
Using Archival Standards to Make Data Exportable
As archivists select a suitable CMS for their organizations, they should look for systems with standards that allow archivists t...
Archival Data Standards: A Short History
Adherence to archival data standards is crucial for archival institutions to quickly respond to innovative technologies and user...
Data Standards in Archival Collections Management Systems
Access to archival collections is challenging but a successfully implemented CMS makes discovery easier with internationally rec...
Description of Electronic Records
Electronic records have unique characteristics; their description will change over time, impacting traditional methods used for ...
Communication and Collaboration Through CMS Email Integration
Email integration within an archival collections management system allows for a better user experience and greater efficiency fo...
CMS Email Integration and Request Management
When a CMS integrates with email requests, archivists benefit from knowledge management, database creation, analytics, and custo...
Gathering Usage Statistics and Improving Processes with Your CMS
Archival collections management systems should deliver a robust request management workflow and tools, and integrate with email ...
The Importance of Archival Description
Archival description encompasses the dual processes of cataloging and production of finding aids; can current descriptive standa...
Appraisal of Records of Enduring Value
Archivists must make decisions to determine what materials have enduring value and deserve preservation over the long term; appr...
Collections Management Systems as Productivity Tools
A fully-featured archival CMS offers tools that enhance productivity, improve access for novice users, and allow archivists to f...
How A CMS Improves and Automates Archival Labor
Archival collections management systems should automate workflows effectively to allow archivists to focus on the deep intellect...
How A CMS Improves and Automates Archival Labor
Archival collections management systems should automate workflows effectively to allow archivists to focus on the deep intellect...
Improving Efficiency with Collections Management Systems
Archivists can improve efficiency when they use the right CMS; saving time on daily workflow tasks frees them to focus on collec...
Fundamentals of the Appraisal Process in Archives
Archival appraisal requires quantities of information that support the collections appraisal process, at the folder or box level...
Seamless Integration for Archives
An archival CMS with an integrated portal helps archives cooperate better, serve their users’ information needs better, and scal...
How to Achieve Business Process Integration in Archives
A robust archival CMS connects information flow between systems, resulting in optimal workflow and business process integration
How a Collections Management System Acts as a Portal
Archival organizations must continuously evolve to keep pace with the changing information environment. A common way to stay cur...
Acquisition Strategies for Archives
Archival acquisition procedures allow repositories to increase collection scope and ensure archives hold coherent, related group...
Using an Archival CMS to Link Online and Offline Experiences
As archivists innovate via online publishing and digital techniques, visitors enjoy, understand, and appreciate both digital and...
Engaging Online Audiences with Records of Enduring Value
As digital archives collections become more common, archival institutions must think carefully about how best to engage virtual ...
Raising the Visibility of Archival Collections
An archival CMS allows institutions to enhance visibility and serve communities with online content, promoting value and importa...
The Essential Nature of Archival Records
Archivists select, preserve, make accessible the materials within their authority. Archival records’ essential nature is for kno...
Approaches to Acquisition
Archivists should consider all formats that document topics or groups when acquiring primary sources of lasting historical and c...
An Overview of Acquisition in Archives
Acquisition allows archives to make decisions and allocate resources, permitting procurement in a planned, coordinated, systemat...
How Does Archival Selection Shape History?
Archival collections development establishes policies and procedures used to select materials in keeping with an archives’ missi...
Using Collections Management Systems to Enhance Access
A well deployed CMS improves archival accessibility, results in higher productivity, lower costs, and increased satisfaction of ...
Create More Participatory Archives with Your CMS
Archival repositories use collections management systems to facilitate collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to records...
Maximizing the Value of Your Collections Management System
A successfully implemented archival collections management system (CMS) can make discovery easier and meet changing user needs a...
Optimizing Workflows and Reporting Capabilities with Your CMS
An archival CMS, successfully implemented, can be a catalyst for exploring new possibilities, roles, and workflows within your o...
Training Colleagues to Use Collections Management Systems
Archives should establish an ongoing CMS training program; this increases user acceptance and develops a common language across ...
Considerations During CMS Implementation
Archivists should never rush archival collections management system implementation; it is worth the time it takes to do it prope...
Formulating an Archival Mission Statement
An archives mission statement outlines the responsibilities of the archivist and the authority of the archives to operationalize...
Information Seeking Behavior in Archives
An archival CMS migration requires clean data, a migration plan, and a team that understands relevant information technology and...
Migrating Data into a Collections Management System
An archival CMS migration requires clean data, a migration plan, and a team that understands relevant information technology and...
Determining Data Standards for Collections Management Systems
Adhering to archival information and cataloging standards via organizational collections management policies makes daily activit...
Cleaning and Mapping Data for Collections Management Systems
Archivists can use the implementation of a collections management system to improve data maintenance practices, making collectio...
The Archives of the Future
The archives of the future will emphasize digitization, collaboration, and inclusiveness.
Acquisition and Appraisal for More Representative Archival Collections
Archivists must create strategies to build collections thoughtfully and actively, rather than being passive receivers of files o...
Considering Collections Management System Costs
Selecting the best archival collections management system for your institution requires estimating all the costs involved, even ...
Use Your Archival CMS to Enhance Description & Discovery
Archivists must select an archival collections management system compliant with the metadata schema used by their institution an...
Researching Collections Management System Options
After archivists develop requirements for an archival collections management system, they must research options and select the b...
Ready to Read: Digital Preservation Without Tears
Digital Preservation Without Tears is a useful introduction to digital preservation for archivists by consultant, expert, and au...
Webinar: Illuminating Collections Management Systems Requirements
Free webinar with tips from Margot Note on how to gather stakeholder input and build advocacy and engagement when selecting an a...
Determining CMS Requirements
For an archival collections management system (CMS) to meet demands, it should be selected after a discovery period that builds ...
Planning for your Archival CMS: Initial Steps
An archival CMS project should involve a team that meets regularly, decides on the purpose for the CMS, and examines internal pr...
Gathering Stakeholders for Your CMS Project
Selecting an archival (CMS) depends on determining goals, objectives, and requirements which must be done by a diverse team of s...
Ready to Read: The Archivists’ Advantage: Choosing the Right CMS
The Archivists’ Advantage: Choosing the Right CMS, is an essential guide to archival collections management system selection, im...
The Archival CMS: Building A Business Case
Archival repositories manage valuable, irreplaceable materials; they benefit from automation systems (e.g., an archival CMS) wit...
The Benefits of Using Systems Designed for Archivists
Archivists often try to leverage library systems for their data, even though they lack unique templates and workflows for compre...
Collections Management Systems: Investing in Major Change
When installing a new collections management system (CMS) or migrating from a legacy system, archivists face challenging questio...
Meeting Users’ Expectations of Access to Archives
Successful archival service—and access—includes reference interviews, helping archivists meet user expectations and fully levera...
Archival Values and Use
For archives, use and value are closely correlated; there are primary and secondary archival collections users; evidential and i...
Shifting Concepts of Archival Permanence
Archivists must agree on standards of “acceptable permanence” especially in digital archives; archival permanence, yet its tempo...
Archives and Records Management: Then and Now
Archivists and records managers share efficient, systematic arrangement, description, preservation of documents; meeting at reco...
The Professionalization of Archivists: An Overview
If you wonder ‘what do archivists do?’ read this brief history of the archival profession and its integration with libraries, re...
Archival Program Management
Best practices for archival programs include coordination with other departments and stakeholders, optimal organizational report...
Public Service Fundamentals for Archivists
Along with reference and access, archivists perform several public service activities to bring collections to interested researc...
Archival Security Basics
When thinking about archives and disaster planning, archivisits must consider how to mitigate theft, loss, and neglect in additi...
Disaster and Preservation Planning for Archives
Archivists should create disaster plans that identify risks to people and collections, outline mitigation of risks, and include ...
Reference for Archives
Archival reference is the process of connecting users to primary sources that answer their research questions and is tied to all...
Access in Archives, the Fundamentals
Access is the ability to locate relevant information with descriptive tools providing users with archival materials through refe...
Archival Finding Aids Explained
What are finding aids? Written descriptions archivists produce about collections; they’re frequently encoded using Encoded Archi...
A Deeper Dive into Archival Description
Archival description is a process of creating access tools, usually finding aids or similar guides that allow researchers to bro...
Arrangement in Archival Collections
Archivists provide a structure—a framework of knowledge— through arrangement and description, supporting research in collections...
Archives and Memory
Archives are institutions that control the past yet are assumed to be impartial, neutral, and objective, but with power over mem...
Levels of Archival Arrangement—A Primer
As part of archival collections management, archivists continue to use the traditional five levels of arrangement which are stil...
The Effect of Technology on Archival Activities
Archival collection development, appraisal, arrangement and description, preservation, and research services have been transform...
Technology’s Impact on Archives
Technology has changed archival collections management, with dramatic but gradual impact.
Open Source or Proprietary? Weighing Your Archival CMS Options
Many archives use proprietary archival collections management systems; open source can provide an alternative but be aware of hi...
The Process of Accessioning in Archives
Archival collections management includes bringing materials in through accessioning, as collections are physically and legally t...
Collection Analysis for Archives—Thought Starters
Collection analysis clarifies an archives’ goals in context of its mission and budget; supplies data used to set priorities; aid...
Archivists: Neutral or Active?
Archival collections management is no longer a neutral construction of product; archivists actively process history and preserve...
Archives and Records Management: A Symbiotic Pairing
Archivists and records managers share goals, including creation of accurate records, to organization, access, disposition, prote...
A Records Management Primer for Archivists
Archives and records management are often linked; archives should be integrated into the records life cycle; archivists must kno...
Investing in Institutional Archives
Institutional archives have archival collection policies that protect their hard earned knowledge and history in perpetuity, inc...
Archival Collection Policies: Writing the Best One for Your Needs
Archival collection policies allow archivists to make sound acquisition decisions whether the archives is institutional, collect...
Deaccessioning in the Archives
Effective deaccessioning allows archives to concentrate their limited resources on collections with enduring value to researcher...
Conducting Reappraisal on Your Archival Collections
Archivists continue to seek best practices for accomplishing responsible reappraisal and deaccessioning as part of archival coll...
Archival Appraisal of Architectural Records
Archivists who preserve architectural records must observe archival collections management policies to make appraisal and preser...
Accession Considerations for Photographs
Archivists accommodate a wide range of users for photographs and other visual materials. Archival collections management policie...
A Primer on Archival Appraisal Values
When performing archival appraisal, archivists consider the primary and secondary values of collections.
Maintaining Sustainable Archival Collections
Digital preservation requirements mean the role of archivists has changed with the rise of digitized and born-digital collection...
Digital Preservation: A Community Effort
Archival digital preservation has become a community effort as the volume and diversity of digital archives content increases ex...
The Pros and Cons of Digital Archives Project Partnerships
Archival organizations can pursue digital archives partnerships outside their institutions; it’s a practical way to make collect...
Evaluating Archival Workflows and Programs
Evaluating archival workflows and procedures whether operational or project-based is essential to running an efficient archives ...
Metadata for Archival Collections
Metadata is a significant digital archives cost. Archival items can be digitized without cataloging; but digital collections mus...
Ready to Read—Demystifying Archival Projects: Five Essentials for Success
Archivists often lead archival projects without formal training; this book offers project management methodology to bridge that ...
Controlling Archival Projects to Keep Them on Course
Best practices for archival projects include controlling, going beyond monitoring to take corrective action; successful archival...
Monitoring Archival Project Progress
Best practices for archival projects include monitoring, watching and controlling (acting); archival project managers do this fo...
Managing Changes Throughout an Archival Project
Changes during archival projects are inevitable, but archives project managers should plan and monitor in order to minimize nega...
A Primer on Archival Project Contracts
Archival project managers can learn to negotiate and review contracts for services and products associated with archival project...
Tips for Calculating Archival Project Costs
Archival project managers budget for direct and indirect costs, labor, and vendors or subcontractors; here are some tips on how ...
Best Practices for Crafting an Archival Project Charter
An archival project should have a project charter that is a governing document; it is the formal authority needed by the archiva...
How to Manage Archival Project Risks and Assumptions
Identify and analyze archival project risks and assumptions, plan accordingly, select the project management approach best suite...
What Makes a Successful Archival Project?
Archival projects have success criteria that include factors related to deliverables and objectives as well as requirements to b...
Modifying Schedules for Archival Projects
Archival project managers should expect problems and use techniques to modify the archival project schedule to solve issues or d...
Following the Critical Path for Archival Projects
Archival projects can benefit from the critical path method (CPM) which allows archivists to see how they can best use time and ...
How Procurement Works for Archival Projects
Archival project procurement process includes solicitation, evaluation, selection, contracting and management of vendors and ser...
Archival Project Planning: The Essentials
Archival project planning should be collaborative and focused on ensuring project support and resources. Take enough time to pla...
Archival Project Scheduling Tips
Scheduling tips for archival projects include plan to achieve results within a specific timeframe but to offer flexibility add 1...
Getting Started on Archival Projects
Archival project managers must ensure the transition from planning to activity is smooth, while keeping archives project time, c...
How to Kick Off Your Archival Project
Archival projects must begin with a kickoff meeting so the archival project manager can set expectations, build commitment and d...
Archival Projects: Evaluating and Acknowledging Performance
Archival project managers should lead by motivation, trust the team, and inspire, evaluate and recognize archives project team m...
Tracking Progress of Archival Projects
Project managers should track progress in archival projects, and use appropriate pacing. This helps project managers hone estima...
How to Define Archival Project Roles
Archival projects offer archivists and archives project managers varying roles. Define archival project roles to ensure projects...
How to Build a Successful Archival Project Team
Archives project managers build a successful archival project team with the right combination of size, skills, experience and va...
Managing Expectations for Archival Projects: Tips for Archives Project Managers
Tips for archives project managers. Archives project managers must set and manage stakeholder expectations during archival proje...
Stakeholder Management in Archival Projects
Archival project managers should identify stakeholders they can trust, and recognize those who may cause them to lose traction.
Developing Leadership Skills with Archival Projects
Archival project managers must be good managers and courageous leaders, committed to success and influencing. Tips for showing l...
Digital Archives: How and Why to Write Digital Preservation Policy
Digital archives preservation works best with proper digital preservation policy, covering content, scope, file format, audience...
Scalability of Digital Preservation: The Right Fit for All
Discoveries made in personal digital archiving, coupled with best practices of larger institutions, may provide smaller archives...
Skills Building for Digital Preservation
The need for training in digital preservation is high. Archivists require more digital preservation training and professional de...
The Data Economy: Funding Sustainable Digital Preservation
Continuous access to digital content requires sustainable preservation activities that necessitate both deliberate and ongoing r...
Integrating Digital Preservation into Your Archives Program
Archivists need to ensure digital preservation is embedded into business as usual. Today more archivists are addressing digital ...
Nuts & Bolts of Scope Statements for Archival Projects
Archivists must include a scope statement for each archival project in order for it to be successful; this is a fundamental proj...
Eliciting Archival Project Requirements
Archives project management includes eliciting requirements from stakeholders through a variety of techniques including intervie...
Gathering Requirements for Archival Projects
Archival projects include clearly defined requirements (differ from goals and objectives) that meet conditions: must have, could...
Developing Goals and Objectives for Archival Projects
Archivists support projects with SMART (specific, measurable, accurate, realistic, and time bound) goals and objectives, while s...
Identifying Worthwhile Archival Projects
Archivists should prioritize projects that add value to the organization; they should reduce costs, expand services or increase ...
Archives Collection-Level Description: Pros & Cons
Archives collection-level description can be useful for images of the same subject, but problematic for collections with a varie...
Archives & Item-Level Description: An Integrated Approach
Archivists take integrated approach to digital initiatives, selection to description, access to preservation, connecting practic...
The Current State of Description for Archives
Archival description combines traditional library and archival practice with more focused practices found in the museum and visu...
Metadata Best Practices
When digitizing archives, a metadata standard appropriate to the materials in hand and the intended end-users must be selected.
Metadata for Archival Collections: Challenges and Opportunities
Metadata is a significant cost of digital archives. Metadata creators must provide enough information to be useful but cannot af...
Ethical, Legal, and Cultural Considerations for Digital Archival Projects
Archivists must have a flexible policy framework with clear, documented digital archives processes reflecting legal, ethical and...
Archives: Values to Consider During Selection for Digitization
Selection criteria for archives digitization projects must include informational, intrinsic, artifactual and aesthetic values.
Archives: Digital Imaging and Resolution Recommendations
Archives digital imaging takes planning; image quality choices made when files are created have a profound effect on cost, resea...
Image Description Practices for Digital Archives Projects
Standards for describing archival materials exist but many archives use descriptive methods suited only to their holdings; descr...
Selection for Digitization – Best Practices
Archives digitization projects must consider legal status of materials, desired usage, intellectual control, technical needs, an...
In-house and Outsourced Archives Digitization
Archives digitization can be done either in-house or outsourced; both alternatives should be considered when starting a digital ...
Best Practices for Planning a Digitization Project
Successful archives digitization projects require planning, scope definition, appropriate technology use and a strategy for acco...
Staffing and Collaboration for Digital Archival Projects
Digital archives projects require new skills and collaboration is increasingly a factor in archives, bringing a need for trainin...
Keys to Developing a Comprehensive Archives Collection Development Policy
This post describes elements of a formal archives collection development policy and guidance on strategic issues of advocacy, pl...
How to Determine the Feasibility of Digital Archives Projects
Planning a digital archives project involves serious considerations and questions which can be used to determine feasibility and...
Three Fundamental Digital Preservation Strategies
Ensuring longevity of digital data is complicated and costly; they need routine preservation to survive; archivists must adopt 3...
Copyright Fundamentals for Cultural Heritage Institutions
Most people don’t understand copyright complexity. Archivists must educate users, colleagues, leadership teams about copyright a...
Why Digital Archives Expand Access and Awareness
Author, archivist, and records manager Margot Note describes how and why digital archives collections management expands access ...
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eBooks
The Archivists’ Advantage: Choosing the Right Collections Management System
Margot Note
Margot Note delivers practical and invaluable advice for archivists engaging with the process of selecting an archival collections management system for the first time, or seeking to replace an existing CMS to address changing needs.
Demystifying Archival Projects: Five Essentials for Success
Margot Note
As work in archives continues to become more project-driven, educational and professional development opportunities for archivists have not kept pace. This book aims to provide the needed information—just enough project management methodology—to bridge that knowledge gap.
The Digital Decisive Moment: Transformative Digitization Practices
Margot Note
Margot Note provides a reference for institutions converting resources to digital form while maintaining both analog and digital collections. The book advocates integrated initiatives, emphasizing the intersection of objectives and applications. Readers will learn to define their project needs, evaluate their options, and manage the digitization process.
Digital Preservation Without Tears
Margot Note
In a field of emerging best practices, this book strives to be a useful introduction to digital preservation. As the field codifies techniques, archivists should act now. No matter how small a step, implementing digital preservation activities helps support historical assets for long-term access.
Perserve, Promote, Persevere: The Archivists’ Guide to Internal Advocacy
Margot Note
Preserve, Promote, Persevere: The Archivists’ Guide to Internal Advocacy offers a call to action for enhancing archival programs and ensuring a secure place in the archives’ institutional community through stewardship, accessibility, and public relations. Readers will learn how to cultivate skills to become better promoters of themselves, their repositories, and their profession.