The AABC Archivist's Toolkit - The AABC Archivist's Toolkit is an extensive bibliography of online and print resources related to archives. It is arranged by topic, which range from establishing an archives to emergency preparedness to electronic records to funding. It is aimed especially at small and medium-sized archives. Although it was created for archivists in British Columbia, most of the information is useful for all responsible for archival records. Please note: this site is not associated with the Archivists' Toolkit data management software.
Lone Arrangers Roundtable - The Lone Arrangers Roundtable is part of the Society of American Archivists (SAA), but you do not have to be an SAA member to join the Roundtable. "Lone Arrangers" are archivists (professional or volunteer) who work by themselves or with a very small staff. Their site includes an extensive resources section with links to papers, blogs, presentations, web sites, and more on a wide variety of topics that would be of interest to people working in small archives.
A Manual for Small Archives - This manual, published by the Archives Association of British Columbia, is designed to help people working in small archives with limited access to training, few employees, and restricted finances and time. The manual provides and excellent, basic overview of archival principles and practices, offers guidelines and suggestions for various archival activities, and includes sample forms and policies. Please note that this is a Canadian publication, so any information related to legal issues may not be applicable to the United States.
Museumwise Form Downloads - This site includes sample forms for museums. There is a small section related to archives.
Society of Georgia Archivists Forms Forum - A compilation of sample archives forms, such as deeds of gift and reproduction request forms. Institutions are invited to submit their own forms to the forum so others can use them as models.
Acquisitions
Acquisitions Brochures from the Society of American Archivists - Includes a Guide to Deeds of Gift and brochures on donating historical records to an archives in both English and Spanish. The brochures discuss the benefits of donating historical records, the kinds of materials archives might be interested in, and issues donors should consider.
Donor Guidelines from Wisconsin Historical Society - Guidelines for both archivists and potential donors to archives. The guidelines outline what a donor can expect when donating to an archives, including deeds of gift, copyright concerns, and tax information.
Library of Congress - Preserving Your Digital Memories - A Library of Congress site that focuses on digital records, such as digital photographs, computer files, and email. Digital records are actually much less stable and more vulnerable to loss and degradation than older photographs, paper, and other analog documents. This site explains why and provides information on protecting digital material.
Society of California Archivists - Preserving Your History Brochure Series - This series is produced with the intent of assisting the general public. The brochures are available for download in English, Spanish and Chinese. The series currently consists of four titles: Doing Oral History, Doing Your Neighborhood History, Family Papers: Preservation and Organization, and Preserving Family Photographs.
Chicora Foundation "Dealing with Disasters" - Although the Chicora Foundation focuses on archeological artifacts, these pages provide good, succinct advice for dealing with disasters in any sort of cultural heritage organization. Note the links to information on mold, fires, and flooding at the top of the page.
Heritage Emergency National Task Force - One-stop shopping for information on dealing with disasters in cultural institutions. The site includes lots of information and links on dealing with disasters from cockling of your favorite family photograph to responding to huge region-wide events like Hurricane Katrina. There is also up-to-date information on any major disaster that is occurring in the United States, including links for requesting immediate assistance or financial help.
Heritage Health Index - This page provides the results of a 2005 comprehensive survey of the condition and preservation needs of collections in U.S. institutions. The survey was done by Heritage Preservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Of special interest is the "Resources" section of the site. It provides links to reputable organizations in the areas of disaster planning, finding a conservator, locating training opportunities in preservation and conservation, funding sources for collections care, and other organizations that provide guidance in preservation-related issues.
Image Permanence Institute of the Rochester Institute of Technology - Includes several wonderful publications related to storage environments as well as an interactive site, "Stored Alive," which demonstrates the deterioration of various types of material stored under different conditions. These are located under the Downloads link on the homepage. The homepage also includes a link to The Archival Advisor, IPI's preservation guide for family photograph collectors, genealogists, and scrapbook makers.
Library of Congress Family Treasures - This is a well-organized and straightforward web site dedicated to "Preparing, Protecting, Preserving Family Treasures." The site has sections on Preparing Your Family Treasures, Protecting Your Family Treasures Every Day, and Preserving Treasures After the Disaster. Much of the advice can be applied to small archives as well.
National Film Preservation Foundation - The site includes a pdf version of their Film Preservation Guide. The Guide is a full-length publication written for people without prior film preservation experience. To find the Guide on the site, click on "preservation basics" on the main page.
New York History Net - A wide-ranging site hosted by the Institute of New York State Studies. It includes information on conferences, museums, archives, libraries, historical tours, publications on New York history, and more.
New York State Archives - Excelsior, the New York State Archives online catalog, includes information on the holdings of many local historical records repositories. From the New York State Archives link, click on "Online Catalog" below the picture on the right.
New York State Newspaper Project - Although the New York State Newspaper Project is now closed, this site will help you locate over 22,000 distinct newspaper titles in New York State. These titles were identified and cataloged by the Newspaper Project. The newspapers may be in original or microfilm format.
Fenimore Art Museum & The Farmers’ Museum Library - Pathfinder, the online catalog of the Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum's collections. The Library supports the diverse and world-renowned Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum collections. Their broad focus includes New York State, emphasizing the history, art, agriculture, and material culture of Otsego and surrounding counties. Their Special Collections include rare books, manuscripts and archival collections, trade catalogs, pamphlets, broadsides, and ephemera.
Council of State Archivists - Although primarily aimed at state and local government archivists, this site also contains useful information for all archivists, especially in the area of emergency preparedness.
Videotape Identification and Assessment Guide -This guide provide basic information on identifying videotape formats, evaluating the condition of tapes and the costs of preserving them, and caring for those tapes that an institution chooses to preserve.
