RBSC AtoM Data Entry
This is a guide for creating file and/or item-level descriptions in RBSC AtoM via CSV import. This guide is part of the RBSC Archives Toolkit at the University of British Columbia Library - Rare Books and Special Collections.
Data entry template
UTF-8 encoding
- Non-UTF-8 characters in CSV files prevent descriptions from being imported into AtoM correctly. Only use the characters below in the data entry spreadsheet
- UTF-8 characters
- When using MS Office (especially when copy-pasting between MS Word, Excel, and/or browser), please note the difference between:
| UTF-8
|
Non-UTF-8
|
| '
|
‘
|
| "
|
“
|
| -
|
–
|
- If non-UTF-8 characters (ex. accented characters - à) must be used for archival descriptions, please highlight the cell containing non-UTF-8 characters in the data entry spreadsheet. The Archives assistant will temporarily replace them with UTF-8 characters in the CSV file and then manually replace the UTF-8 characters with non-UTF-8 characters after the descriptions have been imported into AtoM
Mandatory fields
Identifier
- Leading zeroes are required for sorting purposes. In most cases (i.e. fonds/collections with less than 100 boxes), one leading zero is sufficient.
- For file level descriptions, the identifier consists of a box-file number such as 05-01
- For item-level descriptions, the identifier consists of a box-file-item number such as 05-01-01
Parent slug
- This field is to facilitate the embedding of file/item-level descriptions within a series or subseries
- Once series structure has been finalized, create series/subseries-level descriptions in AtoM
- The "Parent slug" is the last component of the URL of the series or subseries level description
Title
- Transcribe title information from source material
- RBSC practice is for file titles assigned by processing archivist to be in square brackets: e,g. [assigned file title]
Level of description
- Select either "File" or "Item" for each description
Dates of creation
- Follow Canadian Rules for Archival Description (RAD) date formatting - 1.4 DATE(S) OF CREATION, INCLUDING PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC., AREA
- Certain dates
- 1970
- 15 Dec. 1986
- 1949-1951
- 1885-1960, predominant 1916-1958
- 1930, 1952-1978
- Uncertain and probable dates
- [1967?] - probable date
- [ca. 1967] - approximate date
- [before 1967] - terminal date
- [after 5 Feb. 1967] - terminal date
- [1962 or 1963] - one year or the other
- [between 1925 and 1935] - use only for dates fewer than 20 years apart
- [198-] - decade certain
- [198-?] - probable decade
- [19--] - century certain
- [19--?] - probable century
Start and end date
- Based on the date entered in the "Dates of creation field", enter the earliest latest year in the "Start date" and "End date" fields
- For example
| Creation date
|
Start date
|
End date
|
| 1970
|
1970
|
1970
|
| 15 Dec. 1986
|
1986
|
1986
|
| 1949-1951
|
1949
|
1951
|
| 1885-1960, predominant 1916-1958
|
1885
|
1960
|
| 1930, 1952-1978
|
1930
|
1978
|
| [1967?]
|
1967
|
1967
|
| [ca. 1967]
|
1967
|
1967
|
| [before 1967]
|
Leave blank
|
1967
|
| [after 5 Feb. 1967]
|
1967
|
Leave blank
|
| [1962 or 1963]
|
1962
|
1963
|
| [between 1925 and 1935]
|
1925
|
1935
|
| [198-]
|
1980
|
1989
|
| [198-?]
|
1980
|
1989
|
| [19--]
|
1900
|
1999
|
| [19--?]
|
1900
|
1999
|
Optional fields
Creator
- For file-level descriptions, the creator is assumed to be the creator of the fonds. In AtoM, the creator linked to the top-level fonds/collection description is automatically linked to lower level descriptions (i.e. series, subseries, file, item). This means it is not necessary to duplicate this work by adding a creator for each file-level description. In most cases, the creator column can be left blank
- Check with Supervising Archivist and/or Archives Assistant if you think it is necessary to add a creator that is not the creator of the fonds/collection for specific file-level descriptions
Physical description
- As stated in the RBSC Specific requirements for using AtoM and RAD, we do not include physical extant for file-level descriptions, unless there is something special about the records that warrant the extra detail. Check with Supervising Archivist and/or Archives Assistant to see if it is necessary to record physical description information
- Record the extent of the unit being described (including specific material designation), other physical details or the dimensions when appropriate.
Scope and content
- Scope and content at the file-level should only be created if the title or description at higher levels do not provide sufficient information to the user.
Restrictions on access
- Any files containing materials that are restricted must be indicated in this field, including the date for when the restriction is lifted
- Ex. Restricted until 2067.
- See Archival Processing wiki for details
General notes
- This field is typically used to record separation and location information, see [1] for details
- Check with Archives Assistant if there are other types of information that should be included as part of the file-level description. In some cases, this information may go into other existing AtoM notes fields. The Archives Assistant can adjust the data entry template if additional notes fields are required
- Multiple genreal notes can be created by inserting a pipe delimiter/separator "|" between each note
Separation
- In most cases, item-level descriptions are created to indicate separation of materials
- Use the "Separation" tab in the data entry template to record information on separated materials (see the Archival Processing wiki for details)
- It is best to create these item-level descriptions directly in AtoM after descriptions have been imported. The Archives Assistant will provide more guidance on how/when this can be done
Things to note/consider
- All columns in the data entry template have been formatted as "Text" to prevent auto-conversion of numbers to dates, time, etc. Reformat columns to "Text" if they have been auto-formatted back to "General" or "Number"
- Please ensure there are no extra spaces at the end of each value in each cell in the spreadsheet. These extra spaces will cause AtoM imports to fail!
CSV import
- Send completed data entry spreadsheet to Archives Assistant for quality control and migration to CSV
