RBSC MemoryBC Workflow

This is a guide for updating and adding authority records and archival descriptions to the MemoryBC database. This workflow is part of the RBSC Archives Toolkit and Post-archival processing guide at the University of British Columbia Library - Rare Books and Special Collections.

RBSC MemoryBC Workflow guide is created by Jacky Lai, RBSC Archives Assistant, and is based on the MemoryBC user manual provided by the Archives Association of British Columbia (AABC).

Introduction

To increase access and discovery of RBSC archival holdings, archival descriptions, specifically top-level (i.e. fonds/collection-level) descriptions, are added to AABC's MemoryBC portal. It is a searchable database for materials available at archival repositories throughout BC. This guide provides instructions on how to create and update authority records and archival descriptions in MemoryBC.

Authority records

All institutional members share authority records in MemoryBC, so there may be authority records that are shared (two or more institutions have material from the same creator), and many that are not shared with others. Thus, before creating a new Authority Record, search MemoryBC to ensure that another institution has not already added it.

Searching for existing authority records

Type the name into the search bar at the top of the MemoryBC website. Use quotation marks around the term or phrase being searched for, and don’t press enter. Instead, wait for the drop down menu to come down and only search the Names (shown as People and Organizations) area. If an authority record is found that is the same as the one you were searching for then you don’t need to create the authority record. If the authority record is missing information, or you feel should include other information, please contact the MemoryBC Coordinator at bcans@aabc.ca who will ensure everyone who uses this authority is contacted about the proposed changes.

Creating new authority records

If no similar authority record is found, then create a new one. Go up to the ‘plus icon’ in the top right navigation area. Click on it and click ‘Authority Records’.

The next screen should be the ‘Edit authority records-ISAAR’ screen with five areas. Each area has a name that is a link - when clicked, a drop down list of fields appears to be filled out. The following are the fields that are recommended for authority records in MemoryBC. You are encouraged to fill out the other fields as well, but they are all optional.

Identity area

Type of entity (Required)

Choose Person, Family or Corporate Body that is closest to your creator or entity.

Authorized form of name (Required)

Type the last used name of the entity. This follows the RAD standard. For names, use last name, first name, such as “Jones, John”. If it is a family, use name (family), such as “Atkins (family)”. For an entity like a business or organization, use the name, such as “Acme Tool Company”, or “University of British Columbia. Faculty of Arts”. There may be times when a qualifier is needed to make it unique, such as “United Women’s Organization (Victoria, BC)”.

Parallel form of name (Optional)

If an entity has a name that is parallel to the main authorized form of name, put it here. The most common use is when the name has an English and French name, so the French name would usually be put in here. More than one name can be added.

Other Form of Name (Optional)

If an entity has used another name put it, or multiple names, in here. This includes maiden names, nicknames, former company names, acronyms, pseudonyms, nobility titles, honour titles, etc. More than one name can be added.

Description area

Dates of existence (If available in RBSC AtoM)

Add dates that the entity was alive, or active. If this is a person, add the birth and death dates (if known). If this is a corporate entity, add the dates it was active from the earliest date to latest date (if known). Below are some examples of date formats used in MemoryBC. Some dates found in RBSC AtoM may need to be reformatted for MemoryBC records.

1950 = Still current
1950-1990 = Birth/death dates or start/end dates known
1950 or 1951-1990 = Start/birth date not certain, but within 2 yrs.
1950?-1990 = Probable birth or start date
ca. 1950-1990 = Year of birth or start date uncertain
ca. 1950-ca.1990 = Both dates uncertain
b.1950 = Birth date known
d.1990 = Death date known
20th cent. = Both dates unknown, but century known

History (If available in RBSC AtoM)

If this information is available in RBSC AtoM then add to this field in MemoryBC.

Control area

Authority record identifier

Ignore this area, as no identifier is available.

Maintaining Repository (Required)

If this is a new authority record, link it to the RBSC institutional profile. Type in the first five letters of "University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections" and wait for 3 seconds. A drop-down list will appear and select "University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections" from the list. If this is not done, then a duplicate institution will be created! Once fields are filled out, press the "Create" button at the bottom of the page, and the Authority Record will be published.

Please note that an authority record is published as soon as the "Create" button is clicked, there is no draft state. Also, there is no auto save and the system will time out if too much time is taken in the creation or editing of the Authority Record and all information not saved will be lost.

If you want to add information to an authority record after it is created, or delete a record, please contact the MemoryBC Coordinator before any changes are made. All authority records are shared, so the Coordinator needs to confirm that the changes won’t have an impact on other members who may be using a particular authority record. To find out if an authority record is shared with other repositories, check the holdings that are linked to the record. If a record is maintained by RBSC and there are no holdings from other repositories linked then it is fine to edit the record.

Archival descriptions

Generally, RBSC only provides top-level descriptions in MemoryBC. The purpose is to direct users to RBSC's AtoM to view more information and conduct further searches here.

Archival descriptions in MemoryBC are not shared between institutions, so every description entered is unique and changes can be made at any time to any description, however the archival description will remain in draft. This also applies to all new archival descriptions. Email the Coordinator at bcans@aabc.ca and ask for a review so the crated/udpated description(s) can be published.

Creating a New Description

While there are many fields available in MemoryBC, there are only a limited number used for top-level descriptions. Below are the fields RBSC generally uses in MemoryBC. Majority of these are straightforward since we are copying information from RBSC AtoM and pasting into MemoryBC. There are some exceptions which are explained below.

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper (Required)

Enter the official title of the fonds or collection. Only proper names should be capitalized in this field. The word "fonds" and "collection" are all lowercase.

Level of description (Required)

Select the level of description - ‘fonds’ or ‘collection’.

Repository (Required)

Place cursor in the field and start to type in "University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections". Wait two seconds for the drop down to show and select "University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections" from the list. If you type it in rather than choose from the list, a duplicate institutional profile will be created. If this occurs, contact the MemoryBC Coordinator, who will delete the duplicate profile.

Identifier (Required)

Enter the ARC number here - RBSC-ARC-XXXX. For some legacy holdings, the identifiers may look like VF-XXX (Vertical file) and BC-XXXX-XX (BC historical postcard and album photograph collection).

Dates of creation area

Actor name (Required)

Place cursor in the field and start to type the authority name and wait 3 seconds for the drop down menu to come up. Choose the correct authority record. If you type it in rather than choose from the list, a duplicate authority record will be created. If this occurs, contact the MemoryBC Coordinator, who will delete the duplicate authority record.

Event type (Required)

The default is ‘Creation’ (creator). If a collection description is being created, then the word ‘Collection’ (collector) or ‘Accumulation’ (Accumulator) should be chosen. Please note that date of creation should only be linked to the creator of records and not the collector or accumulator.

Dates associated with creation/creator, collection/collector, accumulation/accumulator should not be mixed in the same entry. For example, if the creation date and collector are known then there should be two entries in the "Date of creation area" - Example.

Date (Required)

Below is a list of date format used in MemoryBC. If the date format in RBSC AtoM does not comply then reformat the date.

1950 = Materials are from one year only, 1950.
1950-1990 = Materials are from 1950 to 1990 only.
[ca. 1950]-1990 = Materials have an approx. earliest date of 1950 but end in 1990.
[195?]-1990 = Materials have/probable earliest date of the 1950s, end in 1990.*[195-]-1990 = Materials earliest date is known to be in the decade of the 1950s, end in 1990.
1950-1990, predominant 1955-1960 = Materials are from 1950 to 1990, but the majority are from 1955-1960.

Physical description area

Physical description (Required)

Include the physical extent of the materials in the fonds or collection. Use a new line (press enter) for each material type, and use metric measurements. You can enter as many as items as you want. It is recommended that the RAD phrase "and other material" not be used, and that all materials be noted in this field. RBSC descriptions typically includes "and other material" in this field and lists detailed physical descriptions in the "physical description note" field. Continue with this format since not using "and other material" is a recommendation not a requirement.

Archival description area

Custodial history

Custodial history is not typically added to MemoryBC. However, there was an exception for holdings previously linked to the Charles Woodward Memorial Room in Woodward Library. Because these holdings were transferred to RBSC in 2013, the Memorial Room repository record no longer exists in MemoryBC. To retain the link between these holdings and the Memorial Room, a decision was made to include custodial history so that users who previously were aware of the Memorial Room holdings can still locate them through keyword search in MemoryBC.

Scope and content (Required)

Copy information from "scope and content" in the AtoM record to this field. Be sure to press enter/return twice to start a new paragraph. Pressing it once will start a new line but not a paragraph.

Notes area

There is only one field in the "Notes area" which is required - "Finding aids". Information for other fields listed below are added if they are available in AtoM descriptions. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis.

Language of material

If AtoM lists a language other than English, then include it in this field. Place cursor in the field and type in the language name, wait two seconds for the drop down and choose the language wanted. Multiple languages can be added.

Language and script notes

If AtoM provides information in this field then copy and paste into this field in MemoryBC.

Restrictions on access

If AtoM provides information in this field then copy and paste into this field in MemoryBC.

Terms governing use, reproduction and publication

If AtoM provides information in this field then copy and paste into this field in MemoryBC.

Finding aids (Required)

Instead of linking AtoM top-level description URLs to MemoryBC descriptions, a generic line is added to direct users to search in RBSC's AtoM. Enter this line in the field: For more information, please search on our website: http://rbsc.library.ubc.ca/collections/

Associated materials

Use this field for information about associated materials which are not found in RBSC AtoM and MemoryBC. For example, this is where we normally provide information about books that were originally part of a fonds and are now available in the UBC Library catalogue.

This field is sometimes used to provide context for materials listed in the "Related materials note".

Related materials

Use this field to link holdings which already exist in MemoryBC. This include RBSC and non-RBSC holdings. Similar to other linked fields, type the first few letters and/or numbers, wait for a dropdown menu to appear and then select the correct holding. It is recommend to verify whether the correct one was selected after the description is saved.

General note

For MemoryBC, we generally use this field to record Vertical file or BC photograph number. Other information listed as general note in AtoM is not typically included.

Access points area

Subject access points

Refer to the RBSC AtoM/MemoryBC subject access points guide for information on assigning subject access points in MemoryBC.

Name access points

Name access points are created using authority records already in MemoryBC. Be sure to check if an authority record exists before adding name access points. Follow the steps in the Authority records section of the wiki to search and create authority records.

Once authority records are confirmed to be in the database, place cursor in the "Name access point" field and start to type the authority name and wait 3 seconds for the drop down menu to come up. Choose the correct authority record. If you type it in rather than choose from the list, a duplicate authority record will be created. If this occurs, contact the MemoryBC Coordinator, who will delete the duplicate authority record.

Control area & administration area

The fields in the ‘Control Area’ relate to the maintenance of the description that is being created. RBSC only use one field in this area.

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

When a description is created, enter this line in the field: Record created by Initial for first name. Last name, Month Date, Year.

Example: Record created April 23, 2020.

When a description is updated, enter this line in the field: Record updated by Initial for first name. Last name, Month Date, Year.

Example: Record revised April 23, 2020.

Do not remove previous information entered in this field, simply start a new line so that a full list of dates of creation, revision and deletion is maintained.