amanda...@mail.utoronto.ca
Dan Gillean
A linked storage location will appear in the right-hand context menu of an archival description - clicking the link will display all the other descriptions linked to the same location. If you don't want this information shown to public users, you can hide it via the Visible elements module:
AtoM also has a basic Locations report that you can run from the top-level of an archival description hierarchy. It will show you all locations associated with the current archival unit. See:
- https://www.accesstomemory.org/docs/2.3/user-manual/reports-printing/create-physical-storage-report/
Of course, it's important to remember that intellectual arrangements, like designation a description a "file," can be totally separate from the physical arrangement - the number of folders comprising the contents of the file, for example. But there are creative ways you might use the identifiers to help indicate the physical arrangement, if you wish.
One solution, which I previously used when working at UBC's Rare Books and Special
Collections (RBSC), was to use the Reference Code field to suggest multiple
folders while still using a single identifier. There, a file in box 1,
folder 1 would receive the File-level identifier of 1-1, while a file in
box 1 that spanned folders 2 and 3 would be entered as 1-2/3. RBSC generally applied a unique code at the top level, and did not apply identifiers at the series level to maintain this system. This
allows RBSC staff to understand the storage location of each description
at a glance, and to use the whole of the identifier
(CA-RBSC-FondsLevelNumber-BoxFolderNumber) as a call number for
retrieval and location. The actual location information of the fonds'
boxes can still be managed in the physical storage module, which will
not be revealed to unauthenticated users. So in this example from RBSC's AtoM instance,
the fonds was given the designation of RBSC-ARC-1394, the series was
left unnumbered, and this particular intellectual "file" description
spanned folders 01 and 02 in box 437 - making the full inherited reference code "RBSC-ARC-1394-437-01/0." This helped RBSC staff with
retrieval when researchers would request to see the material, and manages to supplement both the intellectual and physical arrangement of the materials.
Alternatively, if you merely want to include the information somewhere in the body of the description but you don't want to use the physical description or the Physical storage module, then you might consider using either a notes field, or perhaps one of the Alternative identifiers. AtoM will allow you to add both a label and a value for alternative identifiers (and there can be more than one, in case you also want to include a barcode, legacy value, etc), so you could use the label to suggest it is a physical storage value, and then enter the box number(s) as the value. See:
I hope that gives you some ideas!
Cheers,
Hi there. I am new to AtoM so bear with me. I was wondering for file level descriptions where I can show what number box the file is in if the fond is comprised of more than one box. The documentation seems to indicate it is physical description but I do not want it to be confused with extent. The Physical Location tab also does not seem to be the right place. Also is there a way to access that information from the back end for instance if I am interested in knowing which files are in a specific box. The same question follows if there are more than one physical folders to a file level designation. Your answers will be much appreciated!
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amanda...@mail.utoronto.ca
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maggie....@gmail.com
Just to give you another option: we don't usually record the box number in AtoM because as long as the item numbers are in order in the boxes the 'retriever' can locate a particular item. We do have some series (e.g. the University's main file series) where because the records come in tranches each year there are numerous runs of numbers and in these cases we use the Alternative number field: recording the Label as 'Box' and then put the box number as 'Alternative number' for each item. Example: http://archivescollection.anu.edu.au/index.php/rsise-faculty-board-23. We use the Physical Storage area for recording the repository/row/bay location of the first box of each series (or run of a series) rather than record a location for each box or item. This information isn't accesible to the public so I can't show an example. I hope this is understandable - I realise I'm using Australian terminology!
Maggie Shapley
University Archivist
Australian National University