Week 8. Next Steps

Given our work on the inventories so far and earlier conversations with Anne about accessing her archives held at UW, decided to reach out to Special Collections. I first called Special Collections and spoke with someone at the front desk. She suggested that I contact Anne Jenner, curator of the PNW Archives Collection at UW. Anne sent back a very informative email that clearly lays out next steps for this project, whether it's a Capstone, DFW, internship or volunteer working with Anne:

Dear Anna,

I just reviewed the administrative file of the collection and see that Anne Focke began archiving her papers here in 1977 and made two additions - the most recent one in 1985. The collection, although fairly small, remains un-described. I have not reviewed the contents of the boxes, and do not know if the materials are organized or de-duplicated. We would welcome the opportunity to work with an intern or capstone student to process and describe the collection.

In order to prepare for a project like this, we need to prepare a processing plan. We take a look at all the boxes and address a number of questions, such as:

• what steps need to be taken,

• what skills are needed by the processor,

• what are any preservation concerns,

• what is the projected timeline for processing the materials,

• what types of materials are in the collection,

• what do we do with out of scope or duplicative materials,

• what level of processing is required (box, folder, or even item level for select items.)

• will select items be digitized and if so, what level of digitizing is needed

• etc.

If Ms. Focke is planning to make an additional donation of materials to Special Collections, she will need to consult with me about the process. I can be reached by phone – best to set up a time in advance just to save time.

I hope this is helpful. Let me know what I need to know for your next steps.

With best wishes,

Anne

ANNE JENNER Pacific Northwest Curator

University of Washington Libraries Special Collections