Archivist Archival Principles & Practices Flashcards

Which type of description in a finding aid provides information about the collection as a whole rather than individual items?

Answer: Collection-level description

Collection-level description gives an overview of the entire collection including scope, dates, size, and access conditions, applicable to all materials in the fonds.

An archivist discovers that a collection's creator was involved in activities the archivist finds morally objectionable. How should this affect appraisal decisions?

Answer: Personal moral judgments should not override archival appraisal criteria

Archivists must apply consistent professional appraisal criteria rather than personal moral judgments, as archival neutrality is a core professional value.

What is 'functional analysis' in the context of records scheduling?

Answer: Examining the business functions records support to determine retention value

Functional analysis examines the business functions and activities that records document to determine their retention periods and archival value.

Which environmental condition is MOST critical for slowing the deterioration of paper-based archival materials?

Answer: Cool temperature and low relative humidity

Cool temperatures (around 65°F or lower) and low relative humidity (30-40%) dramatically slow the chemical reactions that cause paper to deteriorate.

Which NARA regulation governs the scheduling and disposition of federal records?

Answer: 36 CFR Part 1220

36 CFR Part 1220 contains NARA's regulations for scheduling federal records, establishing the framework for disposition authorities.

What is the primary difference between 'retention schedule' and 'disposition authority'?

Answer: A retention schedule specifies how long to keep records; disposition authority is NARA's approval to carry out that schedule

A retention schedule identifies records series and their retention periods, while a disposition authority is the official NARA-approved authorization to implement those schedules.

When processing a large unprocessed collection with limited resources, which processing strategy involves providing minimal but usable description quickly?

Answer: More Product Less Process (MPLP)

More Product Less Process (MPLP), introduced by Greene and Meissner in 2005, advocates minimal processing to make collections accessible faster with fewer resources.