Institutional History Division
Remote Off-Site Storage Project
Appendixes
A. SIA Organizational Chart for FY 1999
B. Volume of Holdings Summary
C. Chart of Volume Growth
D. Sources of Holdings
E. Records Center Services
F. Reference Service Statistics
G. "Research in Progress" Lecture Series
H. Publications of SIA Staff and Associates
I. Publications Using SIA Holdings
The Technical Services Division provides support for both the Smithsonian Institution Archives and for the Institution as a whole in the areas of preservation, computer support, administrative support and electronic records. In 1999, the Administrative Services staff joined Technical Services Division. Preservation activities for the past year included performing holdings maintenance on collections, conducting preservation assessments of incoming accessions, increasing the environmental monitoring of SIA storage areas, instituting and maintaining an Integrated Pest Management Program, treating collections with mold and providing support to other archival repositories within the Smithsonian. The computer support staff installed new hardware and software for SIA staff, maintained the databases in support of collections management and began to design a database that would integrate the requirements for documenting archival activities. The Electronic Records Program concentrated on providing additional guidance on e-mail and testing the viability of electronic record keeping systems for managing e-mail.
The Disaster Preparedness Task Force completed its work, issuing a final report that included recommendations for
updating the Disaster Planning, Prevention and Recovery Manual, creating a Disaster Response Staff, providing training
sessions for all staff in responding properly to disasters, collaborating with groups that support activities associated with
recovery, and securing safety supplies. The Disaster Planning, Prevention and Recovery Manual was placed on the SIA
website.
Return to Top
In 1999 the focus for the Electronic Records Program was to examine issues associated with electronic record keeping systems, with particular emphasis on providing more specific guidelines on managing electronic mail. To that purpose, Fynnette Eaton joined Scott Schwartz, Archives Center, NMAH, in proposing a pilot project for managing and preserving the Office of the Director's (NMAH) e-mail records. Using the approved retention schedules for the paper files, the project developed a structure for storing the
e-mail messages in a parallel electronic system, a "virtual records center." These electronic records will be transferred electronically to SIA at an agreed upon date. The pilot lasted for four months. A final report will be issued in FY 2000.
A second initiative focused on the testing of an electronic record keeping system within SIA. The office purchased TRIM software from TOWER to determine the feasibility of using this type of system for managing both paper and electronic files. With OIT support, SIA secured a server and installed the software. The lack of a file plan for both paper and electronic records delayed the full implementation during FY 1999.
The migration of many SI offices from GroupWise 4.2 to 5.5 provided an opportunity for ERP to issue advice about e-mail
records. This information, which was posted on PRISM, the Smithsonian's Intranet, offered different scenarios to help
explain to Smithsonian Institution staff what type of messages should be kept and what could be deleted.
Return to Top
Although the Preservation Team lost its third member and team leader Paul Theerman, team members Alyssa Pease and Michael Horsley continued to implement the basic goals of the SIA Preservation Plan with the assistance of contract conservator Sarah Stauderman, who provided advice and technical expertise. The team focused its activities on addressing the core preservation needs of the SIA by performing holdings maintenance of high value collections, conducting preservation assessments of accessions and high value collections, environmental monitoring of records storage facilities, preparing collections for transfer to National Underground Storage (see below), maintaining an Integrated Pest Management program and treating collections identified as containing mold.
A driving factor of the team's activities was work targeted under a Research Resources Grant (RRG) to rehouse 920 cubic feet of high value collections. Pease and Horsley rehoused 215 archival collections comprising 941 cubic feet, and conducted 477 preservation assessments of all incoming accessions, high value collections, and records identified to be transferred to NUS. The team received another RRG for FY 2000 to rehouse 600 cubic feet of records. In addition, Pease worked on another RRG grant to identify and rehouse Smithsonian Productions film and video materials, and Horsley worked on a National Anthropological Archives Research Resources Grant to duplicate nitrate negatives from the Reeves and Stirling collections.
Poor environmental conditions in SIA storage facilities continued to be the most serious preservation concern. As a first step to address this problem, the team implemented a more comprehensive monitoring program at SIA.. Temperatures in the Arts and Industries (A&I) Building holdings storage area averaged 72F with a high of 80F, and an average relative humidity of 49.13% with a high of 75.8%. Temperatures at the off-site facility at Fullerton averaged 67.5F with a high of 80.12F, and an average relative humidity of 60.32% with a high of 91.8%.
In the winter of 1999 the team worked out an arrangement with the conservation lab at the National Postal Museum to use their facilities on a biweekly basis for their mold abatement project. The team inspected and cleaned fourteen cubic feet of records from seven collections. The team also implemented an Integrated Pest Management program to monitor SIA storage facilities and collections for evidence of pest infestation. The preservation team worked in conjunction with Mary Studt , a Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education archives conservation fellow, and SI Horticulture entomologists to develop changes to minimize the risk of insect infestation. The components of the SIA program included: deploying additional pest monitoring traps throughout SIA facilities; rectifying poor archival supply storage procedures; removing carpeting in the A&I range; recommending facilities improvements at Fullerton designed to minimize pest infestations; and working closely with the A&I pest management contractor. The preservation team isolated and monitored 73 collections with 362 cubic feet of records, and placed two collections in the Department of Botany's freezer at the Museum Support Center for treatment as an extra precaution. Since the changes have been implemented no significant evidence of pests have been found.
In July 1999 the Archives experienced a water related disaster at A&I when overflow water from HVAC equipment located above room 2135 backed up because of a clogged floor drain causing water to come through the ceiling. Drawing on their disaster recovery training, preservation team members responded quickly to a potentially devastating emergency. By mobilizing the entire staff, the Archives averted major water damage to the reading room, control files, and computer equipment. Luckily the source was found quickly and the only damage was to ceiling tiles, carpet, and insulation covering HVAC duct work above the reading room. After the disaster event, the team called in Kathy Makos from Office of Environmental Management and Safety because they were concerned that the damaged insulation may harbor mold, and Office of Physical Plant staff replaced the damaged insulation.
The team's activities were augmented by its stalwart volunteers, Pat Breen, who rehoused several glass and nitrate negative collections in addition to RU 285 (Photograph File, Director and Deputy Director, National Museum of History and Technology, 1970s), and Heather Cohen, who has rehoused over 100 cubic feet of RU 613 (Office of the Secretary, S. Dillon Ripley, 1972-1984) in the past two years. The team also continues to assist Jane Livermore on rehousing 7091 (Science Service, Records, circa 1910-1963). The team had a high school student, Omar Rahman, who assisted with clean up issues associated with the Preservation Priority Database. Other highlights included: acquiring two oversize map cases from the Organization of American States; surveying and rehousing oversize materials in A&I and Fullerton mapcases; developing the preservation team module in the Collections Management Systems database and migrating the Architectural Drawing Database System from dBASE III to MS Access.
The Preservation Team provided technical advice to the National Anthropological Archives, Hirshhorn Museum and
Sculpture Garden, and the Archives of American Art relating to the move of their collections to National Underground
Storage. The team assisted AAA in treating pest infested records, and advised its New York City office on basic
preservation procedures and housing techniques. The team also provided assistance to the Human Studies Film Archives in
monitoring environmental conditions at their remote storage film vault. Members of the team responded to numerous
preservation oriented reference inquiries by the general public and researchers. The team prepared SI collections for
outgoing exhibition loans and presentation to SIA visitors. The team also gave presentations to visiting archivists
concerning SIA preservation practices.
Return to Top
Smithsonian Institution Archives || Archives Division
Institutional History Division || Joseph Henry Papers Project
National Collection Program