Shifting the Model: Pre-Donation Processing of the New York Foundation for the Arts Records

Abstract

With limited staff and a large unprocessed backlog, New York University Libraries pursued a project from 2016 to 2018 to coordinate the processing of a 1,000 linear foot institutional records collection prior to its donation. The successful project resulted in NYU opening the New York Foundation for the Arts records for research years earlier than it otherwise would have been accessible. The project presented many challenges that can arise when collaborating across institutions. This case study documents the processing project, explores the challenges faced throughout, and reflects on lessons learned that make this a replicable model for collaborative pre-donation processing.

Keywords:

• Archival description
• archival processing
• collaborative projects
• donor relations

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank NYFA Project Archivists Stacey Flatt, Nicholas Long, and Kris Santos for their work on this project.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Weatherly A. Stephan

Weatherly Stephan is the Head of Archival Collections Management at NYU Libraries.

Nicholas J. Martin

Nicholas Martin is the Librarian for Fales Archival Collections and Reference Services, also at NYU Libraries.