The Use of Forms in the Control of Archives at the Accessioning and Processing Level

Abstract

are as many control forms used for the accessioning and arranging functions of archival work as there are archival agencies. Each agency responding to the request of the Forms Manual Subcommittee (of the SAA State and Local Records Committee) has its own idea of what is essential or nonessential in control forms. Archival agencies from 17 States and four Canadian Provinces submitted examples of accessioning and progress forms. If one may judge from geographical distribution, the use of forms at the accessioning and arranging level is primarily a Midwestern phenomena, with the expected use of such forms from the major archival agencies in the Old South, Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, and the Southwest including our host State. One could rashly conclude that forms for accessioning and arranging are generally not in vogue elsewhere. But, I hastily add, this would be invalid. In studying the multistyled, variously printed, rainbow-hued forms, the most obvious conclusion is a variant of one of Parkinson's laws simply, that the number and amount of forms used vary proportionately with the funds and personnel available. Consequently, a discussion of forms and forms usage must take into consideration cost, space taken for additional administrative records, and employee time needed to keep such records. In addition all forms used must meet the same criteria. The essential factors are: clarity, simplicity, readability, suitability and usefulness, flexibility, and relationship when compared to the records the forms are to describe and to similar forms used by the same agency. The forms studied in accessioning and arranging usually fell into several well-defined categories. Within the area are such forms as transmittal sheets, gift and loan agreements and receipts, requisition of records forms, accessions records, accessions registers and logs, accessioning and processing forms, work sheets, repair and rehabilitation control forms, labels, and manuals. The last two classes labels and manuals will not be discussed here. The eventual publication of a manual is the goal of the State and Local Records Committee ; and my only comment concerning labels is that they