Artist's Legacy Toolkit: Organize
[ Introduction | Using this Toolkit | Identify | Organize | Preserve | Access | Resources | Copyright | Digital Files | Records Management ]How Will You Need to Access Your Materials?
Your answer to this question will help you decide what method of
organization is best. Regardless of your career level, a good records
management system (how documents are organized within a filing system
and how information about records is kept) can improve the efficiency of
your business and your ability to archive your artistry. Many systems
are organized chronologically, but you may want to organize by
choreographic work, material format, content, event, etc. However you
organize your files, programs, costumes, media, and other objects,
remember that consistency is the key for future retrieval.
Image of Dance Theatre of Harlem archive project:
Video materials separated with items with unique numbers
on left and unnumbered items on right.
Photo by Kat Bell.
1. Designate storage areas for each of the main categories of your system. This could be labeled folders, drawers, boxes, and shelves.
2. Eliminate unneeded duplicate copies, saving a small number of older items and a larger, but limited, number of more current items that you might use for reporting or development purposes. Dance/USA recommends saving 5 copies, however you might add more or less depending on the needs of your organization.
How long should you keep materials? Your organization should have a formal records retention schedule that staff can consult to determine whether records need to be kept or may be securely discarded. If you don’t have a records retention schedule, this tool will help provide some guidelines:
3. Label media, artifacts, and paper materials using a consistent system. Label items as they are created – taking the time now will ensure items are identified fully. You may not remember where a photograph was taken, by whom, and who is in it ten years down the road.
For best practices in labeling digital, photo, and audiovisual materials:
If you are further along in your career, examine what you have and your methods for collecting and saving materials. Are you missing information or is there a discernible pattern to gaps in your documentation? Determine what you need to locate or create. Identify possible sources for obtaining missing materials such as former company members, board members, friends, relatives, venues where you performed, and videographers who may have items that belong in your archive.
Image of Dance Theatre of Harlem archive project:
Unsorted materials in Lib-2 before organization.
Photo by Kat Bell.
Take Inventory
An inventory not only
helps you locate your materials, but it is vital when calculating
insurance needs, transferring your files to another organization, or
developing a disaster plan. We've provided a sample document that gives
you the flexibility to develop an inventory only as detailed as you
need. Think about how items are already labeled and how that information
can be transferred to a spreadsheet. If you need assistance with your
inventory, contact us!
Unique ID Numbers
Use unique ID numbers to identify items in your collection and connect them to inventory records. Find tips and best practices for creating a numbering system unique to your archive.
[ Introduction | Using this Toolkit | Identify | Organize | Preserve | Access | Resources | Copyright | Digital Files | Records Management ]
