Week Four, Day Six- October 16

Today, more archive materials from Gaylord arrived so we were able to finish putting all the photographs into protective sleeves and finish putting all the manuscripts into their own folders. Even though this process takes forever, I think it is really important because we want to know this collection as well as we possibly can before we begin the cataloging process. Not taking the time to get to know the collection can have a very negative affect on the final product of a finding aid because we would not be able to link up similar materials so that it is easier for a researcher to find the information they are looking for. I know it can be very frustrating when you don't have any idea the proper chronology for a collection and you are forced to make one up by yourself. Because a collection may no longer be in the correct order, it is so very important to take the time to look at each item, both as an individual record and as the item relates to the rest of the collection. If the person developing the finding aid does not take the time to match similar materials, a researcher may find it difficult and frustrating to use the materials. It really is up to the person who is working one on one with the materials to take the time to put them in the most logical order possible. I hope that all the time we are spending looking at the materials as we put them in protective sleeves and folders will enable us to develop the most logical system for organizing everything which will lead to a well thought out and developed finding aid.