“Accessioning is the basis of all archival stewardship. It is a suite of activities through which we appraise, transfer, stabilize, and document archival acquisitions. Accessioning provides pathways to access, informs future decisions, and promotes sustained resource commitment for the care of archival materials.”
Definition of accessioning from the Best Practices for Archival Accessioning working group
The National Best Practices for Archival Accessioning Working Group (aka NBPAAWG) was founded in 2021 by archivists Meaghan O’Riordan and Rosemary K. J. Davis. It is sanctioned by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) Standards Portal and is sponsored by SAA’s Accessioning, Appraisal, and Acquisitions Section. Funding comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ National Leadership Grants for Libraries program. NBPAAWG is charged with developing best practices for archival accessioning that can be adopted and adapted for widespread use in the archival profession. Its goals are to:
- create human-centered, transparent, and actionable practices for all types of accessioning labor
- increase visibility for the workers performing accessioning
- illuminate the operational impact of effective accessioning practices
- build an inclusive community of practice for individuals performing accessioning
- develop public-facing documentation that can be used by individuals performing or managing accessioning-related duties in all archives and special collections contexts
NBPAAWG comprises 32 professionals from across the United States who perform archival accessioning as part of their regular job duties. In their application to the working group, members were surveyed on areas of expertise with regards to accessioning. From there, the leadership team developed the following 5 sub-groups to guide research and writing for the best practices:
- Pre-custodial work
- Born-digital accessioning
- Stabilization, storage, and preservation
- Arrangement and description
- Labor, ethics, relationships, and the work environment
From 2021-2023, sub-groups were charged with completing a literature review, outline, and full draft of their assigned section. After completing their outlines, sub-groups shared their materials with the full committee and received feedback on structure and content. Full drafts of sections were to be completed in 2023, with regular meetings held to discuss updates between leadership, sub-groups, and the full working group.
In January 2023, representatives from each sub-group began planning an in-person summit on accessioning best practices. The summit was held in Providence, Rhode Island from May 1st-May 5th, 2023, with the goal of developing a complete draft of the guidelines and building community between members of NBPAAWG. Topics covered included technical writing, accession record guidelines, visual language, revising the complete document, and determining next steps for the working group.
Following the summit, Rachel Searcy and Eve Neiger took on the formidable task of restructuring the complete draft based on revisions and discussions during sessions. The leadership team concurrently reorganized the group to usher in NBPAAWG’s final phase. At this time, members are split between groups such as Writing, Editing/Design, and Post-production, where they will work to see the project to completion.
The guidelines are now undergoing a period of feedback and revision. A final draft is expected in summer 2024, and will be accompanied by a public forum at SAA’s conference in Chicago, Illinois. We are excited to launch this resource to the community and hope to see you at SAA!
Group photo: Row 1 (Front): Rosemary K.J. Davis, Emily Hughes Dominick, Kate Dundon, Juliana Kuipers, Rose Oliveira-Abbey, Meaghan O’Riordan; Row 2: Christine Bethke, Rosalie Gartner, Maureen Cresci Callahan, Kelli Yakabu; Row 3: Brittan Nannenga, Regina Carra, Eve Neiger; Row 4: Dawne Howard Lucas, Jasmine Larkin, Kit Messick, Kit Fluker, Katrina Windon; Row 5: Rachel Searcy, Jaime Henderson, Jennifer Coggins, Cate Putirskis; Row 6: Julia Welby, Margo Padilla, Tammi Kim, Audra Eagle Yun; Row 7 (Back): Jesse Hocking, Mohamed Haian Abdirahman, Nikki Lynn Thomas; Not pictured: Matt Francis, Emily Higgs Kopin, Jordan Jancosek, and Bree’ya Brown
National Best Practices for Archival Accessioning Working Group 