ArchivesSpace Repository Profile: Berea College, Special Collections and Archives

Question responses were provided via the Repository Profile Form by Lori A. Myers-Steele, Collections Archivist at Berea College, Special Collections and Archives on May 14, 2021.

Questions

Tool and version, if applicable

ArchivesSpace

Type of archives or special collection library?

Academic.

How did your institution select this archival collection management tool?

Through a review of available options.

When and why did you adopt this tool? What system did it replace (if any)?

Early 2021. Needed to replace Archon.

Briefly explain how this tool functions at your institution (e.g. do you only use it for accessioning, or does it fill all the functions from accessioning to public access?)

Accessions, collections management, public access and discovery.

What pre-installation/migration preparations were taken to facilitate implementation of this tool?

Worked with the host of our instance, Library Host, to migrate from Archon to ArchivesSpace.

What degree of IT support was needed to implement and migrate into this tool?

High.

Is your collection management tool hosted on-site and in-house or off-site by a vendor?

Off-site by a vendor.

Please describe significant post-implementation challenges using the administrative and/or public interfaces.

Staff training, data clean up.

Is your institution integrating this tool with other automated request, preservation, or digital asset management systems?

Yes.

In what ways has using this tool been an improvement over your previous tool or finding aid access strategy?

Just completed migration, have not gone live with our version of ArchivesSpace.

Lessons Learned, or tip for prospective users? What is your least favorite feature of this tool?

Migration took longer and was "messier" than some expected.

What features would you want to see added to this tool in the future?

Bulk data entry/editing.