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Organization of Photo Collections



My search of the list archives provided some useful questions, but not as
many useful answers as I might have liked, and since the topic was last
raised a year ago, I figure I'm safe bringing it up.  It's been a slow list
day anyway, as I imagine lots of people are either packing or in transit for
the gentle South.  (Beware, genteel people of Birmingham, hordes of
archivists are descending on you unawares!)

Anyway...

We're going to take a stab at reorganizing the photo collections here, and
I'm casting about for suggestions.  Our collections are the result of public
relations offices at our various facilities, who donated their generally
subject-driven, alphabetically organized photo files.  I intend to keep each
hospital's files independent of the others, as I have for the documentary
materials, but I'm wondering if there's any need to break the photo
collections out of their alpha arrangement?

Some other questions:

1) are complicated numbering schemes really necessary to track photos?  Some
old postings on this subject mentioned these aaa-bbbb-ccc kinda things which
I've never loved.

2) Is item level cataloging essential for proper control over photographic
materials?  I suspect it is, though I can't say I'm looking forward to the
task - it seems it's the only way to insure speedy access to particular
photos

3) any particulars of information that I should try to capture in our
database beyond people, facility, event, medium, photographer, etc?

Any other brilliant ideas I should bear in mind before attacking this
enormous task?

Before anyone asks, I will summarize to the list if there are replies.

DS

PS I'll start the annual "Who else is stuck in the office while everyone has
a good time partying at SAA" thread by offering to bring the (virtual) hot
dogs - kosher, naturally

______________________________________
Daniel Sokolow, Archives Coordinator
David Taylor Archives
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
155 Community Drive
Great Neck, NY 11021
mailto:dsokolow@nshs.edu

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