BETHLEHEM, Pa., August 6, 2013 — In a groundbreaking pilot project with Lock Haven University, Backstage Library Works has provided the university's archives with archival processing services, allowing researchers access to the Mary Ward Collection which spans six decades from the 1930s through the 1980s.
The Mary Ward collection was processed on-site at the folder level, labeled to describe contents and dates, and rehoused in new boxes. Final processing produced three linear feet, plus an eight-page finding aid that was converted to EAD format.
Backstage's archival processing project manager, Rob Paustian states:
"A growing number of unprocessed records within an institution can create a backlog so massive, that potential donors may think twice about donating a collection. To help institutions reduce their backlogs, Backstage is sending archival specialists on-site to process these collections and make them available to the public. We are privileged to have worked with Lock Haven University on our pilot project."
Regarding the value of Backstage's on-site service for their library, Lock Haven's Bernadette Heiney reports:
"We were thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Backstage Library Works on their archival processing pilot project. It allowed us to work with an experienced archivist and learn the most up-to-date best practices. As part-time archivists, the project re-energized our commitment to and enthusiasm for our archive collection."
