Guide #10. Archives in the Church
or Synagogue Library
Evelyn R. Ling. 2nd Rev. ed. 1996, 24 pages. $8.25, members $6.50
The church or synagogue’s past—its family history—is often key to understanding its present and future. Archives of historical material should be preserved so that a congregations’s heritage can be passed on to new generations, contends the author, Evelyn R. Ling. And nowhere is a more appropriate place in which to house such materials than the congregational library.
“The processes involved, the kinds of materials collected, the cataloging procedures and the eventual use of the materials all are closely related to the regular functions of the library and can be readily coordinated with the library’s purposes,” writes Ling. In six concise chapters, Ling describes why archives are important; how to get started (including selecting a committee and an archivist); what kinds of archival materials to look for and how to select them; how to accession the materials, control inventory, organize and arrange records, and prepare a guide for information retrieval; and how to preserve and store archived materials.
Not content to let archives sit locked away unused, Ling offers some practical suggestions of ways to display and use all but the most valuable materials. She also includes appendices of archival materials supply sources, religious historical societies and depositories of archival materials by denomination, a bibliography, footnotes, even a couple of “Recipes for the Archivist,” such as wheat paste and the “Loyal Librarian Cocktail” for preserving newspaper clippings and preventing them from yellowing. The cost for Guide No. 10 is $6.50 for CSLA members, $8.25 for prospective members. Contact CSLA’s national office in Portland for your copy.
Table of Contents
WHY HAVE ARCHIVES?
The Historical/Biblical Precedent
The Importance of Archives
Why in the Library?
GETTING STARTED
Appoint a Committee and Archivist
Establish Selection Guidelines
SELECTING MATERIALS
What to Look For
How to Select
Where to Look
PROCESSING (ARRANGING AND DESCRIBING)
Step One-Accessioning
Step Two-Controlling Inventory
Step Three-Organizing and Arranging the Records
Step Four-Preparing a Guide for Information Retrieval
Card File-Shelf List
PRESERVING AND STORING
Additional Suggestions
RECIPES FOR THE ARCHIVIST
Wheat Paste Recipe
Loyal Librarian Cocktail
"Home-Made" Humidifier
