In August 2024 the University Archives made finding aids of the processed records public in ArchivesSpace.
ArchivesSpace is a software application for collection management and information management in archival and manuscript repositories.
We collated some terminology and tips to help you use this resource.
Terminology
| Resource | The ArchivesSpace term for a collection of “Archival Objects.” Essentially, a Resource contains the information about a collection of related records. This information may include the date range of the records, access restrictions, volume (listed as “Full Extent”), and an inventory of folders (called a box list). For University Archives, a Resource is equivalent to a Record Series. A number of useful “Notes” with standardized language are also added. |
| Archival Object | The ArchivesSpace equivalent of a physical folder (or item). They typically have a title and date range for the contents of the folder. |
| Record Series | A collection of related records within University Archives. Each Record Series represents the material from a specific entity within or related to Case Western Reserve University and its predecessors. For instance, each president of the university has a Record Series (e.g., CWRU President’s Office, Louis A. Toepfer Records). |
| There are Record Series for academic and administrative offices; alumni, friends, and student organizations, and publications. | |
| Each Record Series is given a unique alphanumeric identifier [2 digit number followed by letters, and sometimes additional numbers]. |
The Notes on a Resource's page may include the following:
| Scope and Contents | This is a summary of the material found in this Record Series. It will note if the contents are analog (meaning physical items in our collection) or digital (such as digitized copies or born digital material). It will also describe the types of records (such as correspondence, reports, photographs) as well as some general topics covered in the material (such as alumni affairs, curriculum). |
| Conditions Governing Access: | This will contain standardized language letting you know that material within this Record Series may contain material that is restricted. Some material, such as records created more than 80 years ago or publications meant for a public audience are unrestricted. See Access Restrictions for more information. |
General Information
- There are missing pieces of information in some Resource Records. University Archives staff continuously adds and updates information on this site.
- University Archives and Special Collections both have material listed in ArchivesSpace. Each is listed in its own “Repository” on the site. Each Resource will note that the records are “Found in” either University Archives or Kelvin Smith Library Special Collections. When inquiring about material, please be sure to contact the correct reference desk.
- Only processed record series are included on this site.
- Digital copies of some records, such as yearbooks, commencement programs, and many photographs, can be found in Digital Case.
- Records in ArchivesSpace are not always digitized. To inquire about the possibility of receiving reproductions or visiting the University Archives reading room to see the records in person, please contact the Archives.
Searching Tips
- The collection is text searchable. This means that any series or folder titles as well as the Scope and Content notes for each record series can be found by searching for the keywords within them.
- For instance, searching for “Yearbooks” will bring up all record series containing yearbooks for the various schools, as well as every folder with “Yearbooks” in the title. Additionally, CWRU Media Board records also appear in the search, as their work related to yearbooks as mentioned in their Scope and Contents note.
- Be as specific as possible to reduce the number of results to sift through. However, if you are not finding what you are looking for, you may want to try using different words or using fewer words.
- Filters are another way to narrow your search. If you are looking for material from a specific time period, using the date range will return results that fall between those dates. Leaving either the “From year” or “To year” field blank will allow the search to return everything above or below the other year entered.
If you have any questions contact us at archives@case.edu.