New feature: search for works by archival collection, box and folder number

[eddierubeiz]

This is based in an actual use case (see below).

It's important to note that we already have a bad solution to this problem:

• https://digital.sciencehistory.org/collections/wh246s128?collection_id=wh246s128&q="Box 1, Folder 29"
• https://digital.sciencehistory.org/collections/wh246s128?collection_id=wh246s128&q="Box 1, Folder 30"
• https://digital.sciencehistory.org/collections/wh246s128?collection_id=wh246s128&q="Box 1, Folder 31"

[eddierubeiz]

Use case:
A researcher finds out about the contents of a collection via ArchivesSpace, and identifies certain boxes containing material s/he wants.
Some, but not all, of the material in those boxes has been digitized.

QUESTION: Can we show the researcher the contents of those boxes that have been digitized in the digital collection?

[eddierubeiz]

Use case is well illustrated by the following reference query, slightly redacted.

I am a researcher based in the UK, currently looking into historical records pertaining to early pollution regulation in Los Angeles and am very interested in the following material from the Arnold O. Beckman Archival Collection which relates to exactly this subject:

Arnold O. Beckman Archival Collection

• [1951-1954: Box 1, Folder 29] - Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce – Air Pollution Committee, 1951-1954
  
• [1955: Box 1, Folder 30] - Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce – Air Pollution Committee, 1955
  
• [1956: Box 1, Folder 31] Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce – Air Pollution Committee, 1956
  

Since I am in the UK and unable to visit the archive myself would it be possible for you to please provide some more detail about this material? Essentially, it would be really helpful to know a little bit more so that I can submit a reproduction request for any relevant material in order to view digitised copies. The finding aid states "Mixed Materials" but if possible it would be really helpful to know exactly what this consists of - i.e., reports, minutes of meetings, correspondence etc?

Thank you very much for your help with this request.

[eddierubeiz]

As of submitting the issue, the only ways to answer the query above is to
a) send a link to the entire Beckman collection (2500+ works). This is not helpful.
b) search for the phrase "Box 1, Folder 29", as a phrase, within the collection. This is helpful, but obscure and brittle.

[jrochkind]

And Archives staff confirms desire for this.

Sarah Newhouse: amazing! This has been on my wishlist for so long

Kent Jaehnig: It looks like the bad solution works for now. The researcher involved seems happy with the results. But I wish there was a better way.

[jrochkind]

@archivistsarah The first level of solution is that we can probably provide box/folder boxes on Collection search pages.

But what I've been fantasizing about for a while is some way to get from ArchiveSpace to D.C. list of box/folder items, in one click from the box/folder in AS. That is harder, since we have less control over archivespace. (As well as the other direction, from a D.C. item it's box/folder in AS in one click). We've talked about this before, and it seemed like a daunting project, that would require some collaborative creativity between us. But I guess I should have thought of doing the easier solution first, if that is still a big win for the user, i didn't totally realize it!

[archivistsarah]

I think there's a steady drumbeat of users wanting to browse digital collections like they would browse an analog folder in the reading room (not just at SHI, but from all special collections researchers).

There are definitely ways to leverage the hierarchical data that results from how archival collections are physically arranged and described (see, for example: https://journal.code4lib.org/articles/16963), but yeah, it's going to be complicated and might require re-thinking how we're using some features of ArchivesSpace at the least.

I would love to have an exploratory conversation or two, whenever that makes sense for you.

[jrochkind]

OK, that is a much more complicated feature than simply adding "box" and "folder" input boxes to search.

I'm not sure if it makes sense to spend time planning it out unless it can actually be prioritized to work on? I'm worried it would just be a repeat of the conversation we had a couple years ago? But Gabriela @Gabz73 is kind of our "product owner" at present, helping plan and prioritize what we'll work on, so you might want to talk to her!

[archivistsarah]

oh sure -- that article was just meant as an example of how archival descriptive data can be used (not that we have to do something so involved).

just adding box/folder/physical container facets to searches would be a great solution, too.