To Which We Serve: Processing in the Navy Archives
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Transcript To Which We Serve: Processing in the Navy Archives
TO WHICH WE SERVE:
Processing
in the Navy
Archives
NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE
COMMAND
NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE
COMMAND
Museums: 11 museums, 1 Heritage
Center, Nautilus & Constitution.
Nationwide: over 1M artifacts
Art Gallery: 30,000+ paintings, prints,
drawings, sculptures
Library: 150,000+ books
Archives: 40,000 cubic feet
Historical Services
LAWS & REGULATIONS
Federal Records Act of 1950 as
Amended
Executive Orders (12958, 13291,
13526)
Mandated by SECNAV M-5210.1
SECNAVINST 5210.8D (Records)
SECNAV 5513.16B (Declassification)
OVERVIEW
• Providing proper access to records is a primary mission
of U.S. government archivists
• Processing Challenges
– Environment
• Location
• Construction
• Light/heat/humidity
• Office/work space
– Backlog
– Staff
– Classified material
ARCHIVES
• Largest single repository of
permanent Navy records
outside of NARA
• 3 sections
• Aviation
• Ships
• Operational Archives
– Official Records
– Personal Papers
– Biographic File
– Oral History Collection
OPERATIONAL ARCHIVES
CNO & VCNO:
Immediate Office files
CNO: Key subordinate
offices
Command Operations
Reports (CORs)
NHHC business
records
OPERATIONAL ARCHIVES
Papers and memoirs
of officers, enlisted
personnel and
civilians of the U.S.
Navy
Focus on individuals
whose records
include service after
January 1, 1939
“Except for
the
northwest
third, the
land gently
sloping
upward
from the
waterfront
was
created by
landfill.”
CHALLENGE: ENVIRONMENT
CHALLENGE: ENVIRONMENT
•
Location
• Established October 2, 1799
•
Washington Navy Yard is located on the
banks of the Anacostia River
•
Initially ship building and dock yard; by
1894 became an ordnance factory &
supply depot
•
Buildings
• Building 57
• Ordnance school: 1866
•
Building 44
• Laboratory: 1890
•
Building 108
• Laboratory & Ordnance office: 1902
Built with permeable brick
Today permeable brick is used for
pavements & walkways. Why? Because of
its ability to absorb water and ef fectively
manage runof f
CHALLENGE: ENVIRONMENT
Light: Accelerates deterioration; damage is cumulative &
irreversible
Windows
42 windows that measure 8.5’ x 8.75’ (108)
8 windows that measure 4’ x 6.5’ (44)
Minimal coverage; no control of UV radiation
Lighting
Florescent lighting through buildings
108 florescent fixtures; no UV filtering sleeves or low—UV fluorescent tubes
Heat & Humidity: Accelerates deterioration; chemical reactions
Heat/humidity. From June 1-july 22. 90 readings - only 10 showed
humidity below 60%
Fluctuations in temp & relative humidity are rule not the exception
CHALLENGE: PROCESSING
• Backlog
•
Manuscript collection:
Approximately 27,000 cubic feet
•
8,500 cubic feet are partially
processed, unprocessed or not
accessioned
•
No accurate finding aid (paper or
electronic) that can show what is
in Collection or where it is
located
CHALLENGE: PROCESSING
• Staf f
– 8 full time staff & 1 part time
contractor
– 2 FTEs assigned to processing
– Interns & Reservists
• Interns: may have archives
experience but no clearance
• Reservists: may have
clearance but no experience
• Space
– Insufficient space to house
personnel, properly process
collections, or store supplies
CHALLENGE: CLASSIFIED
MATERIAL
Integrated throughout
collection
Declassification review
should be done only after
preliminary processing
No control on what gets
reviewed; declass review
conducted by contractors
NARA will not accept
records without initial
declassification review
SOLUTIONS
Enforceable Collection Development Policy
Develop strategy to manage collection &
reduce backlog
Codify procedures
Increase staff
Provide high quality training
Modify office space
Improve environmental conditions
SOLUTION: PILOT PROJECT
Preser vati on, Declassificati on,
Digitization and Cataloging of
Historical Documents on Microforms
Message traffic from 1950s – 1970s
No paper copies
11, 000 reels of microfilm, some of
that are acetate-based, which in
combination with poor environmental
conditions resulted in vinegar
syndrome
1,100 reels converted to silver-halide;
300 digitized
Purchased stand-alone refrigerator
with dehumidifier to provide cold
storage for microfilm
Unable to plug in refrigerator
because of high relative humidity
CONTACT INFORMATION
Bobbi Posner
Archivist
[email protected]
Naval History & Heritage Command
http://www.histor y.navy.mil /
" . . . a fi n e t h i n g i s t h e pre s e r vat ion o f publ i c re c o rds . Re c o rds do n ot c h a n ge, a n d
t h ey do n ot s h i f t s i de s w i t h t ra i to r s, but t h ey g ra n t to yo u, t h e pe o pl e, t h e
o ppo r t un i t y to k n ow, w h e n eve r yo u wa n t , w h i c h m e n , o n c e ba d, t h ro ug h s o m e
t ra n s forma tio n n ow c l a im to be g o o d. "
Ae s c hines, 3 3 0 B CE