Exhibition/FTC Requests

During inventory, the Exhibition team, or others, may require individual ephemera items which are currently only catalogued to box level. To avoid the entire box being out of circulation, and rather than having the team inventory an entire box for a single request, a variation in procedure has been created. This is seen as temporary measure. The entire box will eventually be fully itemised.

Inventorying ephemera for FTC (exhibitions) – catalogued to box level scenario

• Before you start you will need: the box in hand. If the box has already been moved the the Exhibitions Store, you will need to contact Exhibitions so you can work on the box in the Conservation Studio.

• You might also need: label stickers, new sleeves and barcodes.

• You may need to open the ephemera spreadsheet to get the item's current location or add any notes.

Checking the existing Sierra data

Ephemera have historically been catalogued in various different ways. First, identify how the item has been catalogued.

1. Look at the catalogue record (e.g. https://wellcomecollection.org/works/qrvteje6). Does the title have “Box” in it? If so, it’s been catalogued only to box/collection level.

2. Search for the b number in Sierra (e.g. b15879896) or use the EPH number (i.e. EPH619) using index o REFERENCE NO. Again, only 1 bib record will have this reference so you know that it is not linked to any other bib records:

Updating physical item (see inventory process)

1. If the item is in an individual sleeve (i.e. not sharing the sleeve with another item) it can stay in this sleeve. If not, remove the item from the original sleeve and put in its own new sleeve.

2. If possible, write the unique object number (i.e. EPH/687/1) on the back of the item in 2B pencil. if you can’t write the unique object number on the physical item, consider adding a temporary note (x GENERAL NOTE) to the item record with a description for identification purposes. Conservation are also likely to take photos/image references.

3. Add a barcode to the sleeve (this is usually vertically between the ring-binder holes)

4. Write the unique object number, also known as shelfmark, (i.e. EPH/687/1) on a small label sticker – and attach to the top right-hand corner of the Melinex sleeve. Make sure it is above the opening so the sticker does not obscure part of the object. You can also add slashes to existing labels so long as the number is clear.

Updating Sierra record (creating an item: inventory process)

1. Double click on the bib record then go to summary (middle left) to view the list of attached records – usually defaults to item, but use the drop-down list to select this if not

2. Click “attach new item”

3. Select template ephitem (you may need to check settings if not prompted)

• Prompt: add current location for whole box in stacks

• Prompt: scan barcode

• Prompt: create unique object number (shelfmark) based on box level identifier, but the format includes slashes. If this is the only item being modified, assume it is #1 in the box. The unique object number for this item should look like EPH/619/1. [It was not possible to do this for the stamp collection, so speak to Alex H. or Nicola for other options]

• Prompt: default is no number found but add accession number if you know it, or click next

• Prompt: click next (physical condition – we’re not adding this detail at this stage)

• Change: ICODE2 = n SUPPRESS ITEM

Finishing up:

• Make sure any loose sleeves are returned and the ephemera box is in good order.

• Check the ephemera box back in (takes it off EXHIB_STORE account) in Sierra Circulation. This makes it requestable to the public again.

• Return the box to stacks – you could double check the current location is correct at this point for your new item record

Optional:

• Email Rowan/exhibitions to let them know that the pieces of ephemera have new items (you can send a list of new unique object numbers and barcodes) – they will be able to check each piece out to course reserve/exhibition store.