day 03: ideas

Over the past few days, I considered numerous options, but was most looking forward to hearing the ideas that Jen would offer me. I told Jen that I hadn't realized/considered/remembered the extent of correspondences in the collection. Having examined each box, I was frustrated that I didn't think to include or search more than the two boxes that were only filled with letters. She reminded me that the purpose of the internship is to learn, and that in the processing stage anything can change.

We discussed a collection that she is also currently processing. There are significantly more boxes in this collection that she divided into general categories. What she has found is that there is an occasional overlap of topics in some of the boxes. In order to process everything and not have to erase and renumber folders and boxes, she labels each folder with basic information. So each folder includes the collection number, series number, subseries number, and the words box and folder, without a number. This way, she can reorganize folders and boxes as seems fit with the collection. Afterward she returns and numbers each box and folder once organization is seemingly complete. This idea is the best idea, and I found my enthusiasm and felt my frustration melt away. Although I had already processed and numbered around 300 folders Jen also informed me there are numerous options that won't require me to renumber everything. Depending on the number of letters in the collection that were written before 1942 and before 1946, there are numerous options for processing and presenting the collection in the finding aid. It isn't important that the physical collection is in exact order, but that researchers understand how and where to find the information they desire.

In learning this, I went back to my box surveys and selected two boxes that I had listed as containing letters. I pulled out numerous letters and stacked them. Unfortunately these letters were kept in boxes that were filled with dust, dirt, and dead bugs. I pulled and cleaned off the letters and placed them inside another box that was significantly cleaner. I spent the rest of the day pulling and cleaning letters from these two boxes. I've been using a document cleaning pad by Lineco to clean the dust, dirt, mold, and dried tiny bugs. It works amazingly well! Tomorrow I will be ready to start processing this stack of letters using the new method Jen and I discussed.

I found this video that demonstrates using a document cleaning pad, which is similar to what I've been doing. The only difference is that I'm cleaning envelopes and letters. The cleaning pad contains tiny granules that are similar to pieces of an eraser. It causes dirt and dust to cling to it which helps clean the document.