Acquisition, Appraisal, and Accessioning

Course Description

Participants will be guided through the three archival functions of acquisition, appraisal and accessioning. The acquisition process involves choosing appropriate materials to be housed at the archives and accepting them into custody. Accessioning is the official legal acceptance of those records. Once they have been accepted, they can be processed in the institution and only the most valuable records need to be kept– this is appraisal. This workshop will teach participants how to evaluate material for inclusion in archival collections and the practical steps required for acceptance of material. Topics covered will include requirements of policy and practice as well as options for a variety of archival scenarios.

This course is part of the CNSA Archival Certificate Program. Those wanting to complete the Certificate will need to submit an assignment at the end of the course to demonstrate their comprehension of the content.

Learning Method

The course is taught by our Archives Advisor online across four half-day sessions. The bulk of the learning is done in class through lectures, discussions, and activities, but some reading will be required between sessions.

Prerequisites

Introduction to Archives or experience working in an archive.