Every September, we close the archives to focus on cataloguing. We also use this opportunity to conduct an annual deep clean of our repositories. This year, we took a different approach by working together on a single collection as a team.
Back in February 2024, our team visited one of the Jesuit communities to sort through the extensive personal papers of a recently deceased Jesuit priest. The collection included two filing cabinets and numerous boxes stored in a garage. After a quick review of the material, we transferred 14 boxes of selected items to the Archives for cataloguing—a challenging yet rewarding project we chose to tackle together during our September closure.
Tackling a complex collection
This collection contains a mixture of materials: correspondence, notes, newspaper clippings, photographs, and more. Our first task was to identify logical series and group related items. Since no original order needed to be preserved, we were free to establish our own framework. Some of the boxes had been packed in February based on possible series, so we proceeded with this and in some instances organised by format, which helped us achieve this initial sort quicker than anticipated.
One significant discovery was a set of six expanding files containing correspondence organised (loosely) by the sender's surname. However, some letters were misfiled, likely due to human error, or filed by criteria other than name. Fortunately, an address book we found in the collection helped identify several correspondents. Letters were scattered across different files without clear chronological boundaries, suggesting that the Jesuit used multiple expanding files simultaneously. These files also included clippings and other documents, some of which were duplicated elsewhere, raising questions about retention. We decided to preserve the files as-is to honour the original organisation and provide insight into the Jesuit's personal method of sorting his materials.
As we identified series, each team member selected a distinct set to review, assess, and organise logically. Basic repackaging also occurred at this stage. Some of the series were completed quickly and encouraged us to believe that we would complete the task during the month. However, more complex series had been left for later and these proofed more challenging and time consuming.
Adjusting to a new approach
Our goal was to catalogue this collection quickly, but as we delved deeper, it became clear that a more thorough approach was necessary. As this collection will remain closed to researchers for 40 years in line with our archive policy, and knowing the large backlog of uncatalogued collections awaiting our attention, we chose to focus on higher level descriptions. As noted though as work progressed we realised that in order to create a useful catalogue, we needed detailed notes and careful cross-referencing of recurring topics and authors across multiple series. One solution to ensuring the swiftness of completion has been to note which sections would benefit from more detailed descriptions in future and highlighting such for future archivists to improve to enhance this collections’ accessibility.
Reflections on collaborative cataloguing
Collaborating on a single collection was a new experience for us, and it provided both benefits and challenges. Discussing the catalogue as a group made initial progress feel quicker, and knowing we were all engaged in the same task fostered a sense of shared purpose. However, building familiarity with the collection took time, and we needed to communicate our discoveries continually to ensure that key connections across series weren't missed.
One team member focused on the extensive “correspondence” series, which overlapped with several other series, particularly the expanding files. And another exclusively worked with the expanding files. This was beneficial, as getting accustomed to individual handwriting and unique ways of signing off correspondence requires time and focus. Recognising recurring subjects and cross-referencing them within different series was a valuable practice.
Lessons learnt
Focused time is essential – Concentrating on a single task without the interruptions of daily archive operations allowed deep work.
Availability of physical space – For such a large complex collection it was essential to be able to be able to spread out the collection in the reading room and be able to sort out collections without worrying about needing to tidy this up prior to a researcher’s arrival.
Clear communication – Keeping each other informed of significant findings was crucial to maintaining context and preserving links between series.
Adaptability – Although unforeseen disruptions meant we couldn't progress as swiftly as hoped, we recognise the need to adapt our expectations and find ways to maintain momentum.
Moving forward
While we didn’t complete the project by the end of September, we made substantial progress. Our archives have since reopened to researchers, and other responsibilities, including hosting our final in person Farm Street exhibition in October, have limited our cataloguing time. However, we’re committed to finishing this project in the coming weeks and aim to have it completed by the end of the year.
Will we try another collaborative cataloguing project? Perhaps. This experience highlighted both the rewards and challenges of teamwork in archives and gave us valuable insights into how to approach similar projects in the future.
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