Folks,
In arranging a ~1000 item institutional audio collection that spans media
(12" and 16" acetates, CS, CD, DAT, R-to-R, wire), content types
(broadcasts, meetings, oral histories) and eras (1930s-2000s), I'm having
trouble settling on a numbering system to impose on the collection for use
in our not-audio-specific database. I'd love to hear what any of you use in
your collections or might recommend, on- or off-list.

I'll spare you the run-down of my potential solutions, but suffice it to say
they include a multi-part number including codes for media, content type and
date, as well as a much simpler system leaving most of that information for
for other fields in the database record. I'm also concerned about having a
system that allows for new accessions to be integrated smoothly in the midst
of the numbering system/collection, rather than being appended to the end.
You can imagine the impact this has on physical order/shelving, etc.

My current task only involves arrangement and description of the physical
collection, but I may also be creating an RFP for the digitization of the
collection in the near future, and would be happy to hear from interested
digitization vendors in NYC and the surrounding area.

Thanks for your time,
Aaron Rosenblum
*Processing Archivist*
JDC Archives
[log in to unmask] (subscribed to ARSClist from my personal e-mail -
off-list replies can be sent to either)