[Archivesspace_Users_Group] Approximate, Inferred, Questionable - how are you using it?

[Dawson, Leilani]

What we’ve found helpful have been guides from the College of William and Mary (http://scrc.wmwikis.net/ArchivesSpace+User+Manual#x-Create%20New%20Resources-Dates-Certainty) and Arizona State University (http://www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/asu_processing_manual.pdf, pp 17-18 of the pdf).

Based on their guides, we’re not using ‘questionable’ at all.   We’re using ‘inferred’ for situations where the date range can be guessed based on the content of the materials, and ‘approximate’ for situations where the materials themselves give clues about their dates.

For example, film on polyester base has to be from after 1955, and is likely to be from after the 1980s: in this case we would give a ‘circa’ date range in the Date Expression field, and mark it as ‘approximate’.   By contrast, for an aerial photo of a location that can be given a range of dates based on which buildings appear in it we would mark the ‘circa’ Date Expression as ‘inferred’.   For our collections, ‘inferred’ comes up much more often than ‘approximate’.

-Leilani Dawson.
- -
Leilani Dawson
Processing Archivist
Wildlife Conservation Society Library and Archives
2300 Southern Boulevard | Bronx NY 10460
ldawson at wcs.org  |  www.wcs.org/library



From: archivesspace_users_group-bounces at lyralists.lyrasis.org [mailto:archivesspace_users_group-bounces at lyralists.lyrasis.org] On Behalf Of Runyon, Carolyn
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2016 8:49 AM
To: Archivesspace Users Group
Subject: Re: [Archivesspace_Users_Group] Approximate, Inferred, Questionable - how are you using it?

I’ve also wondered about how my repository might best use the Date Certainty options. At present, we’re simply leaving this field blank.

DACS 2.4.12 suggests using approximately or circa to indicate estimated dates, but inferred and questionable are not discussed. Lydia, have you received any replies of list? If so, would you mind sharing?

All best,
Carolyn


Carolyn Runyon
Assistant Head of Collection Services and Director of Special Collections
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Library
615 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN  37403
Carolyn-Runyon at utc.edu<mailto:Carolyn-Runyon at utc.edu>, (423) 425-4503
Dept. 6456, LIB 439D

On Aug 18, 2016, at 10:33 AM, Tang, Lydia <ltang5 at mail.lib.msu.edu<mailto:ltang5 at mail.lib.msu.edu>> wrote:

Hello everyone,
How people are interpreting and using the drop down menu within Dates for Approximate, Inferred, and Questionable?  It seems that those labels don’t print in the PDF view, and there isn’t an equivalent drop down menu in Rapid Data Entry, so I was just wondering on its functionality and the distinction between the terms.  I am still on version 1.4.2, if that makes any difference.  Thanks for your thoughts!
Lydia
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