[Archivesspace_Users_Group] Container Profiles and the Extent/Space Calculators

[Cyndi Shein]

Hello,

We are mid-implementation and not yet using all the features of
ArchivesSpace--we are not yet using the container calculator or location
functions.  We agree with ArchivesSpace's method of measuring the exterior
of the containers.  With few exceptions, we measure the container, not the
stuff inside the container, and calculate extent based on the space
occupied by the container rather than the capacity of the container.  (Our
boxes are generally filled to capacity, so the measurement of the exterior
very closely reflects the mass of its contents.)  For collection management
purposes, space occupied is the measure that informs storage/space planning.

We use a local web-based tool for calculating both cubic and linear feet
simultaneously that can export/download CSV/Excel for each
collection/entry.  The tool was developed by one of our undergrad students
and it has not been widely tested, and the export isn't pretty, but it
meets our needs.

For people who may not yet be at the stage of implementing the
ArchivesSpace calculator, here is a link to UNLV's web-based archival
calculator:
https://www.library.unlv.edu/speccol/rebel_archives_calculator/

Cyndi Shein
Head, Special Collections & Archives Technical Services
UNLV Libraries


On Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 1:54 PM, Christine Di Bella <
christine.dibella at lyrasis.org> wrote:

> Dear Daniel,
>
>
>
> Others can say more about how they use these features, but I just wanted
> to mention that extent dimension field is required, but any of the three
> dimensions is possible, so you certainly can have it key off of cubic
> measurements rather than linear. So if you measure by cubic feet rather
> than linear feet, that’s fine. Dimension units is the field where you
> indicate whether it’s inches, cm, nautical miles (J), etc. The idea of
> the dimension field is that it indicates which way the content actually is
> in the container, and thus represents the extent of the stuff more closely
> than the extent of the container itself.
>
>
>
> The extent calculator takes whatever the value is for the desired
> dimension and multiples it by the count of containers with that dimension
> for the collection/accession/part there of being calculated. It doesn’t
> take the next step of turning total inches into feet or total cm into
> meters. So that also does not limit you to a particular type of
> measurement.
>
>
>
> It is true that this is measuring on a 2D axis though, not a 3D one – the
> calculator isn’t expressing volume of the material in the container by
> calculating the product of all three dimensions. But the space calculator
> does enable you to determine if a 3D container will fit into a 3D space in
> your stacks, if all dimensions are supplied.
>
>
>
> Hope that helps,
>
> Christine
>
>
>
> Christine Di Bella
>
> ArchivesSpace Program Manager
>
> christine.dibella at lyrasis.org
>
> 800.999.8558 x2905 <(800)%20999-8558>
>
> 678-235-2905 <(678)%20235-2905>
>
> cdibella13 (Skype)
>
>
>
> [image: ASpaceOrgHomeMedium]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* archivesspace_users_group-bounces at lyralists.lyrasis.org [mailto:
> archivesspace_users_group-bounces at lyralists.lyrasis.org] *On Behalf Of *Michelson,
> Daniel
> *Sent:* Thursday, August 3, 2017 12:55 PM
> *To:* archivesspace_users_group at lyralists.lyrasis.org
> *Subject:* [Archivesspace_Users_Group] Container Profiles and the
> Extent/Space Calculators
>
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I have a couple questions about implementing container profiles.
>
>
>
> Is there a way to get the extent calculator to report size in cubic
> measurements, instead of linear?  I assume it has to do those calculations
> in the space calculator, but the fact that "Extent Dimension" is a required
> field makes me wonder if it was designed assuming the use of linear
> measurements in extents.
>
> How are people handling the space calculator's need for exterior
> measurements with the common practice of providing collection extents based
> on interior measurements?  Are people just not using the extent calculator?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan Michelson
>
> Union College Special Collections & Archives
>
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>
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