Federal Records Management

Accessioning Special Media Records

Cartographic

When submitting permanent maps and charts, architectural and engineering drawings, or aerial photography to the National Archives for accessioning, please include the following information:

  • Volume and date span of the records
  • Format, especially if the accession includes aerial photography
    • Details on the type of photography. Are they negatives or prints?
  • Background and context of the series, with as detailed of a description as possible
  • Lists of any finding aids/indexes associated with the records

Please email Peter Brauer at peter.brauer@nara.gov with any cartographic accessioning questions.

 

Motion Pictures: Film, Sound and Video Recordings

When submitting permanent motion picture, sound or video records to the National Archives for accessioning, please include the following information:

  • Are the records analog or digital?
  • What are the dominant analog formats present (e.g., motion picture film, videos)?
  • What is the volume and date span of the records?
  • Are there finding aids/indexes/associated databases?
    • Are they in hard copy or electronic format?
  • What are the dominant digital file formats (e.g., AVI, MPEG-2, WAV)?
  • Is there descriptive metadata embedded in the files?

Please email mopix@nara.gov with any motion pictures accessioning questions.

Still Pictures

When submitting permanent still picture records to the National Archives for accessioning, please include the following information:

  • Indicate if photography is ANALOG or DIGITAL
    • If analog, are they color or black and white?
  • What are the dominant analog formats present (e.g., photographic prints, contact sheets, negatives, slides)?
  • What is the date span and volume?
  • What is the level of captioning (e.g., item captions, folder annotations, formal index or shelf list)?
    • Are they in hard copy or electronic format)?
    • If digital, are they scanned or born digital?
  • What are the dominant digital image file formats (e.g., JPEG, TIFF)?
  • Are there existing finding aids for the images?
    • Is the finding aid a database?
  • Does it contain item-level entries (e.g., image-by-image data) or group-level entries (photo assignment-by-photo assignment data)?
  • What is the present format of the database (e.g., Excel, Access)?
  • Provide a description. Are the item level descriptions/captions embedded in the image headers of the digital photographs?
  • Are there are posters listed in the schedule?
    • If so, break them out separately with a good description

Please email stillpix.accessions@nara.gov with any still pictures accessioning questions.

Updated May 28, 2024

 

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