ArchivesSpace Guide for Students
ArchivesSpace (ASpace) is an open-source archival information management system developed and governed by a membership community consisting of archivists, librarians, developers, and more. ASpace aims to manage and provide access to archives, manuscripts and digital objects and support a range of archival functions.
It is an integrated database application that accommodates data value standards for subject and name authority headings and allows for the import and export of common data structure standards such as EAD, MARCXML, Dublin Core, MODS, and METS. It is informed by the data standards DACS, ISAD(G), and ISAAR(CPF), which helps promote data quality, reusability, and interoperability.
We use ArchivesSpace as our Content Management System (CMS). Moving forward, it will not be the System of Record as the metadata and digital object metadata will be stored in Spe_DAO. The bibliographic metadata is and will continue to be stored in Alma (through the library).
ArchivesSpace contains findings aids and the corresponding collection information and description including accession records and the locations of containers. But more than a finding aid or metadata authoring tool; ArchivesSpace is a management system - the place we create and track descriptive, technical, and administrative information about our collections informed by professional content and structure standards from which we can then produce different access tools that can be more easily discovered, accessed, and acted upon in ways that meet our users’ needs.
Multiple Users Editing a Record at the Same Time
Multiple users can view records, even the “back-end” or editing view of archival components at the same time. While two or more users can edit a record/component at the same time it is not recommended because they cannot save changes that overwrite one another. Instead, whoever is first to save will have their edits appear, while whoever follows will receive an error message. That is not to say that a record cannot be edited multiple times, rather that if the editing feature for the same record is open independently and simultaneously then whoever saves it first will be successful.
If a user is already editing a record and you enter the editing feature, you will receive a message notifying which user is editing and that any edits you make will not be completed if you attempt to save them. You will be forced to refresh, re-edit, and re-save your work after the original user has saved their own edits and left the editing feature.
Editing mode is not necessary to view information, rather it is better to stay in viewing mode and only edit when necessary so that this “user traffic jam” doesn’t occur.
Required Data Fields
If a field is required in ASpace, it will have a red asterisk next to it and the field name will be bolded.
Conditionally required fields, or fields whose necessity is determined on the previous field being set to a specific field, are notated by a grey asterisk.
Special Characters within Data Fields
Special characters, or text from any international writing system, can be input directly as UTF-8 Unicode using typical Mac or Windows keyboard commands in your browser.
Punctuation within Data Fields
ArchivesSpace does not supply any end punctuation after text entered within data fields. If you want to see punctuation appear, you must include it inside of data fields.
Expanding Data Fields
Some data fields can be expanded to allow for entering multiple lines of text or long narrative statements. Select and drag the bottom right corner of the data field to expand it.