This manual was written in 2023 to provide our archives team with a set of clear guidelines and procedures for creating archival metadata, accessioning and processing collections, and records management for physical and digital collections materials within the Sheridan Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives. Our goal is to standardize our collection descriptions and processes in accordance with professional best practices.

The guidance in this manual is specific to our institution and the collections management systems we use (e.g., ArchivesSpace, departmental shared drives). Wherever possible, we conform to professional standards, which we have specified within the manual. Where we include general information on archival theory or professional metadata standards, we also describe our local practice interpreting and implementing those standards in our collections. This manual should cover most scenarios that our archivists encounter while working with collections; when a scenario is not covered, consult with your colleagues and use your best judgment in accordance with the principles and standards laid out in this manual.

You may encounter legacy practices or other inconsistencies within our collections, particularly among our numbering systems and digital records. Because of this, processors should use caution when using other collections as a model for putting this guidance into practice. When in doubt, consult your colleagues.