FNC-1.2.1
Please note that ICA-AtoM is no longer actively supported by Artefactual Systems.
Visit https://www.accesstomemory.org for information about AtoM, the currently supported version.
Describe archival materials at multiple levels of description
Main Page > System requirements > Functional requirements
Specification
- Archivists must be able to describe materials at multiple levels, reflecting the levels of arrangement.
- Descriptions at higher levels should be consistent with information at lower levels (e.g. dates and extent).
- The application must support multi-level description with inheritance and consistency across levels.
Context (parent requirements)
Source quotations
Associated metadata requirements
MTD-1.1.3 Indicate the level of descripiton
Associated quality requirements
Provide drop-down lists to select level of description.
Provide pick-lists to select parent level of desription / assign position in hierarchy of arrangement.
Show inherited information at lower levels of descripiton.
Calculate values at higher levels of description from lower (e.g. date ranges).
Associated technical requirements
ICA-AtoM implementation
ICA-AtoM ships with a default schema for levels of description (fonds, sub-fonds, series, sub-series, file, item). Administrators can edit to reflect institutional policy / terminology.
ICA-AtoM imposes no limits on the number of levels that can be used. A unit's position in the hierarchy is determined by the value selected in the Parent level field.
A description is recognized as the highest level when the Parent level field is blank.
Discrete items (items not linked to a higher parent level) are permitted: simply leave the Parent level blank.
Known issues
ICA-AtoM (v1.0 beta) cannot currently calculate values at higher levels from lower (e.g. date range); these must be manually entered at each level. The application does not enforce consistency.
Use cases
USC-1.2.1 Implement an arrangement policy
User Manual sections
UM-3.1.4 Add / edit content > Archival descriptions > Data entry: Identity area