Physical storage

archival description: Physical storage

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archival description: physical storage area

Edit current container (step 3 above)

The physical storage area contains fields for registering the archival institution, container and physical location of the resource being described. Any physical object that can hold another physical object can be a container (e.g. a box, a shelf, a file cabinet, a room). Use this information area to:

• Select the archival institution which holds the resource
• View the resource's current container / location
• Edit the resource's current container information
• Delete an existing container
• Assign to an existing container
• Create a new container and assign the resource to it

1. Select repository (archival institution) (Dublin Core and MODS templates only)

• NOTE: Select a repository only at the highest level of description; leave this field blank at the lower levels if they are all held by the same repository. It is important to remember this because if a repository is selected for the lower levels then these lower levels will all be displayed in the holdings area of an archival institution's context menu box.

• From the drop-down menu, select the archival institution that holds the resource being described.

• The list in the drop-down menu is generated from all existing archival institution records.

• If the repository does not appear in this list, you need to create it separately; see UM-3.3 Add / edit archival institutions.

2. View current container / location

• If the resource is currently assigned to a container, the containers section will appear.

• This shows the container name, its location, and its type.

• If the resource is not currently assigned to a container, this section will not appear on your screen.

3. Edit current container

• If the resource is currently assigned to a container and the container information needs to be updated (e.g. the type is not correct or the location has changed), click the edit icon.

• ICA-AtoM routes you to an edit screen for the container; change the Name, Location or Type as required and click the save button in the button block.

• ICA-AtoM returns you to the archival description and re-loads the page, closing all information areas. Re-open the physical storage area to view results of the edit; the containers area displays the updated information.

• Note that this action updates every resource registered to the same container; e.g. if 6 resources are registered to box D9, you need only edit box D9 once and the changes will be reflected in all 6 archival descriptions.

4. Remove a resource from an existing container

• You can remove a resource from a container by clicking the delete icon in the containers section.

5. Assign to an existing container

• To assign the resource to a different container or additional container, use the drop-down menu to select the container you want to use.

• When you save the record, ICA-AtoM will update the description.

6. Create a new container

• If the container you want to use does not appear in the drop-down menu in step 5 above, it is not registered in the system and needs to be created; use the create a new container section for this.

• Enter the container name, type, and location.

• When you save the record, ICA-AtoM creates the container and assigns the resource to it.