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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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