Collating Records:

One of the more recent things we've been doing with the records is trying to ensure that the files are collected in a uniform and organized matter within each individual box, and keeping the records together to make sure that boxes are completely filled since processing makes them double in size. For the most part, all of the boxes so far have been fairly organized, but we can only imagine the difficulty others might have when examining the records at a later date being unfamiliar with our own unique ways of keeping the records. Therefore, we've outlined a technique for organizing processed records within their new boxes in the hope that they can be easily accessed by future archivists for researchers:

• First, try to make sure records are in correct numerical order. This sounds simple enough, but I've seen a few boxes (including my own) while collating where this is this case. 99% of the time all of the folders are in the correct order, but the records within the folders in several instances are incorrectly ordered. For example: The first folder in a box, which contains the records ranging from 1-5, is ordered "5-4-3-2-1" away from the front of the box. The next folder in the box, containing the files 6-10, is ordered "10-9-8-7-6"". In the scope of things, this seems a minor inconveinence at best, but ultimately the files are now ordered from the beginning of the box in a fairly disorganized order: "5-4-3-2-1-10-9-8-7-6". This can easily lead to anyone trying to look up a specific record confused, and doesn't really organize the records in any useable order. I've found that the best way I can keep myself from doing this is to find one specific way of seperating the records and organizing them, and sticking to it. I've found it easiser for me if I write down the names of the deceased on our record sheets first in the correct order, then going back and examining the records for any information/organization within the folders.
• Also, one other thing I try to do when organizing the records is make sure that the cover piece of paper listing the docket/record number is at the top of the folder and facing forward. Since most of the records have been rubber banded for a significant amount of time, they do seem to stay seperated fairly easily within the new folders we are placing them in. By making sure the docket number is located at the top of the folder, I've been able to dig through boxes much more easily when trying to locate specific files, and I imagine that any future searches through the records will be that much easier because of it.