Get an in-depth introduction to the key principles, concepts, and elements of
Describing Archives: A Content Standard, the recently revised U.S. standard for describing archival materials and their creators. Learn how to implement and incorporate DACS into workflows for accessioning, arrangement, and description through discussions and hands-on work with a variety of exercises designed to help you identify required elements and create a variety of descriptions. This workshop focuses on application of DACS rules and concepts, which participants can integrate into local repository processes and descriptive outputs.
Upon completion of this workshop you’ll be able to:
- Articulate what DACS is (and isn’t), and how its basic principles relate to archival theory and practice;
- Distinguish between minimal and value-added descriptions for archival materials and creators;
- Apply DACS rules to identify and formulate required elements of archival description; and
- Integrate DACS across the archival enterprise in processes such as accessioning, arrangement, and description.
Who should attend? Anyone whose work includes accessioning, arranging, and describing, or who supervises employees who are engaged in those functions. Past attendees will find this class useful as a refresher as well as an overview of revisions to the standard.
What should you already know? You should have a basic understanding of the theory and principles of archival arrangement and description.
The current version of the DACS publication is available free of charge as a
PDF in the SAA
Standards Portal. A print version will be available in the
SAA Bookstore in summer 2013.
Registrants must bring a copy to the workshop in order to participate successfully. Attendance is limited to 35. *DACS was revised by the Technical Subcommittee on
Describing Archives: A Content Standard and was adopted by the SAA Council in January 2013.
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