If you see the Needs Staff Review queue under the Reading Room Requests heading, that means there are requests awaiting your review. Double click the queue name to see all of the pending requests. Queues do not appear in Aeon unless there is a transaction in that queue. If you don’t see the Needs Staff Review queue, there are no pending requests that need review.
Requests will automatically be routed to the Needs Staff Review queue if some variation of the word “restrict” (e.g. restricted, restriction) appears in the Conditions Governing Access note at the collection level (or if there’s a note at the archival object or series level, that’s the note that Aeon will draw from). Therefore, in some cases, you may be able to cancel a request without reviewing the materials (e.g. if an entire collection is restricted). Check the access status in the finding aid first. If you need to cancel a request, see the instructions in Step 4 for when an entire box is closed. If the restriction status is unclear or says that the collection needs to be reviewed, proceed to Step 3.
When possible, we will try to review entire boxes. However, if you are pressed for time, you can just review the specific folder(s) that a user is requesting. |
When you double click on a specific transaction and the request screen appears, the title of the folder will appear in the Item Title field, and the URL for the request in the PUI will be in the Record URL field (there is also a field for Folder Number if applicable). See the Restriction Categories section for information on how to identify restricted materials.
Once you have reviewed the materials, follow the instructions below based on your scenario.
When you first begin reviewing a request, route the request to Staff Review in Progress so your colleagues will know that you already started on the box. Leave the request in this status until your review is complete.
Double click on the blank area near the bottom of the request screen to leave an internal note. Enter “Entire box is open” and click Add.
Depending on your screen scale, it may be difficult to see the blank area near the bottom of the request screen. It you cannot see the blank area, try reducing the scale in your display settings (e.g. from 150% to 125%) or doing restrictions review when working at a docking station with a larger monitor. |
Route the request using the Place on Hold button in the Home ribbon. If the request is for an activity, the request will just be routed to the activity automatically when you click on the Place on Hold button. If the request is a reading room request or on hold for reference scanning or imaging by Imaging Services, select the appropriate Item On Hold queue from the drop down options.
Place a green “Open for research” sticker on the box.
Use the bulk update spreadsheet to update the Conditions Governing Access note for every folder in the box (access note text for all folders should say "This box is open.")
Double click on the blank area near the bottom of the request screen to leave an internal note. Enter the reason for the restriction and click Add.
Depending on your screen scale, it may be difficult to see the blank area near the bottom of the request screen. It you cannot see the blank area, try reducing the scale in your display settings (e.g. from 150% to 125%) or doing restrictions review when working at a docking station with a larger monitor. |
From the Home ribbon in the request screen, click on the Cancel button. Under Reason for Cancellation, choose “Restricted Material.” Check the box for “Send Email" and then click on the Cancel Request button.
The “Edit Email” box should be checked automatically after you check the "Send Email" box, but double check that "Edit Email" is checked before you hit the Cancel Request button. |
The cancellation notice email template will appear. There’s a lot of text in this email with all of the potential reasons why a request could be cancelled. Delete all of the text that’s not relevant under the “Reason for cancellation” heading until you are left with a statement explaining that the material is restricted and when it will open. When you’re done, click on the Send Email button, which will close the request screen.
Make a note of the Aeon transaction number (the digits that follow "Transaction Number (TN)" in the email template) before you click on the Send Email button. |
Place a pink "Restricted" sticker on the box.
Use the bulk update spreadsheet to update the Conditions Governing Access note for every folder in the box.
If the folder the user requested is open, or if the specific folder they requested is restricted but you think there are other materials in the box that the user may be interested in, route the request using the Place on Hold button as indicated in Step 2 of the entire box is open instructions.
If you're uncertain if the user will still want to see the box even if their specific requested folder is restricted, air on the side of routing the request to Place on Hold rather than cancelling the request. |
Use the bulk update spreadsheet to update the Conditions Governing Access note for every folder in the box.
Do not put a green, pink, or yellow access note sticker on a box if you have only reviewed select folders and not the entire box. |