Notes

Notes can be used at the collection, series, file, or item level. 

Note Fields

See individual entries for more information about each note type.

• Abstract — A brief description of the context and content of materials.
• Accruals — Information about expected additions to the materials.
• Appraisal Note — An element for documenting decisions and actions related to assessing the archival value and disposition of the materials being described. 
• Arrangement Note
• Bibliography — Identifies works that are based on, about, or of special value when using the materials being described, or works in which a citation to or brief description of the materials occurs.
• Biographical or Historical Note — Note for information about creator(s) of materials.
• Conditions Governing Access — The Conditions Governing Access note designates any restrictions to access to material due to legal requirements, donor restrictions, or MIT record access policy. The note may also document a lack of restrictions.
  • Access Restriction Dates
  • Local Access Restriction Types
  • Access Note Text
• Conditions Governing Access - Digital Access Note
• Conditions Governing Use — Use this field to provide information about permissions to copy, quote, or publish from the collection that apply after access has been granted.
• Custodial History — The Custodial History Note described changes of ownership or custody of the material being described, between the time it left the possession of the creator and when it was acquired by the repository.
• Dimensions
• Existence and Location of Copies
• Existence and Location of Originals
• File Plan
• General
• Immediate Source of Acquisition — Describes the source from which the DDC directly acquired the materials being described, the date of acquisition, and any other relevant information.
• Index
• Language of Materials — The language(s), script(s), and symbol systems appearing in the materials being described.
• Legal Status
• Materials Specific Details
• Other Finding Aids — This note references additional and/or external finding aids available to facilitate access to materials.
• Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
• Physical Description
• Physical Facet
• Physical Location — Natural language expression of location, particularly where location affects access to the materials.
• Preferred Citation — The Preferred Citation note specifies how researchers should cite the collection.
• Processing Information — This note provides information about actions of the archivist, custodians, or creators of the records or conventions in the finding aid that may have an impact on a researcher’s interpretation of the records or understanding of the information provided in the finding aid.
• Related Materials — Use for information about related collections, either within or outside MIT Archives. For books about the collection itself, use the bibliography field.
• Restrictions
• Scope and Contents — Scope and Contents notes give a narrative overview of the materials being described.
  • Content Warning — Use a content warning statement to let users know that there are potentially offensive or disturbing materials contained within the collection. Content warnings are included to empower users in choosing if and how they will approach these materials.
• Separated Materials — Materials related by provenance that have been physically separated or removed.