Documenting Deaccessions - smith-special-collections/sc-documentation GitHub Wiki

Deaccessioning is the permanent removal of previously-accessioned materials from Smith College Special Collections. In order to provide accountability to donors and transparency to researchers using our materials, it is important to document and publish the fact that materials once available for research are no longer available.

As of November 2023, the historical practice of not using this process for separations made during collection processing is still in effect.

Once the deaccession authorization form has been completed and signed via DocuSign, disposition may occur and the following things must happen in order to properly record the deaccession:

• PDF copy of signed form is added to the electronic Collection Development file
• Deaccession subrecord is added to ArchivesSpace resource record (for archival material)
• Finding aid or catalog record is updated

Further documentation instructions are currently located in the processing separations procedure.