Workbook on Digital Private Papers > Arranging and cataloguing digital and hybrid archives > Arranging and cataloguing emails
Arranging and cataloguing emails
Suggested elements for use at email directory (series or sub-series) level
Elements in the <did>
<unitid> Shelfmark
<unittitle> Email directory
<unitdate> Covering dates by year; based on the earliest message sent or received and the last sent or received; normalise to ISO 8601. This information will be readily available if header details can be automatically extracted from component emails.
<origination> Controlled access entry identifying the individual(s) who maintained the directory
<physdesc<>extent> Record the number of folders, and total number of emails and attachments. Also supply size in MB. This information will be available via automatically extracted metadata.
<materialspec> Record the file formats represented (e.g. Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders (.pst); also an overview of formats represented as attachments.
<dao> If desired, a link can be made to the METS document which represents the 'email directory' in the digital repository and points to the children folders and emails in the directory.
Other elements
<phystech> Record the creator's email environments here (e.g. webmail account and Mozilla Thunderbird email client).
<bioghist> A note on the relationship between correspondent and recipient could be useful at this level.
<scopecontent> An overview of the principal topics, events, individuals and dates covered in the directory's content. Make a particular note of folders over a certain size, or messages from prominent people, to indicate the major issues of interest to the owner of the email directory; consider tagging significant individuals and subjects as controlled access terms to facilitate information retrieval. If the repository intends researchers to be able to link directly to folder-level digital objects from this level, then a list of folders could be included here, making use of the linking <daogrp> and <daoloc> elements, as at fonds level.
<appraisal> Describe any appraisal (see Chapter 04 Appraisal and disposal) decisions and actions specific to the email component of the archive.
<arrangement> Explain the rationale behind the current arrangement, including an indication of original order and any arrangement carried out by the archivist. If using multiple METS structural maps to present various alternative arrangements, this should be indicated here, using standard vocabulary to identify different versions (DigitalVariant, DigitalEdition, etc).
<accessrestrict> and <userestrict> may be necessary if there are closures or other access and use restrictions specific to the email directory which are not covered at fonds level.
<controlaccess> At this level it would be useful to tag key individuals and subjects represented in the directory to facilitate information retrieval.
