For volunteers or staff at small organizations, collections management can be a daunting task.Archives for the Lay Person is a guidebook for people who care for historical records, photographs, and collections but do not have the appropriate professional training. Lois Hamill provides practical, step-by-step guidance for managing all facets of archival collections, from acquisition, arrangement, and description to storage and security. The book also offers advice on how to utilize PastPerfect software for collections database management.

Lois Hamillis university archivist and an assistant professor at Northern Kentucky University. She has previously worked with local historical society, church, and government records.

PrefaceIntroductionChapter 1 Basic Definitions and ConceptsChapter 2 Acquiring New MaterialsChapter 3 Organizing the CollectionChapter 4 Describing the CollectionChapter 5 Photographs: Handling, Identifying, Arranging and DescribingChapter 6 Photographs: Management and UseChapter 7 Reference/ResearchersChapter 8 SecurityChapter 9 ExhibitsChapter 10 Your Storage EnvironmentChapter 11 Other Types of MaterialsChapter 12 Outside SpecialistsChapter 13 Additional ManpowerChapter 14 Disaster PreparednessAppendicesBibliographyIndex