“A Battle Axe in the Time of Battle” - Procedures, Policies and Other Protectants When Working With Sensitive Content

Every collection has them: materials that contain sensitive content, from songs that disparage cultural groups to forms with identifying information like Social Security numbers and birthdates. And as more and more archival resources are digitized and made available online, it can be a challenge to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Fortunately, there are concrete steps digitizers can take to keep unpleasant surprises from derailing digital content. This presentation will focus on three key concepts when dealing with sensitive content: prescreening archival collections, working with stakeholder groups and creating policies to help the institution prepare for and address negative feedback. Eric S. Ames, Baylor University’s curator of digital collections, will share the steps Baylor has taken over the years to ensure proper handling of materials ranging from sheet music to campus yearbooks and beyond.