The Red Lists Project
User Forum
Roger
g Kershaw
11 October 2012
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Background
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The “Red” Series lists are c.16,000 paper series level catalogues which
were superseded by the online Catalogue. Red Lists for the main
exclude MLDRR sources
They contain some information that was not keyed into the online
Catalogue when it was created in 1999
Other information is also missing from the paper lists, such as:
o Additional descriptive information which was created when popular
records were put online (e.g. WO 363, WO 364)
o Piece description errors which have been amended online only
o Exceptionally large catalogue accessions (e
(e.g.
g BT 372 > 500
500,000
000
entries)
o Catalogue projects from 2000 (e.g. FO 737, DO 131, AIR 79)
Red lists have not been added to at all since March 2011
What we have done so far………
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Set up a Project Team in May 2012 including Records Specialists and
technical staff working on Discovery
Reported through the Modernising Public Services Programme Board
and User Advisory Group
Extensively surveyed usage of the Red Lists in March
March, May
May, June and
August 2012
Identified a set of key eligibility criteria relating to surrogacy, complexity
and usage
Developed a proposed methodology for the gradual removal of selected
Red Lists,
Lists whilst also allowing for a period of feedback and reflection
What the Surveys have told us
The majority of Red List users are….
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TNA users of 5+ years
Regular and frequent visitors to TNA
‘Trackers’ in their research habits – that is, use the same few groups of
records regularly for their research, and know the structure of the finding
aids
Aware that the Red Lists are no longer updated/added to
Browsers of Red Lists and are often not aware of the browse
functionality of the Catalogue/Discovery
Often browsing complex and large series, with hierarchical sub-series
levels
Concerned that large series data gets lost or difficult to retrieve online
I do use the online catalogue
sometimes but I find it difficult to
find my way around on the
screen. If I already know the
series, it's easier to go and look
at the paper catalogues. I can’t
see how to browse online
If you are looking for a
definite thing the online
catalogue is fine but
otherwise the computer is
too logical. It only answers
the question you ask. If you
browse the paper,
interesting stuff catches
your eye
I’m researching a merchant vessel but am quite far in to this piece of
research Therefore when I search online by keyword I often get
research.
nothing that’s of relevance. On this occasion I did actually find
something online that was useful but I couldn't browse from that point
so I wentt to
t the
th paper to
t do
d that.
th t You
Y can see att a glance
l
with
ith the
th
paper but you can't really browse online.
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Proposed eligibility criteria (Phase 1)
Remove paper series where…
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The descriptions have been subsequently enriched by fuller online
descriptions as a result of digitisation and/or catalogue enhancement
The total number of piece descriptions is fewer than 100 (<10 pages in
paper list)
AND
• There have been fewer than 20
0p
productions in one calendar yyear;; the
inference being that the lists would also be of low/no use
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114 series
i consulted
lt d
during survey
32 series (28%) 25 39 series (34%)
= less than 100 series = less than 20
pieces
productions
(22%)
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Oct-14
4
Sep-14
4
Aug-14
4
Jul-14
4
Jun-14
4
May-14
4
Apr-14
4
Mar-14
4
Feb-14
4
Jan-14
4
Dec-13
3
Nov-13
3
Oct-13
3
Sep-13
3
Aug-13
3
Jul-13
3
Jun-13
3
May-13
3
Apr-13
3
Mar-13
3
Feb-13
3
Jan-13
3
Project stage
DoL / LIA
No of
series to
remove in
project
stage
c.130
series
Lists
2035
A-C
A
C
(Pause and
review)
Lists
1640
D-F
Lists
F
516
G-I
Lists
G
I
667
J-M
J
M
Lists
N-R
1421
Lists
S-V
395
Lists
W-Z
285
N
R
S
V
W
Z
6959
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D
Other Issues
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No paper list will be destroyed – there will be a mechanism for retrieval,
as there is with microfilm removed from open access
Introductory notes: there is a project underway to put into Discovery
introductory notes currently not in the Catalogue – mainly MLDRR exChancery Lane series
We will put a dummy sheet in place of a list that we are removing,
directing users to our catalogue
We will pause and review the process in May 2013
2013, reporting back to
UAG
We will continue to work closely with Records Specialist as we remove
li t
lists
We will continue to remove supplementary finding aids as and when
that information is p
put online
We will bring forward further proposals for future phases in Autumn
2013 by which time we’ll have had time to evaluate the success of
Phase 1
Questions?
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