Design Records Appraisal Tool

Abstract

A common obstacle during the appraisal of design records is the specialized vernacular creators use to describe them. As a result, archival professionals may feel unprepared for discussions with potential donors while acquiring these distinct and sometimes problematic materials. Using authoritative architectural and archival sources, the authors expanded on existing literature to develop appraisal grid templates that generally align with different collecting institutions' missions and overarching development and retention policies and created a consolidated and comprehensive glossary of design phases, categories, and definitions to use as a reference. The authors hope that this resource will assist those who are unfamiliar with the design process to interpret disparate design record types, to inform the appraisal process, and ultimately, to make accessioning decisions.