Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery - Staff Wiki


Procedures - Processing New Theses and Dissertations in PastPerfect

Files relating to theses and dissertations are located: I:\SpecColl\Dissertations & Theses

Theses and disserations are shelved in Room 038.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations in CONTENTdm
Create the accession record

  1. Accession number: UARC YYYY-###

  2. In the initial Accession box, "Select donor from Contacts file" to link the contact record to the accession record. Select Graduate School.

  3. Received As: Transfer

  4. Source: Graduate School

  5. Description: Number of dissertations, number of theses

  6. Fill out all fields that include name or dates of editing.  (Accessioned, Inventoried, Received by, etc)

Create the Library record for each dissertation and thesis
  1. Open the Library module in PastPerfect.

  2. Search for the Author to make sure there is not already a record created for that thesis or dissertation. If there IS: doublecheck the information and edit the record to reflect both copies.

  3. Select Add from the toolbar.

  4. Enter the accession number.

  5. Enter the ObjectID # that follows (see last entered record) - either Diss-#### or Thesis-####

  6. Enter Object Name: either Dissertation or Masters Thesis. Select Add.

  7. Type University Archives in the Collection field

  8. Enter year in Publish Date, Year Range From and Year Range To.

  9. Enter today's date (F5) and your name in Catalog date and Cataloged by

  10. Enter today's date (F5) and your name in Status date and Status by; select the appropriate Status (probably OK) from the drop-down box.

  11. Enter Author and Title from the title page of the document.

    1. Use the fullest available name, title, and department (subject) from interior pages NOT the spine

  12. In the Series field type UMBC Theses and Dissertations

  13. Enter the Advisor(s) name(s) in Author Added Entries.

  14. Open the Custom tab. Fill in the UMBC Department and UMBC College using the authority file (F7)

  15. In Work Type (AAT) fill in either dissertations or masters theses (please note that these are lower case and plural).

  16. For the Digital Link you will need to look up the file in CONTENTdm.

    1. Go to the Digital Collections page.  Type the author's last name into the search box at the top (the one that says Search for (search box field) in UMBC Electronic Theses and Dissertations).  Select Search.

    2. Review the results and open the correct document.

    3. Review the document record to make sure that the record in Digital Collections matches the record you are editing in PastPerfect.

    4. Select "reference url" in the upper left of the document record.  This will open a new screen.  Copy the reference url provided.

    5. Go back to PastPerfect.

    6. In the Digital Link box insert the following: <a href="REFERENCE URL">Full text available (on campus only)</a>. Lindsey can set up a short cut.

  17. Complete the Physical Description and Status fields:

    1. Digital copy only: Status should be Digital version only and Physical Description should be: Digital file only.

    2. Print copy only: Status should be Shelf (or OK if sent to cataloging) and Physical Description should be: Print copy only.

    3. Both versions: Status should be Shelf (or OK if sent to cataloging) and Physical Description should be: Digital and hard copy available.

  18. Save the record.

If you receive ONE copy of the publication and Special Collections DOES NOT already have a copy:  Send the publication to BMS so that they can create a catalog record and tag; make clear that they know this is the only copy and that it should be shelved in Special Collections.  BMS will create the catalog record and tag and return the copy to Special Collections.

If you receive ONE copy of the publication and Special Collections DOES already have a copy:  Send the publication to BMS and specify that this is a duplicate copy that can be added to the current catalog record and shelved in the Stacks.

If you receive TWO copies of the publication and Special Collections DOES NOT already have a copy:  Send one copy to BMS and shelve one copy in Special Collections (Room 038); make clear that BMS knows that there are two copies and two locations should be created in the catalog record.  BMS will create the catalog record and tag, send a tag to Special Collections for the shelved copy, and arrange for the second copy to be shelved in the Stacks.


Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery . University of Maryland, Baltimore County . 1000 Hilltop Circle . Baltimore MD 21250
(410) 455-2232. Questions and comments to: Web Services Librarian