University of Auckland, Department of Anthropology photographic archive records.

The Department of Anthropology Photographic Archive (APA) contains a range of different material formats: prints, albums, negatives, slides, glass plates, and paper files. Limitations of space and funding meant that for most of the collection’s working life storage conditions were not ideal, and the contents had begun to suffer the inevitable deterioration of a photographic collection housed in a standard office environment.

The physical collection has been divided into four series; the first two represent the working records of the archive, while the second two series relate to unfinished or un-accessioned work, and the digitisation project.

Series 1 includes all the textual records of the archive; these records are further divided into administrative papers, and image documentation. The Administrative records cover correspondence, policy, staffing, funding and organisation while Image Documentation includes archaeologists’ notes relating to particular rolls of film, and the occasional report. Not all images are accompanied by such notes.

Series 2 contains the images in all their various formats. These are arranged in two sequences, following the original arrangement in the APA: the archived image, and the reference image. Archived images are negatives or transparencies and were filed under the photographer’s name, followed by location, then date; reference images consist of prints, and are arranged by location and topic.

Series 3 covers all the unprocessed records found in the archive room, consisting of items yet to be accessioned formally into the collection. Images were retained by the researcher until they had finished their particular work, and then the images were deposited into the archive.

Series 4 relates to the project to digitise the Photographic Archive. The project arose from the need to preserve such an important resource, and improve access for staff and students of the Anthropology department. A goal which began as a targeted selection of images eventually expanded to encompass the capture of the entire collection. These files cover funding and collaboration between the Department and the Library, standardisation of description, outsourcing of early selections, and the development of the hosting webpages. The records provide a valuable insight into the development of a large and ambitious digitisation project.