Tracking and Analyzing Digital Records Processing Time at the University of Minnesota Archives and Special Collections

Abstract

The Archives and Special Collections Department of the University of Minnesota Libraries began tracking the time spent to ingest and process born digital archival materials in 2014. Following further refinements to the data collection process in 2020, we were able to accrue over four years worth of data documenting the time required for about a dozen different tasks in the workflow. Cross-referencing this time tracking data with other information about the accessions, such as storage size at various points in the workflow, has been instructive. This paper discusses observations we were (and were not) able to make based on this data, and the ways we’ve been able to use it to improve our workflow and acquire additional resources. In addition, the challenges of gathering and analyzing this type of data will be discussed and suggestions made for future work.