National Government Records

By Anonymous on Fri, 12/11/2015 - 09:30

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For citing National Government Records, Evidence Explained includes three categories: original materials (such as manuscripts and photographs), databases, and image copies. Into which of these categories would fall original materials that were sent to me as image copies by an agent? I have not viewed the original paper documents, yet the images I have seen are neither from an online database nor on microfilm.

I want to be clear about what *I* consulted, so my preference would be to cite them as image copies, either with the Series or Publication title first, followed by the "delivery method" (agent's information) in place of the microfilm numbers, followed by the repository information. 

Is my thinking sound?

 

Submitted byEEon Fri, 12/11/2015 - 10:28

Dawne, if you cite them as an image copy, what exactly would you cite--given that you have not personally seen the file/collection or register from which the images were made?  Did your agent provide a citation that you feel is correct? If so, what about using your record agent's citation, and then adding something such as "images and citation made by John Whazzisname, CG, who examined the originals."

What I have seen is the images as they would appear on microfilm or online, if they were available in those formats. My agent did not provide a citation. She sent a PDF file of all of the images that were included in the Civil War widow's pension file. Here are the working citations I have created:

When citing the entire file:

Leann Saxon, widow’s pension application no. 391, 693, certificate no. 268,773; service of Alexander G. Saxon (Pvt., Co. I, 142nd Ind. Inf., Civil War), Case Files of Approved Pension Applications …, 1861 – 1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.; PDF images of the contents of the paper file provided to Dawne Slater by [agent's name].

When citing a specific document within the file:

Physician’s Affidavit of A. D. Kimball, 10 April 1889; Leann Saxon, widow’s pension application no. 391, 693, certificate no. 268,773; service of Alexander G. Saxon (Pvt., Co. I, 142nd Ind. Inf., Civil War), Case Files of Approved Pension Applications …, 1861 – 1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.; PDF images of the contents of the paper file provided to Dawne Slater by [agent's name].

Given the circumstances, Dawne, your citation works fine. That's basically the pattern from EE 11.40. 

I might add one thing more. The 2007, 2009, and 2012 editions of EE follow that pattern in which the Record Group name is cited before the Record Group number. NARA has since changed that pattern. It's newer citations cite the number first, followed by a colon, then the name of the record group. And so, EE3 follows the newer pattern. In the citation above, the relevant section would be:

Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs