|
|
Basic facts about archives |
|
Important facts
Archives and libraries are centres of knowledge that support research and learning, and document and preserve cultural heritage. However, archives are rooted in a different tradition of information management, handling and providing access to information in a particular way. It is one that has emphasized the different roles of archives: legal, historical, administrative and cultural.
 |
This archival tradition impacts how you access and use archival materials . |
|
Organization of Archives
Fonds (it's French)
Records are viewed as a fonds, the totality of records generated by a person or organization throughout the course of its lifetime. The fonds is a hierarchical structure of groupings based on the ways in which the records were used. The highest level is the fonds, followed by the series, file and item levels. The fonds level gives the broadest view of the records; the groupings become increasingly specific.
| |
From: ISAD (G) : general international standard archival description : adopted by the Committee on Descriptive Standards, Stockholm, Sweden, 19-22 September 1999, 2nd ed. 2000: 36, <http://www.ica.org/biblio.php?pdocid=1>(accessed September 2, 2005). |
|
Principles: Provenance and Respect for Original Order
There are two principles which govern the arrangement of a fonds:
- Principle of Provenance - all records of one creator are kept together
- Respect for Original Order - all records are maintained in the order the creator had them
|
Provenance: Fonds are generally listed by the name of the creator (person or organization). You can search for them by name. This is why it is important to note names during your research. |
|
Original Order: Researchers are asked to keep all materials in the order in which they are found. |
|
| |
Brief history of archives |
 |
- Archival work aims to preserve the context in which records were created, maintained and used.
- Archives existed in ancient times (including Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome) and housed government or public records. Records were evidence of action taken and decisions made.
- Archives (buildings) were secure and designed to preserve documents as evidence. For example, the Roman Tabularium had hallways and enclosed staircases connecting it to government buildings.
- In France, the Archives Nationales allowed the public to access government records in 1794. Prior to this, archives were generally closed to all except a select few.
- In Canada, archival institutions attempt to document Canadian history from all segments of the population and in all record formats. Government archives often hold private papers in addition to government records. This is known as Total Archives.
|
Access: Finding Aids, Indexes Finding aids (aka archival descriptions) describe each level of a fonds, according to the standard, Rules of Archival Description (RAD). To learn more about finding aids, how to use them and how to find the right archives - read on. |
|
| |
| |
|
Last modified: Jul 12, 07
