Archives and Records Management Resources
| Listed here glossary, produced by the then National Archives and Records provider in 1984 for today’s Archives Reader: Basic Readings on Archival Theory and Practice, is supplied about this internet site being a help to people not really acquainted with common archival terms. These definitions aren’t lawfully binding plus don’t express NARA policy. The updated and much more comprehensive A Glossary for Archivists, Manuscript Curators, and Records Managers, published by Lewis J. Bellardo and Lynn Lady Bellardo, had been posted in 1992 that can be bought through the community of American Archivists. |
Archival terminology is a versatile set of typical terms which have obtained specialized definitions for archivists. Since World War II, archivists global have actually dedicated considerable focus on this is of those terms. In 1964, a lexicon that is international of terminology ended up being posted. (1) This dictionary in 6 languages, the task of the committee for the Overseas Council on Archives, supplies a foundation for worldwide contrast of archival terms.
The community of American Archivists published its glossary that is own of terms in 1974 after many years of debate, drafting, and review. (2) Definitions into the SAA glossary have now been widely accepted given that foundation for conversation of archival terminology in the united states and have now been the point that is starting subsequent efforts to define American archival terms. Since book of this SAA glossary, nonetheless, numerous archivists have actually figured a number of its definitions need modification and therefore additional terms must be included. Instructors of archives management and writers of fundamental archival texts, consequently, are suffering from their glossaries that are own revise, up-date, or expand the 1974 work. At the moment, no solitary glossary of archival terms can be viewed as definitive. (3)
The essential commonly used archival terms are the ones that describe documentary materials and institutions that are archival. Documentary materials may be characterized as “records,” “personal documents,” or “artificial collections” on such basis as whom created and maintained the papers as well as just what function. (4) Records are papers in just about any type which can be made or gotten and maintained by a company, whether federal government agency, church, company, college, or any other organization. A business’s documents typically might consist of copies of letters, memoranda, reports, reports, photographs, and other materials created by the corporation in addition to incoming letters, reports received, memoranda off their workplaces, along with other papers maintained when you look at the company’s files.
In comparison to documents, individual papers are manufactured or gotten and maintained by a person or household along the way of residing. Diaries, news clippings, individual monetary records, photographs, communication received, and copies of letters written and sent because of the person or household are on the list of materials typically present in individual documents.
Usually, documents and private documents happen considered distinct entities, each with obviously characteristics that are definable. The physical qualities of records and personal papers have become more alike, however, and archivists increasingly have emphasized the similarities between these materials rather than their differences in the twentieth century. (5) In specific, today’s archivists observe that both documents and individual documents are figures of interrelated materials which have been brought together for their function or usage. Archivists respect and look for to keep the relationships that are established individual things in categories of documents as well as in individual documents. (6)
Synthetic collections are basically various both from documents and from individual documents. In the place of being normal accumulations, synthetic collections are comprised of singular items purposefully put together from a number of sources. Because synthetic collections comprise documents from numerous sources, archivists may elect to alter founded relationships so that you can enhance control or access.
Archival organizations are termed either “archives” or “manuscript repositories” based on the kinds of documentary material they have and exactly how it really is acquired. “Archives” usually have now been those organizations in charge of the long-term care of the historic documents of this company or organization of that they are part. (7) numerous archives are general general public organizations accountable for the documents of continuing value of a federal government or body that is governmental. The National Archives for the united states of america as well as the Public Archives of Canada are samples of general public archives during the level that is national. Public archives additionally could be available at almost every other standard of federal government, including state or province, county, and municipal amounts. Nonpublic or nongovernmental archives worry when it comes to records of every other organization or company of that they are part. Church archives, for instance, administer the historic documents of a spiritual denomination or congregation. University archives have the effect of documents regarding the college’s management. Archives get historical product through the action of legislation or through interior institutional legislation or policy.
“Manuscript repositories” are archival organizations primarily in charge of individual papers, synthetic collections, and documents of other businesses. Manuscript repositories purchase or look for contributions of materials to that they don’t have any necessary right. They consequently must report the transfer of materials by deed of gift or by other contract that is legal.
The distinctions between archives and manuscript repositories could be exactly stated, yet few archival institutions are simply https://eliteessaywriters.com/blog/persuasive-essay-topics just “archives” or “manuscript repositories.” Many archives hold some individual documents or documents of other businesses. Perhaps the National Archives for the usa accounts for a tiny set of donated personal documents and nongovernment documents. likewise, numerous manuscript repositories act as the archives of one’s own organizations. In recognition for this, the expression “archives” slowly has obtained wider meaning for a few archivists and it is employed by them in mention of any archival institution. This trend was accelerated by way of your message “archives” or “archive” into the names of some organizations that in past times may have been termed “manuscript repositories.” (8)
Modern archival terminology provides a helpful and necessary method of specialized communication in the archival occupation. Its terms may be accurate sufficient to protect essential distinctions among forms of materials and archival organizations, yet its usage can also be adequately versatile to mirror the nature that is changing of materials and developments within the administration of archival organizations. While the archival career grows and matures and also as brand brand new technologies and documents news affect the practice of archives administration, both the flexibility and precision of archival terminology will end up being of continuing advantage to archivists.
Glossary
This glossary of widely used terms that are archival located in component on and attracts a few definitions from “A Basic Glossary for Archivists, Manuscript Curators, and Records Managers,” published by Frank B. Evans, Donald F. Harrison, and Edwin A. Thompson (The United states Archivist 37 July 1974: 415-433). The glossary includes many crucial archival terms with specialized meanings. Terms which can be acceptably described in dictionaries; technical manuscript, documents administration, and conservation terms; and terms associated with automatic information processing aren’t included.
ACCESS The term that is archival authority to acquire information from or even perform research in archival materials.
ACCESSION (v.) To move real and legal custody of documentary materials to an archival institution. (letter.) Materials used in an archival institution in an accessioning action that is single.
ACCRETION An addition to an accession.
PURCHASE The process of distinguishing and acquiring, by contribution or purchase, historic materials from sources outside the archival organization.
ADMINISTRATIVE VALUE the worthiness of documents for the business that is ongoing of agency of documents creation or its successor in function.
APPRAISAL The process of determining whether documentary materials have actually adequate value to justify purchase by the archival institution.
ARCHIVAL ORGANIZATION an organization keeping appropriate and real custody of noncurrent documentary materials determined to have permanent or continuing value. Archives and manuscript repositories are archival organizations.
ARCHIVAL VALUE the worthiness of documentary materials for continuing conservation within an archival institution.
ARCHIVES (1) The noncurrent documents of an company or organization preserved due to their continuing value. (2) The agency accountable for choosing, preserving, and making available documents determined to own permanent or value that is continuing. (3) The building for which an archival institution is situated.
ARCHIVES MANAGEMENT The management that is professional of archival organization through application of archival concepts and strategies.
ARCHIVIST The professional employee inside an archival institution accountable for any facet of the selection, conservation, or utilization of archival materials.
ARRANGEMENT The process that is archival of documentary materials according to archival concepts.
GATHERING POLICY A policy founded by an institution that is archival subject matter, schedules, and platforms of materials to get for contribution or purchase.
COLLECTION (1) an synthetic accumulation of materials dedicated to a solitary theme, individual, occasion, or sort of document obtained from many different sources. (2) In a manuscript repository, a human body of historic materials concerning someone, family members, or company.
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT The process of creating an organization’s holdings of historic materials through purchase tasks.
CONTINUOUS CUSTODY (1) In modern U.S. use, the archival principle that to ensure archival integrity, archival materials should be either retained because of the producing organization or transferred right to an institution that is archival. (2) In Uk usage, the concept that noncurrent documents needs to be retained by the organization that is creating its successor in function to be looked at archival.
CUBIC FEET (or METERS) a typical way of measuring the amount of archival materials based on the number of room they occupy.
DEED OF GIFT a document that is legal contribution of documentary materials to an archival organization through transfer of name.
DEPOSIT CONTRACT a document that is legal for deposit of historic materials in real custody of an archival organization while legal title into the materials is retained by the donor.
DESCRIPTION the entire process of developing intellectual control of holdings of an archival organization through planning of finding aids.
DISPOSITION The final action that puts into impact the outcomes of an assessment choice for a number of documents. Transfer to an archival institution, transfer to a documents center, and destruction are among feasible dispositions.
DISPOSITION SCHEDULE guidelines retention that is governing disposition of present and noncurrent recurring records a number of a company or agency. Also referred to as a RECORDS CONTROL SCHEDULE.
DOCUMENT Recorded information irrespective of kind or medium with three elements that are basic base, impression, and message.
DONATED HISTORICAL MATERIALS historic materials moved to an archival organization through a donor’s gift instead of prior to legislation or legislation.
EVIDENTIAL VALUE the worth of documents or documents as paperwork for the operations and tasks regarding the records-creating company, organization, or individual.
FIELD PERFORM The activity of distinguishing, negotiating for, and securing historic materials for the institution that is archival.
CHOOSING AID A description from any supply providing you with information regarding the articles and nature of documentary materials.
HOLDINGS All materials that are documentary the custody of an archival organization including both accessioned and deposited materials.
INFORMATIONAL VALUE the worth of documents or papers for information they have on people, places, topics, and things apart from the procedure for the company that created them or the tasks of this individual or family members that created them.
INTRINSIC VALUE The archival term for those characteristics and faculties of forever valuable documents which make the documents inside their original real form truly the only archivally acceptable form for the records.