An 'archive' refers to a collection of records, and also refers to the location in which these records are kept.
[1] Archives are made up of records which have been created during the course of an individual or organization's life. In general an archive consists of records which have been selected for permanent or long-term preservation. Records, which may be in any media, are normally unpublished, unlike
books and other publications. Archives may also be generated by large organisations such as
corporations and
governments. Archives are distinct from
libraries insofar as archives hold records which are unique. Archives can be described as holding information "by-products" of activities, while libraries hold specifically authored information "products".
[2] The word 'archives' is the correct terminology, whereas 'archive' as a noun or a verb is related to computer science.
[3]
A person who works in archives is called an
archivist. The study and practice of organizing, preserving, and providing access to information and materials in archives is called
archival science.
Archive Users and Institutions
Historians,
genealogists,
lawyers,
demographers, and others conduct
research at archives.
[4] The research process at each archive is unique, and depends upon the institution in which the archive is housed. While there are many different kinds of archives, the most recent census of archivists in the United States identified five major types: academic, for profit (business), government, non profit, and other.
[5]
Academic Archives
Archives existing in
colleges,
universities, or other educational facilities are usually grouped as academic archives. Academic archives typically exist within a
library, and duties may be carried out by an
archivist or a
librarian. Occasionally, history professors may run a smaller academic archive.
[6] Academic archives exist to celebrate and preserve the history of their school and academic community.
[7] The inventory of an academic archive may contain items such as papers of former professors and presidents, memorabilia related to school organizations and activities, and items the academic library wishes to remain in a closed-stack setting, such as rare books or
thesis copies. It is always a good idea to contact an academic archive before visiting, as the majority of these institutions are available by appointment only. Users of academic archives are often graduate students and those wishing to view rare or historical documents for research purposes. Many academic archives work closely with
alumni relations to help raise funds for their library or school.
[8] Because of their library setting, a degree certified by the
American Library Association is preferred for employment in an academic archive.
Business (For Profit) Archives
Archives located in for-profit institutions are usually those owned by a private
business. Examples of prominent business archives in the United States include
Coca-Cola (which also owns the separate museum
World of Coca-Cola),
Proctor and Gamble, and
Levi Strauss & Co.. These corporate archives maintain historic documents and items related to the history of their companies.
[9] Business archives serve the purpose of helping their corporations maintain control over their
brand by retaining memories of the company's past. Especially in business archives,
records management is separate from the historic aspect of archives. Workers in these types of archives may have any combination of training and degrees, from either a history or library background. These archives are typically not open to the public and only used by workers of the owner company, although some will allow approved visitors by appointment.
[10] Business archives are concerned with maintaining the
integrity of their parent company, and therefore selective of how their materials may be used.
[11]
Government Archives
The category of
government archives includes those institutions run on a local and state level as well as those run by the national (federal) government. Anyone may use a government archive, and frequent users include
reporters,
genealogists,
writers,
historians,
students, and anyone wanting more information on the history of their home or region. While it is a good idea to make an appointment before visiting government archives, at many government archives no appointment is required, as they are open to the public.
[12]
In the United States,
NARA archives exist not only in the
District of Columbia, but regionally as well.
[13] Some city or local governments may have repositories, but their organization and accessibility varies widely.
[14] State or
Province archives typically require at least a
bachelor's degree in history for employment, although some ask for certification by test (government or association) as well.
In the UK the
National Archives [1], formerly known as the Public Record Office, is the government archive for
England and
Wales. The
National Archives of Scotland [2], located in
Edinburgh, serve that country while the
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland [3] in
Belfast is the government archive for Northern Ireland.
A network of local authority-run record offices and archives exists throughout England, Wales and Scotland and holds many important collections, including local government, landed estates, church and business records. Many archives have contributed catalogues to the national Access 2 Archives programme and online searching across collections is possible
[4].
In France, the Directorate of the Archives of France (''Direction des Archives de France'') in the
Ministry of Culture manages the
National Archives (''Archives nationales'') which possess 364 km. (226 miles) of archives as of 2004 (the total length of occupied shelves put next to each other), with original records going as far back as A.D.
625, as well as the departmental archives (''archives départementales''), located in the ''
préfectures'' of each of the 100 ''
départements'' of France, which possess 1,901 km. (1,181 miles) of archives (as of 2004), and also the local city archives, about 600 in total, which possess 449 km. (279 miles) of archives (as of 2004).
[15] Put together, the total volume of archives under the supervision of the Directorate of the Archives of France is the largest in the world, a testimony to the very ancient nature of the French state which has been in existence for more than eleven centuries already.
Non-Profit Archives
Non-profit archives include those in
historical societies, not-for-profit businesses such as hospitals, and the repositories within
foundations. Non-profit archives are typically set up with private funds from donors to preserve the papers and history of specific persons or places. Often these institutions rely on
grant funding from the government as well.
[16] Depending on the funds available, non-profit archives may be as small as the historical society in a rural town to as big as a state historical society that rivals a government archives. Users of this type of archive may vary as much as the institutions that hold them. Employees of non-profit archives may be professional archivists, para-professionals, or volunteers, as the education required for a position at a non-profit archive varies with the demands of the collection's user base.
[17]
Special (other) Archives
Some archives defy categorization. There are tribal archives within the
Native American nations in North America, and there are archives that exist within the papers of private individuals. Many museums keep archives in order to prove the
provenance of their pieces. Any institution or persons wishing to keep their significant papers in an organized fashion that employs the most basic priciples of
archival science may have an archive. In the 2004 census of archivists taken in the United States, 2.7% of archivists were employed in institutions that defied categorization. This was a separate figure from the 1.3% that identified themselves as self-employed.
[18]
Etymology
The word ''archives'' (pronounced /{{IPA|'ɑː(ɹ}.kaɪvs}}/) is derived from the Greek ''arkhé'' meaning government or order (compare an-archy, mon-archy). The word originally developed from the Greek "arkheion" which refers to the home or dwelling of the
Archon, in which important official state documents were filed and interpreted under the authority of the Archon.
Archives in history
The word "archives" can refer to any organised body of records fixed on media. The management of archives is essential for effective day-to-day organisational decision making, and even for the survival of organisations. Archives were well developed by the ancient Chinese, the ancient Greeks, and ancient Romans. Modern archival thinking has many roots in the French Revolution. The
French National Archives, who possess perhaps the largest archival collection in the world, with records going as far back as A.D.
625, where created in 1790 during the
French Revolution from various government, religious, and private archives seized by the revolutionaries.
Footnotes
1. Glossary of Library and Internet Terms
2. A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology
3. definition of archive
4. What Are Archives?
5. Archival Census and Education Needs Survey in the United States: Part 1: Introduction, , Victoria Irons, Walch, The American Archivist, 2006
6. The Management of College and University Archives., , William J., Maher, Society of American Archivists & The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1992,
7. Welcome to University Archives and Records Management
8. Guidelines for College and University Archives
9. Business Archives Council
10. Directory of Corporate Archives
11. Business Archives in North America - Invest in your future: Understand your past
12. Directions for Change
13. The National Archives
14. U.S. - State Level Records Repositories: State Libraries, Archives, Genealogical & Historical Societies
15. Les archives en France
16. A Primer for Local Historical Societies: Revised and Expanded from the First Edition, , by Dorothy Weyer, Creigh, AltaMira Press, 1995,
17. Independent Historical Societies: An Enquiry into Their Research and Publication Functions and Their Financial Future, , Walter Muir, Whitehill, The Boston Athenaeum, 1962,
18. A
★ Census: A Closer Look, , Victoria Irons, Walch, The American Archivist, 2006
See also
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Archivist
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Archival science
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Collection (museum)
★
Internet Archive
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List of archives
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Manuscript processing
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Preservation (library and archival science)
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Web archiving
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BS 5454
External links
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UNESCO Archives Portal - over 8000 links worldwide
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International Council on Archives
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Archives Hub — gateway to descriptions of archives held in UK universities and colleges, part of the National Archives Network
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InterPares Project — international project on electronic records
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Access to Archives (A2A) — the English strand of the UK archives network
★
Online-Guide to Archives around the globe
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