- What is an archive(s)?
- What kind of material is in an archives?
- How does an archives collect material?
- How is archival material organized?
- What does an archivist do?
- How does one do research using archival documents?
- What is a finding aid?
An archives is a place that preserves and makes available records of historic value. An archives is like a library in that one of its main functions is to house tools for research; the major difference is the types of material that each holds. Libraries contain secondary sources, such as published books, magazines, and journals, whereas an archives contains primary sources: unpublished, rare, and, in many cases, one-of-a-kind material or groups of material. The source material in an archives (primary) is used to create published work (secondary).
What kind of material is in an archives?
Generally, archives do not collect objects (such as furniture) or works of art. That type of material would more appropriately be housed in a museum. All other materials with historical value, mainly paper-based material, are found in archives. Where “things” in museums are meant for display, archival materials are meant for research.
A listing of most archives’ holdings would likely include the following:
|
|
This is not a comprehensive list of all types of material that can be found in an archive.
How does an archives collect material?
Archives tend to collect material related to a particular subject, institution, corporate entity, or governmental body. For example, a county historical society collects material relating to a certain geographical area. A government archives, like the National Archives headquartered in Washington, D.C., collects material generated during the day-to-day operations of the United States government. A university archives collects material related to the history of the college in which it is affiliated. Some archives also collect material around a certain subject, like the ragtime and jazz archive at Southern Illinois University.
Archival materials survive for many reasons. The United States has a mandate for government agencies that defines what is to be saved and deposited in the National Archives. Many state archives collect material this way as well. Historical societies and other archives depend on the generosity of donors who understand the historical significance of their family, business, or personal papers and want them made available for research. Generally, most archives rely on the historical consciousness of the general public to collect and retain material. Because it is simple to dispose of things that are no longer immediately useful, most archival material has required individual initiative, at some point in its history, for its survival.
How is archival material organized?
Collections are the main organizing principle of most archives. A collection is a group of material with one or more properties in common. Items within a collection usually come to an archive from the same source. They can contain a variety of material types (like the ones listed above) or a single type of document. Collections can range in size from a few items to thousands.
Unlike a library, where materials are generally organized by subject, the items in an archival collection are generally organized by creator (the person or organization that is responsible for creating or bringing together the items in the collection). Documents and material within a collection are generally kept in their original order. This is because archival collections are historical records accumulated over time for a specific purpose. Not only does each document stand as a piece of evidence within a historical collection, the order in which they were accumulated and stored is also evidence. The order tells the researcher something about the creator and provides context for each document’s creation and use. Therefore, archivists try to maintain original order of collections whenever possible.
An archivist’s responsibilities include:
- identifying materials that have historical value
- collecting material based on the collecting focus of their archive
- arranging and preserving materials
- creating descriptive material about the collections in their care
- making the material available to the public based on the guidelines and/or laws of their supporting institution
- assisting researchers in locating appropriate material and answering general reference questions
- encouraging and promoting the use of archival materials
How does one do research using archival collections?
Archival material is arranged in a very general way. Unlike books, which often have a table of contents and an index to find pages where particular subjects are discussed, archival materials generally have a finding aid that includes a biography/history of the subject of the collection and a narrative overview of the contents of the collection. Archival research takes time and effort, but using the documentary record is the best way to gain unique or new perspectives on the past.
Researching in an archive requires preparation. Before using an archives, one should gain as much understanding of their topic as possible from published sources. Using an archival collection is like stepping into the middle of a conversation–you are listening in without the benefit of context. By creating a knowledge base through the published literature, before using primary sources, you will be better able to understand the conversation. Having an understanding of your topic will fill in the gaps that are inevitably found in collections of historical documents.
For help in finding primary sources for your research, read our four tips for finding archival materials.
A finding aid is a document created by an archivist to summarize the contents of a collection and to provide a means for locating documents within an archival collection. A finding aid is similar to a table of contents in a book. It provides a general outline of a collection’s contents. Records and manuscripts might be arranged in a variety of ways but the most prevalent organizing principles are by document type, subject, name, and/or date. These organizing principles are reflected in the finding aid. Finding aids contain a brief history of the collection that will offer context and give some indication of whether or not a collection will be useful for your research.
If you need assistance in getting started with your research, please contact the Drexel University Archivist at archives@drexel.edu or 215-895-1757.