Archives
Archives are essential repositories that collect and preserve materials deemed to have lasting value, which can include documents, photographs, and artifacts. These collections can originate from individuals, organizations, or institutions and serve to document history, providing a resource for future generations. Examples of archives range from personal photo albums to large institutional entities like libraries, national archives, and museums. They help safeguard vital historical records, legal documents, and other significant materials, facilitating research and insights into various fields, including genealogy, history, and law.
The role of an archivist is crucial in maintaining these repositories, as they organize and preserve the materials to ensure accessibility. With advancements in digital technology, archives increasingly utilize electronic storage methods, enhancing both preservation and ease of access. Many archives now offer online catalogs and digital copies of documents, allowing users to search and explore collections remotely. Major archival institutions, like the National Archives and the Library of Congress in the United States, play a significant role in preserving the country’s historical records and making them available to the public. Through these efforts, archives contribute to a deeper understanding of the past and its relevance to contemporary society.
Archives
Archives are repositories for information and materials that are gathered and stored for future use. By definition, the term archives applies to both the gathered materials and the location that houses them. The records themselves may include any collection of documents or physical artifacts that has accumulated naturally through the normal activities of an individual or institution and has been deemed to have lasting value. These materials exist in a variety of forms, from business records and legal documents to firsthand accounts of life, such as diaries, recordings, or photographs. Together, these objects present a detailed history that, through preservation, can be passed along to a new generation.
Types of Archives
Many institutions, businesses, and persons create archives to safeguard materials with enduring value. However, anyone can maintain an archive. For instance, a photo album is a form of archive used to recall past events. Similarly, the memory drive on a computer that stores files for later use is another common, everyday archive. Libraries serve as public archives that enable users to access a broad spectrum of both physical and electronic data.
Typically, the term archives describes larger repositories kept by an institutional or corporate body exclusively for the purpose of maintaining necessary materials. Such archives are meant to hold documents considered vital to the history of the institution. Keeping these items in a collective environment enhances their collaborative value, as researchers can examine documents side by side to boost any prospective insight.
Thousands of archives exist within the United States. Colleges, governmental agencies, and other large institutions maintain archives, though the public's ability to access them may be limited. Other prominent archives include museums and presidential libraries. An online archive exists via the Internet Archive, which provides a record of archived Web pages and access to online resources.
The United States government maintains several of the largest archives in the world, including the National Archives, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Library of Congress. The Smithsonian's holdings occupy 137,000 cubic feet of storage space and include both key documents and physical artifacts from American history. The National Archives is the primary repository for government records, including many of the United States' original founding documents. More than 95 percent of the materials contained within the National Archives are available to the public, with 1.8 million images of its materials freely available online. The Library of Congress was established to be the premiere American research facility. It also functions as the national library of the United States, with special collections dedicated to music, motion pictures, and government photographs.
Purpose
The purpose of archives is to store evidence of the past that may have use to later generations. Materials kept in an archive typically depend on the function of the holding institution. For instance, a corporation may keep records such as receipts, invoices, and hiring records for the purpose of retaining an accurate business history. These records may be useful for tax purposes and employment decisions. In the case of publically held companies, they may be used as a chronicle of business practices and profitability.
Legal, medical, and government documents are other important forms of archived material. Lawyers require archived case histories and court precedents to argue their cases. Doctors consult archived patient histories to make medical decisions.
Governments keep permanent records of their citizens and their own legislative actions. Personal documents such as birth certificates, driver's licenses, and tax records are held by governments on behalf of their citizenry. Governments also are required to track and hold all of their own official documentation, including legislation, budgets, vote totals, and treaties. Researchers and historians are able to use this data to record and examine the past, thereby offering insight on the present. For instance, a biologist may use government records from surveys of national parks to determine whether animal populations are steady, or an engineer may deduce the safest means of constructing buildings that will withstand the extremes of environmental and weather conditions based upon the recorded history of a place.
Colleges, museums, and other academic institutions also maintain extensive archives. These materials are of particular value to researchers, journalists, scientists, scholars, writers, and lawyers. The National Archives, for instance, sees its greatest use from genealogists seeking information on family histories.
Practical Organization
People who are employed professionally to maintain these repositories are called archivists. Archivists work to safely preserve these collections while efficiently organizing them so that all materials can be easily retrieved. An archivist typically gains a degree in archival science, a branch of library science. The most established or prestigious archives require staff to have both an undergraduate degree in library science or history and a specialized graduate degree in archival science, along with specialized postgraduate work. Archivists are responsible for making determinations about materials' prospective value, provenance, and organization and for acquiring new artifacts.
Advances in digital technology have made both storing and accessing archives easier. Text documents, such as emails, business documents, and reports, can be housed electronically, thereby limiting the space needed to store these materials. In addition, digital storage provides greater protection from potential disasters.
Digital advances also have enabled greater ease of use. Many archives have online catalogues of their materials (which may be linked to accessible digital copies of documents). These digital archives allow for easier searches and cross-referencing and enable researchers to locate materials without having to travel to the physical location of the archive.
Bibliography
"About the Internet Archive." Internet Archive. Internet Archive. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. https://archive.org/about/
Society of American Archivists. "Archives." Society of American Archivists. Society of American Archivists. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://www2.archivists.org/glossary/terms/a/archives
Society of American Archivists. "So You Want to Be an Archivist: An Overview of the Archives Profession." Society of American Archivists. Society of American Archivists. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://www2.archivists.org/profession
Van Garderen, Peter. "Archival Materials: A Practical Definition." Archivemati. Peter Van Garderen. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://archivemati.ca/2007/01/22/archival-materials-a-practical-definition/
"What Are Archives?" Archives Center. National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives/about/what-are-archives
"What's an Archive?" U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://www.archives.gov/about/info/whats-an-archives.html