Finding aid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A finding aid is a document containing detailed information about a specific collection of papers or records within an archive. [1]They are used by researchers to determine whether information within a collection is relevant to their research. The finding aid for a collection is usually compiled by an archivist or librarian during archival processing.
Finding aids are a concept dating back to ancient Sumer's clay tablet culture. In more recent times, finding aids were usually written or, later, printed on paper. Finding aids today can be created in various electronic and print formats, including word processor document, spreadsheet, database, paper list, index cards, etc. The standard machine-readable format for manuscript collection finding aids, widely used in the United States, England, Canada, and Australia, is Encoded Archival Description.[2]
The content of a finding aid may differ depending on the type of material it is describing. Usually, a finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, and restrictions on use of or access to the materials.[3] Finding aids may be detailed inventories that list contents. They may also include subject headings drawn from LCSH, AAT, or other controlled vocabulary.
The data elements essential to finding aids were defined by the International Council on Archives [4] in the General International Standard Archival Description (ISAD(G)) [5]. In 2004 this was superseded in the United States by Describing Archives: A Content Standard (2006) [6]
[edit] Examples
- Finding aids in a historical society/private archive: Barron Country Probate Court Files at the Wisconsin Historical Society
- Finding aids in a public/government library: Edward and Clara Steuermann Collection at the Library of Congress
- Finding aids at a university: William Langner Papers at the Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ UTARMS Glossary. University of Toronto Archives and Records Management. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
- ^ Development of the Encoded Archival Description DTD. United States Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
- ^ A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology. Society of American Archivists. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
- ^ International Council on Archives[1]
- ^ General International Standard Archival Description (ISAD(G)) [2]
- ^ Available from SAA [3].
