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Archive

An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located.[1][2]

For other uses, see Archive (disambiguation).

Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of that person or organization. Professional archivists and historians generally understand archives to be records that have been naturally and necessarily generated as a product of regular legal, commercial, administrative, or social activities. They have been metaphorically defined as "the secretions of an organism",[3] and are distinguished from documents that have been consciously written or created to communicate a particular message to posterity.


In general, archives consist of records that have been selected for permanent or long-term preservation on the grounds of their enduring cultural, historical, or evidentiary value. Archival records are normally unpublished and almost always unique, unlike books or magazines, of which many identical copies may exist. This means that archives are quite distinct from libraries with regard to their functions and organization, although archival collections can often be found within library buildings.[4]


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. The physical place of storage can be referred to as an archive (more usual in the United Kingdom), an archive (more usual in the United States), or a repository.[5][6]


The computing use of the term "archive" should not be confused with the record-keeping meaning of the term.

Etymology[edit]

The English word archive /ˈɑːrkv/ is derived from the French archives (plural), and in turn from Latin archīum or archīvum,[7] the romanized form of the Greek ἀρχεῖον (arkheion). The Greek term originally referred to the home or dwelling of the Archon, a ruler or chief magistrate, in which important official state documents were filed and interpreted; from there its meaning broadened to encompass such concepts as "town hall" and "public records".[8] The root of the Greek word is ἀρχή (arkhē), meaning among other things "magistracy, office, government",[9] and derived from the verb ἄρχω (arkhō), meaning "to begin, rule, govern" (also the root of English words such as "anarchy" and "monarchy").[10]


The word archive was first attested in English in the early 17th century, and the word archivist in the mid-18th century, although in these periods both terms were usually used only in reference to foreign institutions and personnel. Not until the late 19th century did they begin to be used widely in domestic contexts.[6][11]


The adjective formed from archive is archival.

Standardization[edit]

The International Council on Archives (ICA) has developed a number of standards on archival description, including the General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G).[57] ISAD (G) is meant to be used in conjunction with national standards or as a basis for nations to build their own standards.[58] In the United States, ISAD (G) is implemented through Describing Archives: A Content Standard, popularly known as "DACS".[59] In Canada, ISAD (G) is implemented through the Council of Archives[60] as the Rules for Archival Description, also known as "RAD".[61]


ISO is currently working on standards.[62][63]

Protection[edit]

The cultural property stored in archives is threatened by natural disasters, wars, or other emergencies in many countries. International partners for archives are UNESCO and Blue Shield International, in accordance with the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property from 1954 and its 2nd Protocol from 1999. From a national and international perspective, there are many collaborations between archives and local Blue Shield organizations to ensure the sustainable existence of cultural property storage facilities. In addition to working with United Nations peacekeeping in the event of war, the protection of the archives requires the creation of "no-strike lists", the linking of civil and military structures, and the training of local personnel.[64][65][66][67]

Chen, A. (2020). Placing papers: the American literary archives market. University of Massachusetts Press.

Public Archive library

International Council on Archives

– search across descriptions of archives held in over 280 institutions across the UK

Archives Hub

– international research project on the long-term preservation of authentic digital records

InterPARES Project

– the English strand of the UK archives network

Access to Archives (A2A)

Online-Guide to Archives around the globe

– archives within the UK M25 area.

AIM25

and the UK Philanthropy Archive associated with the University of Kent

British Cartoon Archive

The Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives

– Genova Italy: Archive (1407–1805): nearly 40,000 books catalogued with full description. www.giuseppefelloni.it

Banco di San Giorgio

Slavic Archives

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)

United Nations Archives