Deciding What to Keep Forever Archival appraisal is the process of evaluating records to determine which deserve permanent preservation and which can eventually be destroyed, a task that directly shapes the historical record available to future researchers. Because no institution can realistically preserve everything indefinitely, appraisal decisions carry significant and lasting consequences. Criteria for Appraisal
The process of evaluating records to determine which have enduring value and should be preserved permanently in an archive.
Turning Raw Records Into a Usable Collection Archival arrangement and description together make up the core processing work that transforms a newly received, often disorganized accession of records into an organized collection that researchers can actually use. Arrangement establishes structure, while description explains that structure and its contents to anyone who was not present when
The combined archival processes of organizing records into a logical structure and creating documentation that explains their content and context.
Keeping Records Together by Origin Archival provenance is the principle that records originating from a single creator, whether an individual, family, or organization, should be maintained as a distinct group rather than being broken apart and reorganized by subject matter. This foundational idea, sometimes called respect des fonds after its French origins, shapes how archives
The principle that records should be kept together according to the person, family, or organization that created them, preserving the context of their origin.
Tracking Who Has Controlled a Record Chain of custody refers to the documented history of every person or institution that has had control over a record from the moment of its creation to its present location, establishing confidence that the record remains authentic and unaltered. This concept originated largely in legal and forensic contexts before
The documented, unbroken record of who has had control over a set of records from their creation through to their current location.
Keeping Digital Files Usable Over Time Digital preservation encompasses the practices and strategies used to ensure that digital records remain accessible and interpretable far into the future, addressing risks entirely different from those facing physical records. A digital file is only as useful as the ability of some future system to open and correctly interpret
The set of practices and technologies used to ensure that digital records and files remain accessible and usable over the long term.
Guiding Researchers Through a Collection A finding aid is a descriptive document that archivists create to help researchers understand and navigate an archival collection, going well beyond a simple inventory to provide context about who created the records and why. Without a finding aid, a researcher facing dozens or hundreds of boxes would have little
A descriptive document that provides detailed information about the contents, context, and organization of an archival collection, helping researchers locate material.
Preserving How Records Were Originally Kept Original order is the archival principle of maintaining records in the sequence and structure established by their creator, rather than imposing an arrangement that an archivist might consider more logical or convenient. This principle rests on the idea that the original sequence itself often carries meaningful information about how
The archival principle of preserving the sequence and internal organization in which records were originally created, used, and maintained.
Tracking a Record From Birth to Disposition The records lifecycle model describes the predictable stages a record passes through over its existence, from the moment it is created or received through active use, declining use, and eventual final disposition. This conceptual framework helps organizations plan appropriate storage, access, and eventual disposal decisions at each stage.
A conceptual model describing the stages a record passes through from creation to final disposition, whether destruction or permanent archival preservation.
Setting Rules for How Long Records Last A records retention schedule is a formal policy document that specifies, for each category of records an organization creates, how long those records must be retained and what should happen to them once that retention period expires. This document provides the legal and operational foundation for all routine
A formal policy document specifying how long different categories of records must be kept before they can be destroyed or transferred to an archive.
Protecting an Organization Most Critical Records Vital records management identifies and protects the specific records an organization absolutely needs to resume operations and protect its legal rights following a disaster, distinguishing this small critical subset from the much larger body of routine records an organization maintains. Losing vital records can threaten an organization survival in
The identification and protection of an organization most critical records, those essential for continued operation or legal standing in the event of a disaster.