| Finding Guides Overview |
| Finding guides are descriptive tools.
They represent the most direct way to gain access into archival records
for they outline the physical and intellectual control placed on the
records in a given record group or collection. When using a standard
finding guide, researchers will want to utilize its five major sections,
as listed below, in order to identify the records they wish to consult. |
| Administrative History/Biographical Sketch |
| The administrative history/biographical sketch provides
a history of the organization or individual that created or accumulated
the records described in the finding guide. A biographical sketch
will highlight the life and activities of the person or family that
generated the records. An administrative history will focus on the
structure and functional responsibilities of an office or administrative
unit, and will note how administrative changes resulted in the transfer
of functions to different offices or units. |
| Scope and Content Note |
| Scope and content notes provide a narrative description
of the materials in the collection or group, detailing their function
and use, and the kinds and types of information contained therein.
The scope and content note will identify those specific documents
or series that may be of particular interest to the researcher, but
will also note where gaps or deficiencies may exist in the record. |
| Series Descriptions |
| Series descriptions consist of a written analysis describing
the levels of hierarchical control for the group or collection, and
provide the date span, volume, and a description of the contents for
each specific unit of records. |
| Inventory |
| The inventory is a full box and folder listing of the
record group or collection. It will contain the title of the subgroup,
series, or subseries stored in each container, as well as the inclusive
dates and folder headings of the material contained therein. |
| Unprocessed Accessions List |
| The unprocessed accessions list provides a brief description
of the accession(s) received by the College Archives for the specified
record group or collection, but not yet processed or integrated into
the main body of records. In some cases, a preliminary inventory of
the records is included. Some records may require review by the Archivist
for access restrictions. |
