What is Archival Description?
Archival description is the practice of describing and sometimes indexing the content of archival documents or archival collections. Products of archival description include library catalog records, repository guides, collection guides (often known as "finding aids"), websites and specialized databases. Arizona Archives Online is a website that contains searchable collection guides.
- A collection guide provides context for the collection in a Biographical or Historical Note. Who created the collection? Why? When?
- A collection guide describes the content of the collection through a Scope Note. What types of material are found in the collection? What are the significant components? How is the collection organized, or what was the order imposed by the creator? What avenues of research might be supported by the collection? What relationships or connections exist with other archival collections?
- A collection guide functions as a roadmap to the collection through the Container List. The collection guides accessible as part of the Arizona Archives Online may be searched folder-by-folder across collections and institutions or individually.
- A collection guide documents institutional ownership, copyright, the preferred credit line, and restrictions.
- As collections are digitized, a collection guide serves as an access point to digital objects created from original archival material.