Fonds
Encyclopedia
Fonds is an archival
term used to describe an aggregation of documents that originate from the same source. More specifically, a fonds distinguishes itself from a collection through its organic nature, as archival documents that have been naturally accumulated (made or received) by an individual, company, institution, etc. as a byproduct of business or day-to-day activities.
In modern archival practice, the fonds is generally the highest level of arrangement, and is usually used to describe the whole of the archives of an organisation or the papers of an individual. It may be divided into sub-fonds, generally the records of different branches of an organisation or major themes within the papers of an individual. These are in turn further subdivided into series (which may in a smaller archive come directly below a fonds without the presence of a sub-fonds), usually used for groupings of individual types of documents (minutes
, correspondence files, deed
s, etc.), sub-series, files, and items. An item is the smallest archival unit, and is usually indivisible (a single volume or letter, for instance). It is technically possible to add an infinite number of subs to the fonds, series or file, but in practice it is actually rare for more than one to be used.
The term fonds originated in French archival practice, but has now spread to English-speaking countries as well. In some countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, it has officially replaced the misleading term collection, which used to be used for this level and is now only used for document aggregations assembled, but not created, by a collector. In the United States, archivists still often use the terms "collection" and "record group" for comparable levels of archival materials.
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. 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 an organization...
term used to describe an aggregation of documents that originate from the same source. More specifically, a fonds distinguishes itself from a collection through its organic nature, as archival documents that have been naturally accumulated (made or received) by an individual, company, institution, etc. as a byproduct of business or day-to-day activities.
In modern archival practice, the fonds is generally the highest level of arrangement, and is usually used to describe the whole of the archives of an organisation or the papers of an individual. It may be divided into sub-fonds, generally the records of different branches of an organisation or major themes within the papers of an individual. These are in turn further subdivided into series (which may in a smaller archive come directly below a fonds without the presence of a sub-fonds), usually used for groupings of individual types of documents (minutes
Minutes
Minutes, also known as protocols, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting, starting with a list of attendees, a statement of the issues considered by the participants, and related responses or decisions for the issues.Minutes may be...
, correspondence files, deed
Deed
A deed is any legal instrument in writing which passes, or affirms or confirms something which passes, an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions sealed...
s, etc.), sub-series, files, and items. An item is the smallest archival unit, and is usually indivisible (a single volume or letter, for instance). It is technically possible to add an infinite number of subs to the fonds, series or file, but in practice it is actually rare for more than one to be used.
The term fonds originated in French archival practice, but has now spread to English-speaking countries as well. In some countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, it has officially replaced the misleading term collection, which used to be used for this level and is now only used for document aggregations assembled, but not created, by a collector. In the United States, archivists still often use the terms "collection" and "record group" for comparable levels of archival materials.
See also
- Archival scienceArchival scienceArchival science is the theory and study of storing, cataloguing, and retrieving documents and items. Archival science evolved from mankind's need to classify the world around them...
- ArchivistArchivistAn archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
- Finding aidFinding aidA finding aid is a document containing detailed information about a specific collection of papers or records within an archive. They are used by researchers to determine whether information within a collection is relevant to their research...
- Manuscript processing
- Preservation in library and archival sciencePreservation (library and archival science)Preservation is a branch of library and information science concerned with maintaining or restoring access to artifacts, documents and records through the study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of decay and damage....
- ProvenanceProvenanceProvenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
- Records ManagementRecords ManagementRecords management, or RM, is the practice of maintaining the records of an organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal...