Any document which reflects organizational transactions, hierarchy, or procedures can be considered a record. Archivists often specialize in an area of history or technology so they can better determine what records in that area qualify for retention and should become part of the archives. Archivists also may work with specialized forms of records for example, manuscripts, electronic records, photographs, cartographic records, motion pictures, and sound recordings. Curators, sometimes called collections managers, oversee collections in museums, zoos, aquariums, botanic gardens, nature centers, and historic sites. They acquire items through purchases, gifts, field exploration, intermuseum loans, or, in the case of some plants and animals, hybridization and breeding.
Curators also plan and prepare exhibits.
In natural history museums, curators collect and observe specimens in their natural habitat. Much of their work involves describing and classifying species. They conduct more research than other curators, who spend much of their time managing collections. Most curators specialize in fields such as botany, art, paleontology, or history. Those working in large institutions may be highly specialized.