Archive

An archive is a collection of records. The term is also used for the location in which these records are kept.  Archives are made up of records which have been created during the course of an individual or organization's life. In general, an archive consists of records which have been selected for permanent or long-term preservation. Records, which may be in any media, are normally unpublished, unlike books and other publications. Archives may also be generated by large organisations such as corporations and governments.  Archives are different from libraries in that archives hold records which are unique. Archives can be described as holding information "by-products" of activities, while libraries hold specifically authored information "products".  The word 'archives' is the correct terminology, whereas 'archive' as a noun or a verb is related to computer science.

A person who works in archives is called an archivist. The study and practice of organizing, preserving, and providing access to information and materials in archives is called archival science.

Related pages
Bibliography
Internet Archive

 Footnotes 

 Other websites 

UNESCO Archives Portal  - over 8000 links worldwide
International Council on Archives
Archives Hub — gateway to descriptions of archives held in UK universities and colleges, part of the National Archives Network
InterPares Project  — international project on electronic records
Access to Archives (A2A) — the English strand of the UK archives network
Online-Guide to Archives around the globe 

Category:Documents