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Finding Aids
A finding aid is a guide written by archivists that tells you what you might be able to find within a collection. Finding aids provide information, such as titles, dates, and descriptive notes.
Like archival collections, finding aids are hierarchical. They provide contextual information at each level of a collection. Be sure to read the previous page about Archival Structure to understand the form of an archive.
Archival description typically only occurs between the collection and file levels. When reading a finding aid, you can expect to find more detailed information about a collection at its top levels (series and subseries), and more simple information at the bottom (files and items).
Files that are located within a series or subseries are said to inherit the characteristics of their parent component, meaning that the information provided about a series or subseries is relevant to whatever files it contains. Because of the sheer volume of items within an archive, archivists usually do not provide inventories on the exact items within files. As a result, you'll have to deduce what kinds of materials a file may contain based on the descriptions of its related components. In some cases, especially unique or valuable collections may be described down to the item-level.
Reading a Finding Aid on ArchivesSpace
The Pratt Institute Archives uses a web platform called ArchivesSpace to host our finding aids. When you open a finding aid, you’ll see, from left to right, a collection overview with descriptive information about the collection, links to digitized materials, and a collection organization panel.
Collection Organization Panel
You can browse and search the contents of an archival collection in the Collection Organization panel, located on the right-hand side of the window. Each line represents a series, subseries, file, or item, and will have a descriptive title that includes the date range of when its materials were created. Clicking on each series or file brings up its descriptive information in the main section of the finding aid. The collection organization panel will also expand to reveal a list of all files within that series. When you open a finding aid for the first time, ArchivesSpace will place you at the top collection-level. As you browse resources, your position in a finding aid will be highlighted.
Collection Notes
When archivists process a collection, we write descriptions about what is included in the collection, who created the materials, and under what circumstances. This information can be found within various notes on a finding aid, and can be read in the main collection overview. Clicking on each level of a collection will bring up notes specific to that resource.
When reading a finding aid, you will want to pay particular attention to the following notes, at each level of a finding aid:
This section tells you the who, what, when, where, and why of the resource. It will provide descriptions on what kinds of materials are present, who made them, when they were created, what subjects are covered, and any other special information that informs the use of the records. This field is especially important for judging whether or not the materials will be relevant to your research. Remember, the information archivists provide about a collection gets more simple the further you move down the collection's hierarchy. Most collections in the Pratt Institute Archives will have Scope and Content notes at the collection, series, and sub-series levels. Sometimes we may include Scope and Content notes for individual files, but not always. The file name, along with the context of where it is situated within the finding aid, should give you an indication of what will be in that file. When in doubt, click on a file to bring up its descriptive record and you may find out more information.
This field tells you the range between the earliest and latest dates when materials were created. Dates will always be included in the title of the resource, as well.
The majority of the collections in the Pratt Archives are fully accessible to the public. Sometimes, however, we need to place restrictions on collections that limit who has access to the materials and until when. This may be due to sensitive information about individuals and organizations featured in the records, or restrictions may be specifically requested by donors. In the event that a collection does have restrictions, this will be noted here. Restricted materials in the Pratt Archives include some files that contain legally protected student information under FERPA, and some President's Office and Board of Trustees records which have an embargo, or period of restricted time, before researchers can consult them.
This will provide background information on the creators and other entities represented in the collection. Whereas the Scope and Content note is about the materials themselves, the Biographical / Historical note tells you contextual information about the people and circumstances surrounding the creation and maintenance of the records.
Extent is an archival term that refers to the size of a collection, and how much material is present. For physical items, archivists usually describe extent in linear feet, but it will probably be more helpful to you to pay attention to the number of boxes in the collection. Some collections only have one or two boxes, but others can have up to 100! Extent information is available for each series and subseries of a collection, which can help you evaluate the amount of information that may be available and relevant to your research.
(for files and items only)
This field tells you the box and folder number(s) of the file or item you are viewing. You will need to provide this information when requesting materials for a research appointment.
It is also important to review the Additional Descriptions on the collection-level overview at the bottom of each finding aid. This section will include links to subjects covered in the collection, guide you to additional related resources in the Archives, and provide administrative information about the processing and history of the records.