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International Council on Archives


ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description


Adopted by the Ad Hoc Commission on Descriptive Standards
Stockholm, Sweden, 21-23 January 1993
(Final ICA approved version)

Ottawa, 1994

MEMBERS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

0. GLOSSARY OF TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERAL RULES

1. MULTILEVEL DESCRIPTION

  • 1.1 INTRODUCTION

    • 2. MULTILEVEL DESCRIPTION RULES

  • 2.1 DESCRIPTION FROM THE GENERAL TO THE SPECIFIC
    2.2 INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION
    2.3 LINKING OF DESCRIPTIONS
    2.4 NON-REPETITION OF INFORMATION

    • 3. ELEMENTS OF DESCRIPTION

  • 3.1 IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA
  • 3.1.1 Reference code(s)
    3.1.2 Title
    3.1.3 Dates of creation of the material in the unit of description
    3.1.4 Level of description
    3.1.5 Extent of the unit of description (quantity, bulk, or size)

    • 3.2 CONTEXT AREA

  • 3.2.1 Name of creator
    3.2.2 Administrative / Biographical history
    3.2.3 Dates of accumulation of the unit of description
    3.2.4 Custodial history
    3.2.5 Immediate source of acquisition

    • 3.3 CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

  • 3.3.1 Scope and content / Abstract
    3.3.2 Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
    3.3.3 Accruals
    3.3.4 System of arrangement

    • 3.4 CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA

  • 3.4.1 Legal status
    3.4.2 Access conditions
    3.4.3 Copyright / Conditions governing reproduction
    3.4.4 Language of material
    3.4.5 Physical characteristics
    3.4.6 Finding aids

    • 3.5 APPLIED MATERIALS AREA

  • 3.5.1 Location of originals
    3.5.2 Existence of copies
    3.5.3 Related units of description
    3.5.4 Associated material
    3.5.5 Publication note

    • 3.6 NOTE AREA

  • 3.6.1 Note

    • APPENDIX

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    Ad Hoc Commission on Descriptive Standards

    (Members shown without service years have been on the Commission from its inception in 1990.)

    Christopher J Kitching, (Chair), United Kingdom
    Hugo LP Stibbe, (Project Director), Canada
    Ghislain Brunel, 1990-1991, France
    Michael Cook, United Kingdom
    Jan Dahlin, Sweden
    Wendy Duff, Canada
    Ana Franqueira, Portugal
    Pedro Gonzales, 1990-1992, Spain
    Chris Hurley, 1992-, Australia
    Christine Nougaret, 1992-, France
    Christine Petillat, 1991-1992, France
    Sharon G Thibodeau, United States
    Habibah Zon Yahaya, Malaysia

    Charles Kecskeméti, Secretary-General, ICA

    Wolf Buchmann, Secretary on Technical Matters, Representative of the ICA Secretariat

    Axel Plathe, Representative Unesco PGI

    CANADIAN CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA

    Main entry under title:
    ISAD(G) : general international standard archival description : adopted by the Ad Hoc Commission on Descriptive Standards, Stockholm, Sweden, 21-23 January 1993 : final ICA approved version
    Issued also in French under the same title.
    At head of title: Conseil international des archives, International Council on Archives. ISBN 0-9696035-1-7
    1. Archival materials Standards. 2. Cataloging of archival material Standards. 3. Descriptive cataloging Standards.
    I. International Council on Archives. Ad Hoc Commission on Descriptive Standards.
    Z695.2.I83 1994 025.3'414'0218 C94-900749-8

    Secretariat

    c/o National Archives of Canada
    Office of Archival Standards
    395 Wellington Street
    Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N3
    Canada
    Telephone (613) 996-7592 Fax: (613) 995-2267

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    PREFACE

    1.  
    2. A draft set of general rules was developed by a sub-group of the Ad Hoc Commission on Descriptive Standards. The sub-group was established at the first plenary of the Commission during its meeting in Hhr-Grenzhausen, Germany, October, 1990.
    3. The sub-group consisted of:

      Wendy Duff, Coordinator
      Michael Cook
      Sharon Thibodeau
      Hugo Stibbe, Project Director and Secretary

    4. The sub-group met in Liverpool, U.K., in July 1991 to complete the draft which was discussed, amended and extended at the plenary of the Ad Hoc Commission at its meeting in Madrid in January 1992. The draft was formally adopted at that meeting. It is known as the Madrid draft of the "ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description".
    5. The Madrid draft of the ISAD(G) was circulated for comment to the international archival community in February 1992, translated into the languages of ICA and distributed as a congress paper for the XII International Congress on Archives in Montreal in September 1992 where it was discussed in an open session. The Commission met again in Stockholm in January 1993 to examine and revise the document in response to the comments received from the world wide review and the open session in Montreal. The current document is the result of that process.
    6. A 5 year revision cycle is proposed for this document and this will be recommended to the ICA when the document is presented for publication.
    7. The ICA Ad Hoc Commission on Descriptive Standards acknowledges and thanks Unesco for its financial support for this project. It also thanks the National Archives of Canada for its support of the Secretariat and the institutions that have hosted the Commission during the development of this document, the National Archives and the Ministry of Culture of Spain and the National Archives of Sweden.

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    INTRODUCTION

    1. This set of general rules for archival description is part of a process that will
    2. a. ensure the creation of consistent, appropriate, and self explanatory descriptions;
      b. facilitate the retrieval and exchange of information about archival material;
      c. enable the sharing of authority data; and
      d. make possible the integration of descriptions from different repositories into a unified information system.
    3. As general rules, these are intended to be broadly applicable to descriptions of archives regardless of the nature or extent of the unit of description. The rules guide the formulation of information in each of twenty-six (26) elements that may be combined to constitute the description of an archival entity.
    4. Each rule consists of:
    5. a. the name of the element of description governed by the rule;
      b. a statement of the purpose of incorporating the element in a description;
      c. a statement of the general rule (or rules) applicable to the element; and
      d. where applicable, examples illustrating implementation of the rule(s).
    6. The organization of the rules reflects a preferred structure for any given description incorporating elements governed by the rules. Within this structure the elements are grouped in six information areas:
       
      1. Identity Statement Area
      (where essential information is conveyed to identify the unit of description)
      2. Context Area
      (where information is conveyed about the origin and custody of the unit of description)
      3. Content and Structure Area
      (where information is conveyed about the subject matter and arrangement of the unit of description)
      4. Condition of Access and Use Area
      (where information is conveyed about the availability of the unit of description)
      5. Allied Materials Area
      (where information is conveyed about materials having an important relationship to the unit of description)
      6. Note Area
      (where specialized information and information that cannot be accommodated in any of the other areas may be conveyed).
    7. All 26 elements covered by these general rules are available for use, but only a subset need be used in any given description. A very few elements are considered essential for international exchange of descriptive information:
    8. a. reference code;
      b. title;
      c. date(s) of creation or date(s) of accumulation of the material in the unit of description;
      d. extent of the unit of description; and
      e. level of description.

      If the name of the creator is not included in the title, then the element of description that contains that name is also essential for international exchange.

    9. The extent to which a given archival description will incorporate more than the essential elements of information will vary depending on the nature of the unit of description and the requirements of the information system (manual or automated) of which it is a part. Some systems may include descriptions of the constituent parts of the fonds (e.g., series, items) as well as the fonds itself. To assure the efficiency and clarity of such systems, preparation of the multilevel descriptions within them should be guided by the rules concerning their linkage and informational content. Multilevel rules designed to accomplish this have been incorporated in these general rules.
    10. The areas of description covered by these general rules are those thought to have the widest applicability in an international archival context. This is only the beginning of a standardization effort. Further specific rules should be formulated to guide the description of special categories of material (such as cartographic materials, motion pictures, electronic files, or charters, notarial deeds, property titles).
    11. Access points are based upon the elements of description. The value of access points is enhanced through authority control. Because of the importance of access points for retrieval, international guidelines should be developed for formulating them. The Ad Hoc Commission on Descriptive Standards is developing a standard description for authority records. Vocabularies and conventions to be used with access points should be developed nationally, or separately for each language. The following ISO standards are useful when developing and maintaining controlled vocabularies: ISO 5963 Documentation - Methods for examining documents, determining their subject, and selecting indexing terms and ISO 2788 Documentation - Guidelines for the establishment and development of monolingual thesauri.
    12. In citing a published source in any element of description, follow the latest version of ISO 690 Documentation - Bibliographic references - Content, form and structure.

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    GLOSSARY OF TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERAL RULES

    0.1 The following glossary with terms and their definitions forms an integral part of these rules of description. The definitions are to be understood as having been formulated specifically for the purposes of this document.

    Access
    The ability to make use of material from a fonds, usually subject to rules and conditions.
    Access point
    A name, keyword, index term, etc. by which a description may be searched, identified and retrieved.
    Appraisal
    The process of determining the archival value of a set of records.
    Archival description
    The creation of an accurate representation of a unit of description and its component parts, if any, by the process of capturing, collating, analyzing, and organizing any information that serves to identify archival material and explain the context and records systems which produced it.
    Arrangement
    The intellectual operations involved in the analysis and organization of archival material.
    Authority control
    The control of standardized forms of terms including names (personal, corporate or geographic) used as access points.
    Corporate body
    An organization or group of persons that is identified by a particular name and that acts, or may act, as an entity.
    Creator
    See Provenance.
    Date of accumulation
    The period over which the material within, or forming part of, the unit of description has been accumulated by the creator.
    Date of creation
    The actual date at which the archival material in a unit of description was created.
    File
    An organized unit of documents grouped together either for current use by the creator or in the process of archival arrangement, because they relate to the same subject, activity, or transaction. A file is usually the basic unit within a record series.
    Finding aid
    The broadest term to cover any description or means of reference made or received by an archives service in the course of establishing administrative or intellectual control over archival material.
    Fonds
    The whole of the documents, regardless of form or medium, organically created and/or accumulated and used by a particular person, family, or corporate body in the course of that creator's activities and functions.
    Form
    The type or kind of material comprising a unit of description, e.g., letters, minute books.
    Formal title
    A title which appears prominently on or in the archival material being described.
    Item
    The smallest intellectually indivisible archival unit, e.g., a letter, memorandum, report, photograph, sound recording.
    Level of description
    The position of the unit of description in the hierarchy of the fonds.
    Location
    The repository, or address of a private owner, at which the archival material is held.
    Provenance
    The organization or individual that created, accumulated and/or maintained and used documents in the conduct of personal or corporate activity.
    Series
    Documents arranged in accordance with a filing system or maintained as a unit because they result from the same accumulation or filing process, or the same activity; have a particular form; or because of some other relationship arising out of their creation, receipt, or use. A series is also known as a records series.
    Sub-fonds
    A subdivision of a fonds containing a body of related documents corresponding to administrative subdivisions in the originating agency or organization or, when that is not possible, to geographical, chronological, functional, or similar groupings of the material itself. When the creating body has a complex hierarchical structure, each subgroup has as many subordinate subgroups as are necessary to reflect the levels of the hierarchical structure of the primary subordinate administrative unit.
    Supplied title
    A title supplied by the archivist for a unit of description which has no formal title.
    Title
    A word, phrase, character, or group of characters that names a unit of description.
    Unit of description
    A document or set of documents in any physical form, treated as an entity, and as such, forming the basis of a single description.

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    1. MULTILEVEL DESCRIPTION

    1.1 INTRODUCTION If the fonds as a whole is being described, it should be represented in one description, using the elements of description as outlined below in section 3 of this document. If description of the parts is required, they may be described separately also using the appropriate elements from section 3. The sum total of all descriptions thus obtained, linked in a hierarchy, as outlined in the model in the Appendix, represents the fonds and those parts for which descriptions were made. For the purposes of these rules, this technique of description is called multilevel description.

    Four fundamental rules apply when establishing a hierarchy of descriptions. They are set out in rules 2.1 to 2.4.

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    2. MULTILEVEL DESCRIPTION RULES

    2.1 DESCRIPTION FROM THE GENERAL TO THE SPECIFIC

  • PURPOSE:
    To represent the context and the hierarchical structure of the fonds and its parts.
    RULE:
    At the fonds level give information for the fonds as a whole. At the next and subsequent levels give information for the parts being described. Present the resulting descriptions in a hierarchical part-to-whole relationship proceeding from the broadest (fonds) to the more specific.

    • 2.2 INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION

  • PURPOSE:
    To represent accurately the context and content of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Provide only such information as is appropriate to the level being described. For example, do not provide detailed file content information if the unit of description is a fonds; do not provide an administrative history for an entire department if the creator of a unit of description is a division or a branch.

    • 2.3 LINKING OF DESCRIPTIONS

  • PURPOSE:
    To make explicit the position of the unit of description in the hierarchy.
    RULE:
    Link each description to its next higher unit of description, if applicable, and identify the level of description. (See 3.1.4.)

    • 2.4 NON-REPETITION OF INFORMATION

  • PURPOSE:
    To avoid redundancy of information in hierarchically related archival descriptions.
    RULE:
    At the highest appropriate level, give information that is common to the component parts. Do not repeat information at a lower level of description that has already been given at a higher level.

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    3. ELEMENTS OF DESCRIPTION

    3.1 IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA

    3.1.1 Reference code(s)

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify the repository and to provide a link between the archival material and the description that represents it.
    RULE:
    Record the country code in accordance with the latest version of ISO 3166 Codes for the representation of names of countries, followed by the repository code in accordance with the national repository code standard followed by a local repository specific reference code, control number, or other unique identifier.

    Examples:

    CA NAC ANC-C2358

    US LC 72-064568

    MY P/AMM Z4

    MY MS ANM P/PESU.H.C.O 410/1915

    FR AD 53/234 J

    • 3.1.2 Title

  • PURPOSE:
    To name the unit of description.
    RULES:
    When the unit of description bears a formal title, transcribe it exactly as to wording, order and spelling but not necessarily as to punctuation and capitalization.

    Examples:

    Account of occurrences at Peace River 1832

    Hue and cry and Police Gazette 1828-1842

    Shipments of rubber for Italy and France

    Société ardoisière de l'Anjou. Exploitation de Renazé (Mayenne)

    Fonds Perret

    Fonds Hennebique

    If appropriate, abridge a long formal title, but only if this can be done without loss of essential information.

    Alternatively, compose a concise title. At the fonds level, include the name of the creator. At lower levels include, for example, the name of the creator and a term indicating the form of the material comprising the unit of description and, where appropriate, a phrase reflecting function, activity, subject, location, or theme.

    Distinguish between formal and supplied titles according to national or language conventions.

    Examples:

    Minute books of the Women's Christian Temperance Movement

    Letters of Presbyterian missionaries serving in Manitoba

    Videotapes of Ronald Reagan's campaign speeches

    Records of the Coast and Geodetic Survey
    (Fonds level title)

  • Records of the Office of the Superintendent
    (Sub-fonds level title)
  • Letters sent
    Letters received
    Drafts of Annual Reports to the Congress
    (Series level titles)
  • Draft of the First Report
    (File level title)

    • Papers of the Rockefeller Family
    (Fonds level title)

  • Papers of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
    (Sub-fonds level title)
  • Correspondence relating to business affairs
    Correspondence relating to philanthropic activity
    Personal correspondence
    (Series level titles)
  • Letters to J. Pierpont Morgan
    Letter to Theodore Roosevelt
    (Item level titles)

    • 3.1.3 Dates of creation of the material in the unit of description

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify and record the date(s) of creation of the material in the unit of description.
    RULES:
    Give the dates of creation of the material in the unit of description as a single date or a range of dates as appropriate. A range of dates should always be inclusive unless the unit of description is a record-keeping system (or part thereof) in active use.

    Examples:

    1900-1919
    (The New York State Joint Legislative Commission to investigate seditious activities operated and accumulated records from 1917 to 1919. The actual dates of the records within the series, however, are 1900-1919, reflecting the creation of the original documents collected as evidence in the commission's investigations) (Compare approach in 3.2.3)

    23 Mar 1927

    circa 1930

    1858

    before 1850

    1907-1949

    1907-

    21.2.1915 - 21.12.1915

    Optionally, also record

    (a) the predominant dates or significant gaps. Never enter predominant dates without inclusive dates.

  • Examples:

    1703-1908 (predominant 1780-1835)

    1923-1945 (lacking 1933 to 1935)

    • (b) date(s) for records in custody.

  • Examples: Contents: 1703-1908 Contents in custody: 1703-1868
    (predominant 1708-1835)

    Contents: 1907- Contents in custody: 1907-1958 (predominant 1930- ) (predominant 1930-1958)

    • 3.1.4 Level of description

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify the level of arrangement of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Record the level of this unit of description.

    Examples:

    Fonds

    Series

    Sub-series

    File

    Item

    • 3.1.5 Extent of the unit of description (quantity, bulk, or size)

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify and record
    a. the physical extent and
    b. the type of material of the unit of description.
    RULES:
    Record the extent of the unit of description by giving the number of physical units in arabic numerals and the specific unit designation appropriate for the broad class of material to which the unit of description belongs.

    Examples:

    2 film rolls

    128 photographs

    19 folders

    25 volumes

    20 enclosures

    20 m (548 articles)

    Alternatively, give the linear shelf space or cubic storage space of the unit of description.

    Examples:

    300 boxes (30 m)

    If the statement of extent for a unit of description is given in linear terms and additional information is desirable, add the additional information in parentheses.

    Examples:

    4 m (ca. 10 200 items)

    Optionally, where the unit of description is a record-keeping system (or part thereof) in active use, show

  • the known extent at a given date; and/or
    the extent in custody.

    • Examples:

    128 photographs (at 6 Feb. 1990) In custody: 58 photographs

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    3.2 CONTEXT AREA

    3.2.1 Name of creator

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify the creator (or creators) of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Name the organization (or organizations) or the individual (or individuals) responsible for the creation of the unit of description provided this information does not appear in the title.

    • 3.2.2 Administrative / Biographical history

  • PURPOSE:
    To provide an administrative history of, or biographical details on, the creator (or creators) of the unit of description to place the material in context and make it better understood.
    RULES:
    Record concisely any significant information on the origin, progress, development and work of the organization (or organizations) or on the life and work of the individual (or individuals) responsible for the creation of the unit of description. If additional information is available in a published source, cite the source.

    For persons or families record information such as full names and titles, dates of birth and death, place of birth, successive places of domicile, activities, occupation or offices, original and any other names, significant accomplishments, and place of death.

    Examples:

    Louis Hémon was a French writer born at Brest, France in 1880. He died in Canada at Chapleau (Ont.) in 1913. He studied law at La Sorbonne in Paris. He spent eight years in England before going to Canada in 1911, where he lived in Montréal and on a farm at Péribonka (Lac Saint-Jean). In his short career, he wrote several books and articles. Hémon is famous for: Maria Chapdelaine : récit du Canada français, published for the first time in 1916

    For corporate bodies record information such as the official name, the dates of existence, enabling legislation, functions, purpose and development of the body, its administrative hierarchy, and earlier, variant or successive names.

    Examples:

    The Freedmen's Bureau was established in the War Department 3 Mar. 1865, to supervise all activities relating to refugees and freedmen and to assume custody of all abandoned or confiscated lands or property. Abolished 10 June 1872, and remaining functions transferred to the Freedmen's Branch, Office of Adjutant General and after 1879, to the Colored Division of the Office of Adjutant General

    The Kingston Steam Trawling Company was incorporated in 1891. Hellyer Bros acquired a majority shareholding in 19[?] and the company was absorbed into Associated Fisheries when Hellyer Bros merged with that company in 1961. It ceased trading in 1965 and was dissolved in 1972

    La société ardoisière de l'Anjou a été constituée le 16 juillet 1894 par quatre actionnaires dans le but d'acquérir et d'exploiter plusieurs carrières en Maine-et-Loire (Trelazé et Noyant-la-Gravoyère) et dans la Mayenne. L'acquisition des ardoisières de Renazé s'est étalée sur quatre ans: propriétaire de la carrière d'Ensuzières et actionnaire majoritaire de la Société de Laubinière (1894); propriétaire des ardoisières de la Touche et du Fresne (1895); propriétaire de Laubinière (1897). Victime de la concurrence espagnole vers 1960, la société ardoisière de l'Anjou a fermé son dernier puits à Renazé le 31 décembre 1975

    • 3.2.3 Dates of accumulation of the unit of description

  • PURPOSE:
    To supply date(s) of accumulation of the unit of description (e.g., series, file) by its creator.
    RULE:
    Give the date(s) of accumulation of the unit of description by the creator (or creators) as a single date or a range of dates. The date or dates recorded here refer to the record keeping actions of the creator (or creators) and may not antedate the date of establishment of the creating corporate body (or earliest creating corporate body) or the date of birth of the creating individual (or earliest creating individual). These dates may differ from the dates recorded at 3.1.3 Dates of creation of the material in the unit of description in cases where the unit of description resulted from an activity involving accumulation of documents created prior to filing by the creator (or earliest creator), such as documents accumulated from a variety of sources during an investigation or legal action.

    Examples:

    1917-1919
    (The New York State Joint Legislative Commission to investigate seditious activities operated and accumulated records from 1917 to 1919. The actual dates of the records within the series, however, are 1900-1919, reflecting the creation of the original documents collected as evidence in the commission's investigations.)
    (See also approach in 3.1.3)

    21.2.1915 - 21.12.1915

    • 3.2.4 Custodial history

  • PURPOSE:
    To provide information on changes of ownership and custody of the unit of description that is significant for its authenticity, integrity and interpretation.
    RULES:
    Record the successive transfers of ownership and/or custody of the unit of description, along with the dates thereof, insofar as they can be ascertained. If the custodial history is unknown, record that information.

    Optionally, when the unit of description is acquired directly from the creator, do not record a custodial history but rather, record this information as the Immediate source of acquisition. (See 3.2.5)

    Examples:

    The Ocean Falls Corporation records remained in the custody of Pacific Mills Ltd., and its successor companies, until the mill and townsite were taken over by the British Columbia provincial government in 1973. In 1976 the records were transferred to the Ocean Falls Public Library, which began the rearrangement of the records in their current form...

    Originally collected by George Madison and arranged by his nephew, John Ferris, after Madison's death. Purchased by Henry Kapper in 1878 who added to the collection with materials purchased at auctions in Philadelphia and Paris, 1878-1893

    Records inherited by Houghton Urban District Council in 1937 and later deposited at Durham Record Office. Transferred to Tyne and Wear Archives Service on 28 July 1976

    Le fonds de l'exploitation de Renazé comprend, probablement depuis les années 1895-1897, deux fonds d'entreprises absorbées: ceux de la société ardoisière de Laubinière et de l'ardoisière de la Touche, établissement Bourdais et Cie

    • 3.2.5 Immediate source of acquisition

  • PURPOSE:
    To record circumstances of the immediate source of acquisition.
    RULE:
    Record the donor or source from which the unit of description was acquired and the date and/or method of acquisition if any or all of this information is not confidential. If the source or donor is unknown, record that information. Optionally, add accession numbers or codes.

    Examples:

    Transferred from Department of Geography, 16 June 1977

    Donated by the sisters of Peter Neve Cotton, Mrs Mary Small of Saltspring Island and Mrs Patricia Jarvis of Bellevue, Washington, March 1983

    Purchased at Sotheby's auction, 29 Mar 1977

    The orderly books were transferred from Pension Office, 1909; the letter books were transferred from the State Department, 1915

    Received from: Euroc AB, Malmö. Date of acquisition: 1978-10-27

    Transferred from the Selangor Secretariat, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Kuala Lumpur, 1967

    Don de la Société ardoisière de l'Anjou (exploitation de Renazé) aux Archives départementales de la Mayenne, 1969

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    3.3 CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

    3.3.1 Scope and content / Abstract

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify the subject matter and the form of the unit of description to enable users to judge its potential relevance.
    RULE:
    Give a brief summary of the subject content (including time period) of the unit of description. Include information on form as appropriate for the particular level of description. Do not repeat here information already given elsewhere in the description.

    Examples:

    General policy files and registers of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government relating to extinguishment of tithe rent charges. The files contain information about grants to local authorities, rates and rate refunds, and evidence submitted to the Royal Commission on Tithe Rent-charge in 1934. The registers contain records of payments of grants to various authorities from 1938 to 1955 under the Tithe Act 1936

    • 3.3.2 Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

  • PURPOSE:
    To provide information on any appraisal, destruction and scheduling action taken.
    RULES:
    Record any appraisal actions taken on the unit of description if that action affects the interpretation of the material.

    Where appropriate, record the authority by which the action has been taken.

    Examples:

    Files of every tenth year have been retained

    All files are kept permanently under the National Archives of Malaysia ruling: "Permanent retention of records dated before 31.12.1948"

    Très peu d'éliminations ont été effectuées au cours du classement de ce fonds : seuls les brouillon informes ou illisibles, les formulaires vierges ou en exemplaires multiples en ont fait l'objet. Globalement, ces éliminations n'ont pas dépassé la valeur d'une liasse

    • 3.3.3 Accruals

  • PURPOSE:
    To inform the user of possible changes in the extent of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Indicate if future accruals, additional transfers or deposits are expected. Where appropriate, give an estimate of their quantity and frequency. Examples:

    Records from the Office of the Ceremonials Assistant are transferred to the archives five years following the academic year to which the records relate. On average, 40 cm of records are transferred to the archives annually on Aug. 1

    Accruals are expected

    • 3.3.4 System of arrangement

  • PURPOSE:
    To provide information on the arrangement of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Give information on the arrangement of the unit of description. Specify the principal characteristics of the internal structure, the order of the material and, if appropriate, how these have been treated by the archivist.

    Examples:

    Records are maintained according to their original provenance, the direct result of organizational activity of the organizing body: the High Commissioner's Office

    Files arranged alphabetically by file title. A subseries of 17 files (numbered 163/1-17) depend on file 163, dealing with the purchase of the Seaford Dock

    Chronological/enclosure number within file

    Le plan de classement adopté est le suivant : administration, comptabilité et finances, personnel, fonctionnement, matériel d'exploitation et outillage, propriétés immobilières, entreprises absorbées

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    3.4 CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA

    3.4.1 Legal status

  • PURPOSE:
    To provide information on the legal status of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Record information on the legal status of the unit of description.

    Examples:

    Public records transferred under section 4(1) of the Public Records Act 1958

    Transferred under the National Archives Act, No. 44/1966

    Archives publiques consécutivement au don

    • 3.4.2 Access conditions

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify any conditions that restrict or affect access to the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Give information on conditions that restrict or affect access to the unit of description. Indicate the extent of the period of closure and the date at which the material will open.

    Examples:

    No access may be given to the material without the written permission of the director of the firm

    Family correspondence closed until 2010

    All records subject to Access to Information and Privacy Act

    No access until microfilmed

    Accessible to all registered researchers

    La majorité des documents contenus dans ce fonds est librement consultable. Néanmoins, la communication de certains dossiers relatifs au personnel est soumise à des conditions ou à des délais de consultation particuliers

    • 3.4.3 Copyright / Conditions governing reproduction

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify any restrictions on the use or reproduction of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Give information about conditions governing the use or the reproduction of the unit of description after access has been provided. If conditions governing use, reproduction or publication in respect to the unit of description are unknown or if there are no conditions, no statement is necessary.

    Examples:

    Rights held by CHYZ-TV

    No reproduction without permission of the president of the company

    Photographs may be copied for reference purposes only. Use of photographs in a publication cannot be made without written permission of Kenneth McAllister

    Malaysia copyright Act of 1987 records in public domain, reproduction with permission of the National Archives of Malaysia

    • 3.4.4 Language of material

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify the language(s), scripts and symbol systems employed in the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Record the predominant language(s) of the materials comprising the unit of description. Note any distinctive alphabets, scripts, symbol systems or abbreviations employed.

    Examples:

    In Portuguese

    Main text in Latin; endorsements in Norman French

    In English

    Français

    • 3.4.5 Physical characteristics

  • PURPOSE:
    To provide information about any important physical characteristics that affects use of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Indicate any important physical details and/or the permanent physical condition of the material that limits use of the unit of description.

    Examples:

    Images faded

    Legible under ultraviolet light only

    • 3.4.6 Finding aids

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify any finding aids to the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Give information about any finding aids that the repository or records creator may have that provide information relating to the contents of the unit of description. If appropriate, include information on where to obtain a copy.

    Examples:

    Box list

    Detailed finding aid available; file level control

    Finding aid: Records of Parks Canada (RG84) / Gabrielle Blais. (General inventory series / Federal Archives Division). Ottawa : Public Archives of Canada, 1985

    Geographical index

    Correspondence index to 1880

    Descriptive Lists, High Commissioner's Office Records

    Répertoire numérique du fonds 234 J. Société ardoisière de l'Anjou. Exploitation de Renazé / Isabelle LAS. (Archives du pays bleu / Archives départementales de la Mayenne). Laval : Archives départementales de la Mayenne, 1922. Comprend notamment un glossaire des termes techniques de l'industrie ardoisière

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    3.5 ALLIED MATERIALS AREA

    3.5.1 Location of originals

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify the repository, corporate body or individual which holds the originals if the unit of description is a reproduction.
    RULE:
    If the unit of description is a reproduction, and another repository, corporate body or individual holds the originals, record their name if the information is not confidential. Give also any identifying numbers and other information that may help in locating the original material. If the originals are known to be no longer extant, give that information.

    Examples:

    Original in National Archives of Canada, C2358

    Originals destroyed after microfilming, 1981

    Originals retained by the Society of Friends, Newcastle upon Tyne (access by permission from the Secretary)

    Originals in Headquarters, National Archives of Malaysia

    • 3.5.2 Existence of copies

  • PURPOSE:
    To indicate the existence and availability of copies of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    If the unit of description is available (either in the institution or elsewhere) in another format, record the formats, together with any significant control numbers and the location where they may be consulted.

    Examples:

    Diaries and correspondence also available on microfilm

    Films also available on videocassette

    • 3.5.3 Related units of description

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify related units of description in the same repository.
    RULE:
    If the unit of description consists of material that has a direct and significant connection to another unit of description, indicate the relationship. Use appropriate introductory wording. If the related unit of description is a finding aid, use the Finding aids element of description (3.4.6) to make the reference to it.

    Examples:

    These include many stray medieval accounts similar to material in E101 and SC6

    For further documents concerning the Queen's Jointure see LR5

    Related series: In-letters from the Office of the General Manager

    Files related to trades, rubber exports, etc., e.g., Export of rubber - S of S 116/15; Export of rubber to Italy and France - H.C.O. 288/15; Shipment of rubber approved by Rubber Export Committee - S of S 388/15; Agriculture Bulletin - Misc. 390/15; Exportation of rubber to Canada - S of S 402/15; Rubber shipment: 7 ton from Harrison and Crossfield to Alcan & Co., Paris, in June - S of S 938/15; Shipment of rubber to New York per SS Indrawadi on 6.9.1915 -H.C.O. 1981/15

    Sources complémentaires mentionnées dans l'instrument de recherche imprimé

    • 3.5.4 Associated material

  • PURPOSE:
    To indicate the existence in other repositories of material associated by provenance to the unit of description.
    RULE:
    If material in another repository has a relationship by provenance to the unit of description, provide information about the associated material and the repository.

    Examples:

    Ernest Buckler fonds held by the Public Archives of Nova Scotia

    Files relating to trades, customs and excise, rubber exports, estimates, annual reports, etc. at the National Archives of Malaysia Branch Offices

    Sources complémentaires mentionnées dans l'instrument de recherche imprimé

    • 3.5.5 Publication note

  • PURPOSE:
    To identify any publications that are based on the use, study, or analysis of the unit of description.
    RULE:
    Record a citation to, and/or information about, a publication that is based on the use, study, or analysis of the unit of description.

    Examples:

    Folios 23-24 published in Chronicon Petriburgense ed. T Stapleton (1849), pp. 176-182

    Bibliographie dans l'instrument de recherche

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    3.6 NOTE AREA

    3.6.1 Note

  • PURPOSE:
    To provide specialized information and information that cannot be accommodated in any of the other areas.
    RULE:
    Record specialized or other important information not accommodated by any of the defined elements of description.

    • 1 Some of the information in this area, i.e., the name of the creator(s) and the administrative/biographical history may, in certain applications, be accommodated in linked authority files. See I.8.

     

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    1998-04-07