Glossary of library and archival terms
This glossary explains common library and archival terms used in our web content, finding aids, and research guides. These definitions cover most situations and uses, but there may be exceptions.
- Accession
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A group of archival records transferred to Library and Archives Canada (LAC), but not yet added to LAC's permanent collection.
- Aurora
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LAC's library catalogue, which is used to search for and order published materials such as books, magazines, music, as well as lesser-known items such as railway schedules.
- Box
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A physical container that holds archival records which are part of an accession, but not yet part of the permanent collection held by LAC. See also: volume.
- Closed stacks
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LAC’s collections that are stored on closed, non-browsable floors at 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, or at an off-site location. These items are not available to browse like at your local public library. They must be ordered in advance for viewing.
- Collection
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The highest level of archival description, like a fonds in its position within the archival hierarchy. However, unlike a fonds, which comes from a single source, a collection consists of records gathered from multiple sources around a common theme.
- Collection search
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LAC’s database search tool, which includes descriptions of fonds, sous-fonds, series, sub-series, and accessions of records. It may also describe individual files. Most descriptions include a mention of a finding aid and specify whether it is available in paper or electronic format. Collection search also contains specific collections such as The Canada Gazette (1841 to 1997) and Personnel Records of the First World War.
- Ephemera
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An item that was used briefly like protest posters, ticket stubs, menus and railway schedules.
- File
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A folder or group of related documents within a series or sub-series. A file may contain one or more items depending on the file-level description. This is usually the lowest level a researcher will find until they consult the physical record itself. See also: item.
- Finding aid
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A research tool used to find more specific reference information. Finding aids can be in various formats such as paper, PDF, and lists of items.
- Fonds
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A group of archival documents from the same origin, such as a person, agency, government department or organization. It represents the highest and most general level of the archival hierarchy, with more detailed and specific descriptions found at lower levels. Larger fonds can be divided into smaller sections called sous-fonds.
- Item
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An item is usually the lowest level of the archival hierarchy. It is the actual physical record itself. Items can be many different types, including any of the following: maps and cartographic material, objects like medals and pins, architectural or technical plans, audio-visual material, textual records like letters or reports, photographs, paintings, and multiple other media.
- Manuscript group (MG)
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Manuscript groups (MG) are records that are from private archival sources such as an individual, agency, organization etc. Like record groups, MG records may also have an R classification such as R16093 for the Stephen Harper fonds.
- Microfilm
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A type of microform printed to a film strip where document pages are reproduced one after the other. It's the most common type of microform.
- Microfiche
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A type of microform printed to a 4 x 6-inch rectangle of film. The pages of the document are reproduced in rows. This type of microform is commonly used for large items like maps and lengthy documents such as doctoral theses.
- Original order
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When possible, archival records should be kept in the original order established by their creator. Keeping this order gives researchers clues about how the records were created and what they were used for.
- Serial
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A publication that comes out at regular intervals like a magazine or newspaper. The release schedule—whether daily, monthly, quarterly, or annually—is set by the publisher.
- Provenance
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Provenance gives information about the origin of archival material, including how the records were created, the change of departmental responsibilities, and how they ended up in the archives.
- Records
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Archival material containing information in various formats, such as textual documents, photographs, maps, videos, and sound recordings.
- Record Group (RG)
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The archival records of a government organization (such as a department) and its predecessors. More recently acquired record groups now only have an R number (instead of RG), while other record groups have both an RG and R number (such as RG24 and R112, which both refer to the Department of National Defence).
- Series (Archives)
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Usually the next lower level of the archival hierarchical order below a fonds, sous-fonds or collection. They contain a particular subject within a fonds or sous-fonds, for example a series of correspondence between a government agency or people from a particular period. Series may be broken down into lower-level archival groupings starting at the sub-series level and, if large enough, even sub-sub-series.
- Sous-fonds, series, and sub-series
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Subdivisions of an archival fonds that help organize records to make information easier to find and access. Records in a sub-group are related to each other, to a function or an activity.
- Textual records
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Records containing written or typed paper documents. However, these records may also include other forms of records such as maps and photographs. These non-textual items are usually found in reports.
- Volume
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A physical container holding archival records that are part of the permanent collection held by LAC. See box.