Archives may contain different types of materials and serve different groups of people, but there are a few functions common across archives:
Archives collect a variety of different document types and formats. Depending on the archives' collecting mission some of these types may be more prevalent in their collections than others. The lists below provide examples of some of the types of documents and formats that you might encounter during archival research.
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Paper |
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Photographs (negatives, slides, prints) |
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Digital files |
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Moving images (film, video tape, digital) |
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Audio (records, tapes, digital) |
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Physical objects |
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Microform (microfiche and microfilm) |
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Different types of archives collect different types of material and serve different groups of people. Some archives function as more than one type. Examples of different types of archives include:
Archives and libraries share many of the same functions, like collecting and providing access to sources of information. However, the types of materials that libraries and archives collect differ, which translates to differences in how they describe and provide access to them. Below are some of the main differences between archives and libraries.
Libraries collect published items, like newspapers, books, and commercially available movies.
Libraries collect, describe, and provide access mostly to individual items like books, maps, or music scores. Newspapers, journals, and other serial publications may be described more collectively (like Anchorage Daily News and not specific articles within).
Library collections are usually arranged on browsable shelves according to a classification scheme based on subject.
Libraries often let users check out items and take them home.