Southern Maryland Studies Center

What are Archives?: Differentiating between Archives, Libraries, and Museums

First-time patrons of archives frequently experience something of a culture shock since their expectations of what an archive should be based on their experience of libraries or museums. Most of us tend to equate them, but there are significant differences between them. From your first to your hundredth visit to an archive, you can ensure a more productive research visit by being prepared.

Archives—n.  Materials created or received by a person, family, or organization, public or private, in the conduct of their affairs and preserved because of the enduring value contained in the information they contain or as evidence of the functions and responsibilities of their creator.

Archives collect original unpublished or rare materials also called primary sources. The records held by archives are unique and irreplaceable. By their very nature, archival materials are fragile and vulnerable to improper handling. If an archival document is lost, stolen, or irreparably damaged, the information it contains could be lost forever.

The nature of the materials collected by archives are fundamentally different from those found in libraries. Libraries collect published materials that range from fiction to scholarly texts. Library materials are most often secondary sources. The holdings of one library may be duplicated in whole or in part by the holdings of another. If a book is lost, it can probably be replaced.

Similarly, the materials collected by a museum have key differences from those collected by an archive. Museum collections are more object oriented, as opposed to being primarily paper based. They are intended for exhibition.

Despite these differences, archives, libraries, and museums all work together. It is common to for a museum to have an archive and library, or for an archive or library to lend items for a museum exhibition. All three are focused on education.

Whether you're a student, genealogist, or local historian, a carefully plotted research strategy assists in making the most of your experience with archival materials. Your research strategy should allow adequate time for background research, establish which archives hold relevant collections, and include a work schedule that considers the extent of the material to be consulted.

Many patrons are very knowledgeable about the topics that they research, having built up extensive subject knowledge by doing research over many months, if not years. If you're just starting out with your research, or doing some research outside of your usual field, it's best to start with some background reading about the subject before delving into the archives.

Depending on the individual record and the research topic, you may need the following abilities: 

• Analyze how a record is structured and where relevant information (for instance, people’s names) is found,

• Read historical handwriting,

• Understand the language, whether this means an actual foreign language or jargon/abbreviations, and

• Use skills for specific types of record, such as map-reading. 

You'll also need to assess the relevance of individual records in the wider context of your research, which sometimes means interpreting them with caution. Pay attention to things like: 

• Authority—who is the author? What is their point of view? 

• Purpose—why was the source created? Who is the intended audience? 

• Relevance—how is it relevant to your research? What is its scope?