Siti Hawa binti Mohd Sani (2018209044) JIM1105C

Part B (Question 1)

Finding aids known as formal publications that help user find information regarding a
record group, collection or series of archival materials. It can be created by Nara as well as
other Federal agencies, publishers, and private organizations and parties. NARA stands for
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) which is the nation’s record
keeper. As an archivist, we must make sure that the necessary elements are useful to our
patrons.

The finding aids elements are useful to our patrons is a principal documentation
containing descriptions in structural order. Finding aids are tools that help a user find
information in a specific record group, collection, or series of archival materials. Examples of
finding aids include published and unpublished inventories, container and folder lists, card
catalogs, calendars, indexes, registers, and institutional guides. Formal publications that help
a user find information regarding a record group, collection, or series of archival materials are
also finding aids. This kind of finding aids must be organized according to their importance, so
that the materials can be arrange properly.

Next, the finding aids elements that are useful to our patrons are the secondary
representation documentation for administrative control. It is defined as the creation of tools
such as catalogs, finding aids, or other guides that enable researchers to locate relevant
materials according to their interest. The archivist must identify and preserve the documents
of lasting value. Archival records take many forms, including correspondence, diaries, financial
and legal documents, photographs, and moving image and sound recordings.

Furthermore, the finding aids elements that are useful to our patrons are the secondary
representation documentation in subject order. Archival materials are arranged according to
respect des fonds or provenance, meaning that archivist respect the person or office that
generated and used the records. Archivist apply the 2 principles of provenance and original
order when managing their collections. These principles should be the foundations for all the
activities that the archivist carry out of the activities.

Moreover, the finding aids elements that are useful for our patrons are the retrieval
aids such as user guides and indexes. Retrieval is the process of accessing the information
that has been stored in long-term memory. The processing of archival material involves first
arranging then describing it. Arrangement involves analyzing the records to see who or what
created them, how and why they were created, what the functions and activities they
document, when they were created and what their physical nature is. Archivist must make
sure to analyze the importance of the materials before keep it in the archival institutions.

For the conclusion, these kind of elements are important as they have to writing down
the essential descriptive facts about the original materials and the archivist are able to create
a set of representations, which can in a way stand in for the original.