We hear the word “archive” used in a variety of ways, and sometimes it’s confusing to know exactly what is intended by the term. Is creating an archive the same as visiting an archive? What does it mean to archive data as opposed to archive your artwork?

Archive is a noun, a verb, and sometimes even used as an adjective, so no wonder it’s unclear.

archive
ar·chive | \ ˈär-ˌkīv

n.
• a physical or digital collection of historical records
• a fonds (the entire body of records of an organization, family, or individual that have been created and accumulated as the result of an organic process reflecting the functions of the creator)
• an individual record of continuing value
• a curated online collection of information and contextual data relating to a particular theme
• a conceptual construct of a storehouse of recorded knowledge with outsized social and political significance that generally controls meaning and discourse and serves as a simulacrum of truth and fact

Q: Is creating an archive the same as visiting an archive?
A: An archive is an accumulation of historical records or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of that person or organization.

An artist can create a personal archive with a collection of their papers, documents, records or even artwork inventory. An organization may create something similar — a fonds (or collection) which includes the entire body of records they have accumulated over their history.

Then there are the physical or digital collections of historical records that we call an archive (or repository), most of which also house many discrete archives or multiple collections. Examples of these would be the Artists Archive of the Western Reserve, Pacific NW Artists Archive, Internet Archive or the National Archives.


v.
also archived, archiving
• to transfer records of continuing value to a repository and to preserve and manage those records
• to back up or to store data offline

Q: What does it mean to archive data as opposed to archive your artwork?
A: We archive the data on our computers or server systems on a regular basis these days, but in common terms we often say we are “backing up” our data.

When an archive (noun) or collection is transferred to the stewardship of a facility (or repository), that act is also to archive. The archive has then been archived at the Archive, where they only use archive materials for long-term preservation.


adj.
As a modifier and descriptive term, we more commonly say something is archival (i.e. archival studies, archival box, archival acid-free paper), but the term archive is also correct in this instance.


Definitions from the Society of American Archivists

X Gallery assists artists in creating or documenting their personal studio archive and also serves the function of a private Archive by facilitating research access at our facility for collections that are stored with us. Please contact us to find out more about this facet of our services.

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