Finding aid
Definition
Descriptive tool containing information that establishes control over records and facilitates their retrieval.
Source: Canadian Council of Archives. Appendix D: Glossary. http://archivescanada.ca/uploads/files/Publications/RADComplete_July2008.pdf.
Introduction
Finding aids are research guides that provide descriptive information about archival fonds and collections held by archival repositories. The University Archives publishes finding aids in its online Archives Catalogue.
Each finding aid includes a description of the fonds or collection as a whole. Many finding aids also provide detailed information about groups or “series” of records within the fonds, and information about individual files or items in each series.
Related terms
Collection