What is an Archival Fond?

 

A fonds is a collection of documents that share a common origin. These collections have often formed naturally as the result of the everyday workings of an individual, organization, or agency. However, they have also been collected in systematic and organized ways. In some cases, the grouping of documents is intentional. In these instances, the documents may include personal photos, letters, and other materials.

Fonds are often subdivided into files, series, and folders. Each series is comprised of a similar type of records. These series may be in different offices, departments, or organizations. For example, the records of individual staff members are collected in the Individual Staff Members fonds. Since the records of a single individual cannot be assigned to a particular office or sector, they are stored together.

The definition of fonds may be more ambiguous than what we commonly consider. For example, Cook described the concept as being primarily intellectual, but the tone of his writing suggests that he was reluctant to exclude the physical aspects of fonds. Other writers have referred to Fonds  as "une réalité théorique," meaning that it may have a physical form, but does not necessarily have to.

The definition of a fonds is based on a number of factors. One of these is how well it corresponds with the actual collection. A small, short-lived voluntary association may create a small amount of records, but those records may be in a discrete collection even if the association ceases to exist. However, larger collections often correspond to conceptual fonds at certain times, but may not correspond with them over a longer period of time.

In addition to being a collection, fonds are generally arranged in categories. These categories are generally based on the nature of the collection. For instance, a fonds might contain documents created by an individual. These collections may also be divided into subfonds. In some cases, these are the records of different branches of an organisation, or the main themes of an individual's papers.

There are a number of important rules governing how to describe archival fonds. These include their naming, their classification, and the methods used to describe them. In many cases, the custodian can add or remove items from a collection. These changes further distance a collection from the entire body of records.

It is important to recognize that identifying the individual who created the records should be treated with respect. The archival principles of respect and the principle of provenance should be followed for this purpose. Furthermore, records created by different individuals should be separated and not be mixed. Moreover, this principle is less subjective than that of identifying a collection.

This paper explores the importance of proper documentation of fonds. Whether they are created by individuals or by institutions, the proper documentation of the material can help make the collection easier to read and understand. In addition, it can help a curator to understand what they have to do to preserve the information.