Names like “Miscellaneous,” “Old Documents,” and “General Papers” sound great when the folder is being created but give little assistance when searching for them later. A good name should inform someone else what the records…
An archive inventory does not have to be a complicated database from the start. For a modest archive, a thoughtfully structured spreadsheet may adequately convey what is in the archive, where it is located, and…
A neatly rearranged record can be a less useful collection than one that looks more chaotic. The documents may reflect how a person, office, or project originally functioned, regardless of disheveled folders, uneven labels, or…
A desk could contain meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, signed consent forms, duplicated financial reports, office memoranda and letters, and personal to-do lists. All of these items are documents, but not all of these documents are…
