Those records that have been selected for permanent preservation because of their value are called archives. Also, the room or building which houses the collection of historical records are termed archives.
Archive Collections consist of unpublished unique groups of related items, whose significance is directly related to other items within the group. Materials are selected as a group and treated as a group. Whenever possible the arrangement of items within the group are left as they were received from their creator. Materials are organized and described as a collection of records. A researcher uses guides, finding aids, inventories, indexes, and online systems to discover what is in the record group. These materials are customarily stored in restricted areas with strictly monitored access. Records do not leave the archives' premises. Oftentimes special procedures allow researchers access while ensuring safety of records. Items housed within an archives tend to be called archival records, archives, documents, manuscripts, or ephemera.
Professionals who work with Archive Collections are usually university educated and trained archivists.
The Beaufort District Collection houses about 80 archival collections upstairs in its new quarters. I will highlight some of these collections throughout October to celebrate South Carolina Archives Month.
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