Frequently Asked Questions and Common Concerns
1. What is an Archives?
This term has several meanings. Technically, "archives" are the noncurrent, permanent records of an institution that are preserved for their enduring value - records necessary to document the history, development, and operations of the institution (including administrative, business, and legal records). The term is also used to refer to the archives program as well as to the building housing the archives. Also, the term has been used to refer to old papers, in general.
2. How is an Archives different from a Manuscripts Repository?
Technically, an archives (archival program) holds the records of an institution (government, university, church, etc,), while a manuscripts repository collects papers of individuals, families, and so forth. The latter may sometimes also hold records of institutions/organizations. The UAA Archives and Special Collections Department divides its holdings into two broad divisions: Archives, consisting of records of UAA and ACC; and, Historical Manuscripts, consisting of papers of individuals and families, local businesses, organizations and associations, and so forth.
3. What does the 'hmc-0000' mean after a collection?
"hmc-0000" is the control number used by the archives to keep track of collections. The designation "hmc" is short for "Historical Manuscript Collection."
4. What does the "cu. ft." mean after an entry?
"cu. ft." stands for "cubic feet." It is the standard unit of measurement accepted by archivists to describe the volume of a collection.
5. What is a record group?
A record group is the major division of an institutional archives collection. It is a separate body of organizationally related records created by a major administrative office or division of the institution (a government, church, school, etc.). In manuscripts work, the term is similar in usage to a manuscript collection. Examples of university record groups: Chancellor's Office, University Relations, Institutional Studies, Consortium Library, etc.
6. What is a Subgroup?
A subgroup is a major division or part of a record group which generally corresponds to an administrative subdivision of the key administrative unit and record group, or, when that is not the case, then a functional, geographical, or chronological subdivision of the record group.
7. What is a Series?
A record series (or series) is a body of file units arranged under a filing system, or maintained as a separate unit because they result from the same accumulation, activity, or process, or because they have the same form or other relationship.
8. I know what collection(s) I want to see. How can I get access to them?
Check out the Location, Hours, and Reference section of the archives site for information on contacting the archives. The more you know about the collection you wish to see, and the more specific your questions and requests are, the easier it is for the archives staff to answer them in a timely manner.
9. How do I get a copy of a photo I saw on your site?
Please visit the Mission, Policies, and Forms section for instructions on ordering photos.
10. My relative was in the Gold Rush, do you have any information on him/her?
First, try searching for your relative's name in the Historical Collections Search section of this site. If that is unsuccessful, visit the Related Sources section for other archival repositories in Alaska and Canada. In addition, the following sites also provide information on the Klondike Gold Rush and its participants: Ghosts of the Klondike Goldrush (includes a searchable name database), The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park (official NPS site), and The Klondike Weekly (an online publication dedicated to the Klondike Gold Rush)
11. Why don't you have all of your collections digitized, like I saw on the Library of Congress website?
First, the Library of Congress does not digitize all of their collections. In fact, only a very small portion of their vast holdings are available on the web. The amount of staff time and equipment necessary for digitizing a collection is substantial, even for an institution as large as the LC. For the same reasons, we have chosen not to pursue any major digitization effort at this time.