"Let Us See What Is Meant by the Word Recorde"

Abstract

Taking as its starting point the discussion of “what is meant by the word Recorde” in a 1581 work by William Lambard, this article considers the development of conceptual ideas about records from the Middle Ages to the early years of the 20th century. After examining the medieval understanding of record as oral testimony of legal judgments, it discusses how concepts of record in England gradually expanded to embrace written texts, and it traces the shift from an exclusive association with courts of law to a perception that records could be made, kept, and used across a much wider range of contexts. The article also examines the changing terminological relationships between records and archives and the dissemination of English understandings of records to other Anglophone countries. It concludes with a brief exploration of points of contact between older debates about the scope of the term record and those of present- day professional discourse.

“Disrespect des Fonds”

“…To justify the dismantling of the Michael Ignatieff fonds, we must first consider the fundamental meaning of a fonds. Geoffrey Yeo (2012) believes the distinction between a fonds and a collection is one of physicality. He defines a fonds as the entire body of work of a creator, asserting that any additions or subtractions to a body of work nullify its status as a fonds.…”

“…Based on these criteria, Yeo argues it would be unrealistic or even impossible for a single archive to ever hold a complete fonds. Thus, it is preferable to consider fonds conceptually instead of bound by physical laws (Yeo, 2012). In this case, a fonds can still exist even if its component parts have been lost, destroyed, or split into multiple collections.…”

“…Conversely, a collection is simply a set of records grouped according to a common characteristic, such as subject or location (Yeo, 2012). Collections are much more flexible, Yeo (2012) argues; they can include a more tailored selection of materials from any number of fonds.…”

“…Conversely, a collection is simply a set of records grouped according to a common characteristic, such as subject or location (Yeo, 2012). Collections are much more flexible, Yeo (2012) argues; they can include a more tailored selection of materials from any number of fonds. While Michael Ignatieff is still teaching and publishing and will presumably generate records up until his death, it is possible that he will donate the rest of his accrued materials to the archive at his current institution instead of to the Trinity College Archives.…”

“…In theory, artificial orders imposed by the archivist are to be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Even so, Yeo (2012) posits that the division between organic and artificial collections is less clear than it may seem. He points out that nearly all collections are curated in some way by the archivist: for example, by removing duplicated or damaged materials.…”