what are archives?

‘Archive’: A collection of (especially) public or corporate documents or records. French Archives, Latin Archivia or Greek Arkheia: ‘public records’; derived from Greek Arke ‘Government’. (Oxford English Dictionary). Archives are composed of the naturally accumulated records of an organisation generated in the course of its activities, that have been selected for permanent preservation. Examples include the archives of a local authority, business, society, club, landed estate, or a religious institution. Archives and manuscripts may take many forms, such as; correspondence, diaries, files, minutes of meetings, reports, deeds and legal documents, photographs, maps, plans and drawings, account books, audio and visual recordings, and electronic documents. Archives and manuscripts are fragile and unique and must be kept and used under strict conditions if they are to survive for the use of future generations.