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Finding Aids

Definition

A finding aid is an inventory of an archival collection. The finding aid provides contextual information about the collection and its creators, and it also outlines the collection's arrangement.

A finding aid may include the following components:

• indication of the collection's size, date coverage, and formats;
• biographical note or organizational history;
• scope and content note;
• descriptions of record series;
• container lists.

At Archives & Special Collections

Finding aids are available for all processed collections (those that have been organized and described) and some unprocessed collections.

In addition to searching this site, please search the Library's online catalog where most of the Archives and Special Collection Department's holdings are represented.