16 April 2014
The word "archive" has two basic meanings: (1) a collection of records held by an individual, a firm, an agency, etc.; (2) an institution or physical building that houses and manages archival collections.
The plural form of the word is used when referring to multiple collections or institutions that are unconnected. Example: Many local archives have been created to preserve county-level legal records that might otherwise be destroyed.
The plural form is also used by institutions that manage the archives of a number of individual agencies. Example: The National Archives of Great Britain, the Archives Nationales of France, or the U.S. National Archives. Each of these institutions is responsible for preserving the archives created by individual branches of the government.
Archive or Archives?
Elizabeth, this questions is debated constantly in the Archives world. I am the Archivist/Records Manager for the Houston County, Tennessee Archives. I try not to be too strict about the use of Archive vs Archives, although I know there is a difference. I have a gentleman that will call us about record searches every now and then, he calls us the Archives pronounced Ar-Chives. A day in the life of an Archivist!
Melissa, you've Ar-Chives
Melissa, you've Ar-Chives story reminds me of the tale the late Bob Clay of the Virginia State Library used to tell about the gentleman who called his facility and said he was looking for the suppository that held a certain set of records.