Editions in Relation to Archival Collections

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The goal of the documentary editor is to make it possible for a broad audience to experience the primary source documents that are stored in archives, libraries, historical societies and private collections. Most editions are drawn from a number of collections spread across many archives and by gathering them together, editing projects make it easier for researchers to access these disparate collections.

Editing projects are not in the preservation business, instead they work with archives and other organizations to secure facsimile copies of documents which they use at their sites. Editing projects support the collection and preservation efforts of repositories, however, bringing privately-held collections to the attention of repositories and in some cases using their expertise to identify documents that might have been stolen or which are forged.

Whether offered as transcriptions or image editions, the documents are vetted and made as accessible as possible by the editors. In the case of transcriptions, the documents have been analyzed by professionals intimately familiar with the subject’s handwriting and style, and have been proofread to ensure that there are no errors. Annotational notes based on scholarly research and analysis provide context and help to illuminate the meaning of documents that may not be readily available to an individual reader.

Editions work in concert with archives to preserve and publish primary source documents, enabling wide use and encouraging scholarship and study at a variety of levels.