Metodyka i problemy opracowania archiwaliów rodzinnych
125
Methodology and problems
of reviewing family archival materials
Abstract
The article presents methods of reviewing family archival materials when considering methodology principles and literature. It also emphasizes problems and shows ways of solving them.
Family archives are a very difficult subject in terms of methodology. At the same time, they are
of a great historical value and should be ordered and described with particular diligence and accuracy. Previous generations of archivists were aware of that and they paid a lot of attention to
those family archives. This resulted in numerous articles which discussed the problem of fonds,
particularly with ordering and systematizing them. The summary of the work resulted in methodological norms, the first ones from 1953 and the present ones, from 1983. Their follow-up, particularly in terms of distinguishing systems and their internal order, is a discussion included in
the textbook Archiwistyka [Archival Studies]. The result of this discussion is a general methodological model, which is versatile and comprises helpful guidelines for solving particular problems. Family and estate fonds are a diverse group in terms of size, structure and content, and
they are not easily standardized. Guidelines should be a sign, making it easy to find the right
way when reviewing a given fonds. However, selecting particular actions and ways of putting
them into practice depends on the archivist. Therefore, fonds should be reviewed by experienced archivists, with substantial general knowledge and great professional skills.