2. AN APPROACH TO ARCHIVES

I gave a general picture in my Summary of this paper of the process whereby the permanent records of a commercial firm or business might be formed. Such an introduction appeared necessary: it marked out the area of our subject and, I believe, represents considerations on which all archivists are in agreement. It seemed convenient too, that this elementary survey should be associated with my contribution to this session. Most of its details have already appeared elsewhere, but the only part Aslib has published is contained in an article last year from W. H. Chaloner, of Manchester University. They may be well-known to you, but you will agree that they bear repetition. At any rate, we are now in a position to devote all the limited time at our disposal to examining a few of the difficulties we meet with in handling records. This approach is, I hope, in full accord with the Conference's motif as expressed in that lively, if inelegant, phrase: 'the tricks of the trade'.