How to use

This guide contains information collected through the archival processing of records of the McLaren Family. The guide is organised into series which divides the records into related sets according to archival principles. This provides structure to the records and facilitates access, yet preserves information about how the records were organised when they were still in use. Within each series, an inventory of consecutively numbered files or records is presented.

The records of the McLaren Family comprise 26 series. These series divide the records according to their type and/or function. The Series provides a summary of the contents of each Series, and provides an overview of the records contents and structure.

The inventory is a detailed list that documents each file or record. The Series Summary Descriptions can be used as an entry point from which to browse the inventory list. Alternatively an inventory listing for each series can be accessed directly from the front page.

If the collection is small, browsing through the appropriate series is often the easiest way to find a particular file. A Search tool is also available, which allows free text searching of the entire collection. These searches are made on a line by line basis, not by series and file number.

The Provenance Listing provides information about the record creators, custodians or sources of the McLaren Family. The documentation of provenance is an essential element in establishing the context in which records were created and used.

The About the Records section provides key information provides details about the extent of the records. It also provides details of the archival processing of the records; accessioning the records, identification or provenance and series, and creation of the inventory.

Accession, provenance, series and inventory are all archival terms used to provide intellectual control over a collection of records. Click for more details on these terms: Accession, Provenance, Series, Inventory.

This finding aid has been generated from data documenting the records of the McLaren Family held in the Heritage Documentation Management System (HDMS). Please note that not all the data held in the HDMS is presented in this finding aid.