From theory to practice

organic nature as a criteria for identifying personal and private fonds

Abstract

This paper critically analyzes the use of the concepts of Fonds, Collection, and “Private Collection” as applied to private and personal archives at the General Archives of the City of Rio de Janeiro (AGCRJ), highlighting conceptual and methodological inconsistencies. It proposes archival criteria such as organic nature and provenance to guide the categorization of documentary sets. The methodology combines empirical study and theoretical foundation, resulting in a set of guiding questions to assist in the proper identification of archival collections.