7.4 Scope and Content Note

At the fonds, series, and collection levels of description, and when necessary at the file and the item levels of description, indicate the level being described and give information about the scope and the internal structure of or arrangement of the records, and about their contents.

7.4A. Scope and content for a fonds or collection, or for a series as the highest level of description ¹

Give information on the type of function or activity to which the records comprising the unit being described pertain, the relationship between them, the organization of the records, and their documentary forms.

For the scope of the unit being described, give information about the functions and/or kinds of activities generating the records, the period of time, the subject matter, and the geographical area to which they pertain. For the content of the unit being described, give information about its internal structure by indicating its arrangement, organization, and/or enumerating its next lowest level of description. Summarize the principal documentary forms (e.g., reports, minutes, correspondence, drawings, speeches).

Fonds illustrates Francis Shanly’s work as an engineer and contractor, and also contains records relating to his family history and background. Engineering project records include: correspondence, letter books, reports, estimates, invoices and receipts, payrolls, force returns, specifications, tenders and contracts, maps, drawings, and other materials. These records are arranged alphabetically by project. Personal records include: correspondence; subject files (relating to Shanly’s involvement in a number of areas, including his role as City Engineer of Toronto, and his election campaign of 1872); notebooks; bank books; diaries; financial records (including invoices, receipts, statements, and accounts); genealogies and other materials
(Scope and content for the Francis Shanley fonds)

Fonds reflects M.O. Hammond’s career and interests as a journalist, writer, editor, amateur photographer and figure of the Canadian arts and literary scene in the early decades of the twentieth century. His photographs are arranged into five series, spanning his entire photographic career from the late 1890s to the 1930s. Textual records in the fonds consist of correspondence relating to Hammond’s research and writing; correspondence to Hammond from Canadian literary figures as Duncan Campbell Scott, Arthur Stringer, Charles G.D. Roberts and Robert Service; published and unpublished manuscripts written by Hammond; research notes and clippings related to his writing on Canadian history, art and literature and his reporting of reciprocity negotiations between Canada and the United States in 1910-1911; and his personal diaries for the years 1890, 1894 and 1903-1934
(Scope and content for the M.O. Hammond fonds)

7.4B. Scope and content for a series.

For the scope of the series, give information on the specific activity or activities generating the records, the period of time, the subject matter, and the geographical area to which they pertain. Explain any administrative or documentary processes or procedures which explain how the series came into being. In cases where the series is composed of a uniform set of documents (e.g., marriage certificates), indicate the kinds of information recorded on the documents.

For the content of a series, give information about the internal structure of the series, including the arrangement, classification scheme, and documentary forms of the records.

Series documents the Conservation Authorities Branch’s monitoring of water management engineering projects, which were undertaken by Conservation Authorities but funded by the provincial government. Projects include construction of dams, reservoirs, weirs, and bridges; channel improvements; floodplain mapping; acquisition of floodplain land; flood warning; and flood damage reporting. Project files contain reports; architectural drawings; maps; contracts; and correspondence between the Branch and Conservation Authorities, the federal government (who also funded projects), other ministries, municipal governments, consulting engineers and landowners
(Scope and content for a series in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources fonds)

Series documents the development of provincial parks and reserve areas, from initial proposals, through acquisition of private land for parks to the actual establishment of provincial parks and reserves. Series is arranged into three sub- series: development proposal files, land acquisition files, and established parks development files
(Scope and content for a series in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources fonds)

7.4C. Scope and content for a file.

For the scope of the file give information on the subject matter, the time period, and the geographical area to which it pertains.

For the content of a file, give information about the processes and procedures generating the file and/or about the transactions to which the file pertains. For the internal structure of the file, give information about the arrangement of the file and its documentary forms and their relationship. The scope and content is discretionary if the title of the file is clear enough.

File documents an investigation of an explosion at Ledwell Milk. It includes an inspection report, administrative documents relating to the inspection, and photographs
(Scope and content for a file within the series “Reports on accidents caused by fuel handling”, within the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations fonds)

File contains photographs depicting the first day of a strike of Air Canada workers at Toronto International Airport.
(Scope and content for a file within the series “Chronological photographic negatives”, forming part of the Julien LeBourdais fonds)

Portraits of Michael Philip Fulford Foran
(Title of the file; scope and content is discretionary)

7.4D. Scope and content for an item.

As applicable, give information on the subject matter and form of the item, the data it records, the time period, and the geographical area to which its contents pertain. The scope and content is discretionary if the title of the item is clear enough.

Item is a report on the various factors that contribute to the cost and quality of food production in the Nova Scotia hospital system in 1988
(Scope and content for an item in the file entitled “Secondary research material” in the consultants’ series of the Nova Scotia Royal Commission on Health Care fonds)

Item is an alphabetical listing of qualified electors for Queens County
(Scope and content for an item in the electoral lists series of the Nova Scotia Chief Electoral Officer fonds)

Mont Ste-Marie Ltd. Subdivision of Part of Lots 34, 35 and 36, Range VII and VIII, Township of Hincks
(Title of an item in a series of maps; scope and content is discretionary)

7.4E. Cartographic material in electronic form

For descriptive units consisting of cartographic material in electronic form, give a general statement on the structure of the data (raster, vector, or both), if this information is readily available. If known, give the resolution in which vector images have been digitized (e.g., every 2 mm). For raster images, provide a statement about area that each raster represents (e.g., 5 meter x 5 meter). If known, give the vertical resolution for three-dimensional representations.

7.4F. Architectural and technical drawings

At every level, give, as appropriate, the purpose of the drawings, etc., (e.g., presentation, working drawings, conceptual drawings, etc.).

7.4G Records in electronic form

For records in electronic form, include a summary of data elements or data element categories, where applicable.

7.4G1. System description

Where significant to an understanding of the unit being described, provide a description of the information, office, or other data management system in which the records in electronic form were created. The System description should be placed at the level for which it is common to all of the material being described (see 1.0A2d). Describe the essential characteristics, hardware and software requirements of the system. Include here information that describes the requirements, capabilities, limitations, design, operation and maintenance of the creator’s original system. Include the elements essential to understanding the unit being described, or provide references to other sources in which this information is given. Give current system requirements for access as instructed in 9.8B1.

The System description may be given in a narrative or in a formatted note. Give the elements specified in 9.7D2a through 9.7D2j in any appropriate order.

During its active life, the Commercial Licensing System (CLS) database was an Ingres database, running on in-house VAX equipment. The system was cumulative, i.e., data was added as required but none was deleted. For the location of the metadata of the electronic system and the records within it, consult the computer file list for subseries. Metadata files are marked with an asterisk. For the location of printed documentation, consult the archivist
(Subseries level system description)

System description: IBM PC; 64K; colour card; 2 disk drives

7.4G2. System name and developer.

Give the name of the information, office, or other data management system, and the name(s) of the person(s) and/or office(s) responsible for the development of the system, including version number, creation or implementation date, and other relevant details.

7.4G3. Hardware.

Give details of the hardware on which the system operated, including manufacturer and serial number, types and capabilities of peripherals significant to the creation of the records, both input and output devices, including internal modifications.

7.4G4. Operating system.

Give details of the name, version, and distributor of the operating system, as well as whether or not local modifications had been made to it.

7.4G5. Network or multi-user configuration.

Give the name, version, and distributor, if applicable, of the network architecture and software. For non-networked multi-user systems, give relevant details of the configuration, e.g., distribution of hardwired terminals, dial-up capabilities, etc.

7.4G6. System security and access.

Give details of system security provisions, name, version, and distributor of security software if applicable, who had access to the system, capabilities of categories of user account groups, etc. Give also details of system’s ability to provide levels of protection to specific databases, computer files or data elements.

7.4G7. Programming language.

Give details of the programming environment in which the software operated, the language(s), and if significant, the compilor(s) with which the software was written and compiled.

7.4G8. Software/application capabilities.

Give details of major functionalities, including data input, management, and output capabilities. Include word processing, database management, spread-sheet, statistical, electronic mail, data quality management, and other relevant capabilities. Give details of capability of producing and managing metadata.

Include de facto or international standards used. Include, where applicable, technical specifications or limitations, such as memory size and requirements, interactive or batch processing capability, record-length limitations, etc.

Describe, where applicable, user interfaces for inputs and outputs, such as report generation capabilities, whether templates or views are pre-defined or user-defined, ability of users to customize their environment, etc.

7.4G9. System documentation.

Give the scope of the system documentation available, including presence or absence of up-to-date system and software manuals, on-line help screens, etc. Include known variances between the records and the documentation itself.

7.4G10. System milestones.

Where applicable, give a summary of major events affecting the design and operation of the system. This may include facts, such as the dates of design, implementation, conversion, and changes in record formats or access procedures. Include details of event-specific hardware and software environments.

7.4G11. Location of system software.

Where applicable, give a description of where and how the software component(s) of the system are preserved, including availability of source code, programming commentary, and/or other documentation.

Revisions Note

This section incorporates rules from the following sections of RAD 2008: General rules for description (1.7), Cartographic material (5.7), Architectural and technical drawings (6.7), and Records in electronic form (9.7)