Archives, libraries & museums
Finding aids, collection catalogues, object provenance, condition records and conservation histories.
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Provenance before possibility
Research, public & cultural collections
Catalogues, field notes, working files and conservation histories can make a collection intelligible. Their potential use depends on provenance, stewardship obligations and the permissions attached to each part.
Discuss records in this sectorKnowledge & collections
What context and permission travel with the material?
This guide is an invitation to discuss appropriate, authorised reuse, not a presumption that institutional or public records are saleable. Some material must remain restricted or outside any commercial arrangement.
Illustrative connectionNot a sample archive or a promise of value
- 01
Collection, object or research question
- 02
Catalogue, method or fieldwork
- 03
Analysis, treatment or revision
- 04
Result & documented use restrictions
Relevant records
Look beyond
the final file.
What was known, what was decided, what happened and what the evidence shows.
The examples below are categories to discuss. Existence, rights, suitability and buyer requirements still need to be established.
Research & metrology
Permitted protocols, experimental working files, measurements, calibration histories and research provenance, subject to funder and collaborator terms.
Public and fieldwork collections
Authorised survey or planning records, archaeological observations and technical documentation with location, rights and access restrictions preserved.
Potential uses, not promised demand
What might an AI team investigate?
- Evaluating search and retrieval across a permitted catalogue and its contextual records.
- Researching conservation, measurement or fieldwork histories where authorised.
- Testing whether AI tools accurately carry provenance and use restrictions into their answers.
Any actual recipient, purpose and permitted use must be agreed. These are research and evaluation possibilities, not confirmed buyers, available datasets or claims of proven AI performance.
Before anything is shared
The boundaries
are part of the work.
- Public availability does not necessarily mean commercial or AI reuse is permitted.
- Donor conditions, copyright, research agreements, cultural sensitivities and public-sector obligations may limit use.
- Sensitive locations, personal records, protected collections and restricted government material must not be sent with an enquiry.
McKays does not promise that redaction or anonymisation will make material suitable. Detailed review, preparation responsibilities and any specialist advice must be agreed separately.
Research & specialist records
Explore the subject.
Keep the context.
These record areas sit within this sector. They complement the business types below; they are not additional businesses or a catalogue of available datasets.
Astronomy
Specialist record area
- Telescope observations, spectra, astronomical images and source catalogues.
- Instrument calibration, observation conditions, reduction pipelines and measurement uncertainties.
Illustrative categories only. Ownership, permissions, confidentiality, funding or publisher restrictions and the proposed use must be reviewed. No records, rights or buyer demand are assumed.
Formal mathematics
Specialist record area
- Formal proofs, theorem statements, proof-assistant scripts and verification results.
- Definitions, dependency graphs, failed proof attempts and software or library versions.
Illustrative categories only. Ownership, permissions, confidentiality, funding or publisher restrictions and the proposed use must be reviewed. No records, rights or buyer demand are assumed.
Statistics
Specialist record area
- Statistical methods, model specifications, analysis code and simulation results.
- Sampling assumptions, uncertainty estimates, validation checks and reproducibility notes; underlying personal datasets require separate review.
Illustrative categories only. Ownership, permissions, confidentiality, funding or publisher restrictions and the proposed use must be reviewed. No records, rights or buyer demand are assumed.
Find your kind of business
Specific work.
Specific records.
Explore examples for the businesses and organisations in this sector.
Public archives
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Finding aids, catalogues and collection provenance
- Historical correspondence, ledgers and working files
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveMuseums
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Collection catalogues and object provenance
- Conservation treatments and condition changes
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archivePublic libraries
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Local-history catalogues and collection metadata
- Reference enquiries and research responses
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveUniversity research departments
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Experiment notebooks and unpublished studies
- Research measurements, null and positive results
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveGovernment metrology laboratories
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Reference measurements and uncertainty analyses
- Measurement stability and comparison histories
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveMunicipal planning and building-control departments
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Submitted plans and revision histories
- Permit decisions and inspection reasoning
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archivePublic road and traffic agencies
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Road surveys and traffic mapping
- Pavement condition and traffic observations
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveEmergency management agencies
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Incident timelines and operational records
- After-action reviews and response decisions
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveZoos and aquarium conservation organisations
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Animal husbandry and veterinary records
- Breeding, health and species-monitoring outcomes
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveArchaeological field units
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Excavation maps and context relationships
- Artefact provenance and field catalogues
- Cataloguing, fieldwork or analytical procedures
- Collection, case or sample provenance and contextual metadata
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveArt conservation studios
Record classes to describe, not upload
- Condition, imaging and treatment photographs
- Material identification and object provenance
- Client, supplier or technical query correspondence
- Specialist operating and quality-control procedures
Examples to investigate, not a claim that these records exist, are owned by the holder or can be licensed.
Discuss this type of archiveNo matching business type in this guide. Search all sectors, or describe your records in an enquiry.
A useful first enquiry
Start with a description.
Not the archive.
Describe the institution or collection, scope and dates, catalogue or provenance information, and the person with authority to discuss permitted use.
Paper, digital and mixed archives can be discussed. Approximate answers are fine. Mention your role, who can authorise a review and any practical deadline.
Prepare an enquirySend a non-confidential enquiry through the website. No archive files are uploaded.