A Historian's Experience of Architectural Collections

Studies by the author of the history of the architecture and architects of Canadian post offices and of the Lincoln Memorial demonstrate the usefulness of architectural records. Because architectural design is not undertaken in isolation, the influences it and the architect receive from outside sources can be discovered through the review of a variety of architectural records. There is no single definition of what does or should make up an architectural collection. The historical value of such records for a variety of research purposes suggests that collections should be kept complete and intact to the extent possible, guaranteeing their availability for the many sorts of architectural record users.