Organization of the Records and the Database
The Archive Center's holdings consist of numerous collections (represented in the database in particular directories), which are organized into Record Groups (RG). Each Record Group may have two or more Series. Occasionally there will be a collection that begins at the Series level, or a Record Group that is not divided into Series.
Within each Record Group and Series designation, there are Containers (most often boxes, always numbered) which hold multiple Folders. Each Folder has a number and a title; folder titles are typically the names of individuals or institutions, or a combination of the two. Folders are the unique level of information within archival collections.
The content of RFI is based upon the folder-level finding aids produced by the Rockefeller Archive Center’s staff. A finding aid includes descriptions of the Record Group and Series, a list of the Container and Folder numbers and Folder Titles, and may also include a description of the contents of the folder. The results that you get from a search in RFI will reflect the information from the finding aid. An overview of the Archive Center’s holdings, with collection descriptions, is available at http://archive.rockefeller.edu/collections/