Alternative ways of indexing by geography

Many archives index their collection geographically to make records more accessible for local history. However, a recent survey by the UK Archives Discovery Network found great variation in working practices between archives. Some follow the recommendations of the National Council on Archives’ Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (1997) and index by the most relevant administrative unit, generally a historic parish; some index by less formal place; and some use a geographical coordinate or location. The article discusses the pros and cons of these different approaches.