n.the growth in volume of archival resources within a repositoryLeland 1941a, 5In the early 1920’s, with the aid of Dr. Newton D. Mereness and others, I made a survey of certain sections of the archives of the federal government, and reached the conclusion that their accretion during the two war years had about equalled in bulk the total accumulation from 1789 to 1917.Cappon 1976, 429Adapting the aphorism that “each generation rewrites history,” it may be said that each generation collects records anew, not replacing what is already in hand but enriching the accretion. As historical writing reflects the viewpoint and prejudices of the historian and the milieu in which he writes, so the archivist susceptible to current issues in historical context moves in new directions to collect sources hitherto unappreciated, whether old or recent.Fleckner 1976, 457The problems are familiar: lack of storage space for ever larger collections, badly deteriorating holdings, constantly changing technologies, escalating user demands, inadequate budgets, and, above all, the responsibility not merely to accession the accidental accretions of time but thoughtfully to select from the universe of original documentation materials for permanent preservation.Douglas 2016, 29Although archival theory rests on the notion that archives result from the activities of a creator, it has, historically, characterized the accretion of an archives as a fairly passive process: an archives develops over time as a natural by-product of activity, not through the deliberate efforts of a creator.an acquisition added to an existing series or collectionEvans, Harrison, and Thompson 1974, 48ACCRETION. An addition to an accession which is sometimes known as an addition or, in Canadian usage, an accrual.Danielson 2010, 48Accretion, accrual and increment usually refer to additions to existing collections.Preservation and Conservationa deposit or accumulation of foreign matter on an item’s surfaceRuggles 1985Any surface accretion or discoloration should be treated with extreme caution.Daffner, Kushel, and Messinger 1996Spectra obtained from an accretion present at the center of a fluorescent ring showed one substantial peak of copper, with smaller peaks of silver, chlorine, and iron.Brostoff et al. 2011These results confirm that the white surface accretion and paper substrates of maps in poor condition contain a highly concentrated potash alum-gelatin sizing or coating.AAT 2021[accretion] Any gradual build up or enlargement due to external addition by deposition of new matter; for example, the increase in size of an inorganic mass as fresh particles are added to its surface or the physical addition to land due to deposits.AIC 2021Accretion ¶ Foreign material attached to the paper support. In general, it is superficial and rests on top of the substrate; rather than being imbedded. An accretion may cause staining or planar deformation in the support. Examples include mold growth, food, or fecal matter of insects or rodents.
