Collections of historical records are known as archives. They can belong to an individual or an organization. They help keep track of developments and functions. The word archive may even refer to the place where these records are located. Archives are usually unique and do not have copies. This means that the information contained in them may not be available in books or publications. They contain historical or cultural information and can even serve as evidence. Archives can be classified into five categories namely, academic, government, business, non-profit and other. Academic archives are located in schools and colleges. They usually aim at preserving the history of an institution. These archives are usually located in the library and are used by students and professors for research. Government archives contain records relating to the local and national government. Reporters, historians, students, genealogists and writers usually access these archives as it holds local information and records. Church archives are usually filed under government archives. Business archives owned by for-profit businesses serve as records, which help private companies control and regulate their businesses by keeping track of past patterns. They are usually not open to public unless specially requested. Non-profit archives are usually set up with help from private funding. They aim at preserving historical information and are accessed by professionals, students and researchers. These usually include archives in hospitals and historical foundations. Finally, there are some archives that cannot be put into any specific category and are maintained by institutions like museums. Tribal archives are one such example. | 
