The fonds, therefore, should be viewed primarily as 'an intellectual construct.' The fonds is not so much a physical entity in archives as it is the conceptual summary of descriptions of physical entities at the series level or lower, and descriptions of

The fonds, therefore, should be viewed primarily as 'an intellectual construct.' The fonds is not so much a physical entity in archives as it is the conceptual summary of descriptions of physical entities at the series level or lower, and descriptions of the administrative, historical and functional character of the records creator(s) – as well as descriptions of the records-creating processes (metadata). The fonds is thus the conceptual 'whole' that reflects an organic process in which a records creator produces or accumulates series of records which themselves exhibit a natural unity based on shared function, activity, form or use. It is at the heart of this process or relationship linking the creator to the records that the essence of respect des fonds can be found and must be protected.