accession

process of transferring physical custody of documentary materials to an archival institution Note: May also include transfer of legal custody. See also acquisition.

As a verb, the processes supporting the transfer of legal custody of documentary material to NARA from the creator (or the creator's legal representative, successor, or heir), including the generation, execution, and processing of deeds of gift, the standard forms, or other appropriate legal documents. As a noun, the body of documentary material for which legal custody is transferred by one act of accessioning.

as a verb is for a government archives or other archives to receive and accept legal title, dominion, and custody of a record or other historical material, and it requires physical transfer and a formal record of the transfer of the material property of the record into the keeping and legal control of the archives; as a noun it is the accomplishment of such action, and it is also any discrete quantity of records from one records originator or successor received and accepted into the archives by one recorded transaction.