finding aid
n. 1. a description that typically consists of contextual and structural information about an archival resource
Society of American Archivists Dictionary of Archives Terminology
"Finding aids are tools that help a user find information in a specific record group, collection, or series of archival materials. Examples of finding aids include published and unpublished inventories, container and folder lists, card catalogs, calendars, indexes, registers, and institutional guides. Formal publications that help a user find information regarding a record group, collection, or series of archival materials are also finding aids."
