Personal archival funds as a source of biographical information (according to archival materials of the Institute of Archival Studies of the VNLU)

The 21st century is characterized by a worldwide tendency of indepth interestin biography and biographical research, the appeal of researchers to primary sources, as well as close attention to the personological contribution of individualsto the historical process. The acquisition of independence by Ukraine began anew stage in the development of humanities and, in particular, biographical research. Recently, scholars have been focusing on issues of relationship and mutual influence of biography and history, as well as on cooperation between historians and archivists. Personal archival funds contain key information about outstanding, famousand prominent figures, and reveal little-known names to researchers. The fact ofthe existence of a personal archival fund of a certain person already suggests its great importance for researchers. The article notes three main scientific and methodological approaches to the study and use of sources of personal origin from the stand point of biography: informational, communicative, biographical. The latter provides for the study of the characteristics of the life path and products of creativity of the person's activity. This approach involves the use of documentsfrom the personal fund for biographical reconstruction.For researchers, personal archival funds have always been and remain an important source. For biographical research, personal archival funds are of paramount importance. They help researchers reconstruct the individual life path of acertain person, namely the history of his development as a person, which is expressed in events, actions, intentions, views and results.