Archives consulting service is an important part of the development and utilization of archives information resources, and it is also the most active and abundant part of archives work. Archives consulting service refers to the archival workers' consulting files, consulting or retrieval tools according to the specific consulting needs of users.

Processing and refining relevant information, and providing users with answers to relevant questions, data, files or file clues, retrieval methods, etc. in a targeted and timely manner by answering questions individually. There is no unified definition of archives in academic circles.

Generally speaking, archives refer to various forms of original records with preservation value directly formed by people in various social activities. The original record is its essential attribute. China ancient archives have different titles in different dynasties. Shang dynasty called it "book", Zhou dynasty called it "clock", Qin and Han dynasties called it "ancient book", and now they are collectively called "archives".

Detailed explanation: Archives are directly formed historical records. "Direct formation" shows that archives inherit the originality of documents, and "Historical Records" shows that archives inherit the documentary nature of documents at the same time and are original documents that reproduce the true face of history.

It is precisely because archives inherit the original records of documents and have historical reproducibility that archives have the important attribute of voucher value, which is different from books, information materials and cultural relics.