This document provides an introduction to XML, EAD, and the EAD Editor. It discusses XML as a meta-language for defining markup languages with meaningful tags. It introduces EAD as an XML standard for encoding archival finding aids, allowing them to be indexed, searched, and shared across systems. The document outlines some benefits of EAD including facilitating data exchange and interoperability between archives.

1. Lisa Jeskins and Bethan Ruddock
Archives Hub
Mimas

2. By the end of today’s session we will have
given you an introduction to:
• XML
• EAD
• EAD Editor

3.  XML = Extensible Markup Language
 XML is a system for creating languages:
◦ Or a meta-language
 Use XML to design your own markup language,
consisting of meaningful tags that describe the data
they contain
 Create a language for describing…anything

4.  the ability to exchange/share data
 provides advantages of cross-searching, so user can easily search
across and retrieve resources from a variety of different systems
 allows users to move beyond individual websites for individual
resources
 integrates information resources presented in different formats
 XML facilitates interoperability

5.  XML does not do anything itself. It is pure
information wrapped in XML tags
 You must use other means to send, receive or
display the data
XML XML technologies
is used by to create
Detailed
description
to view in a
browser
Summary
entry to
view in a
browser
PDF for
print

6.  XML is not about content, though there might be
certain restrictions on content
 XML is essentially about structure
 Creating a consistent structure via XML tagging enables
content to be easily identified (by machines) and used
in different ways

7. <title> Alice in Wonderland </title>
*XML allows you to define your tags*
<book>Alice in Wonderland</book>
<filmtitle>Alice in Wonderland</filmtitle>
<tag> content </tag>

8. Title Alice in Wonderland
Author Lewis Carroll
Extent 1 volume
Format hardback

9. <books>
<title>Alice in Wonderland</title>
<author>Lewis Carroll</author>
<extent>1 volume</extent>
<format>hardback</location>
</books>

10.  Valid XML provides consistency and facilitates the exchange of
data
 Valid XML is important for displaying, processing and
exchanging XML in a wider environment
 a root element is required
<catalog>
…..all your tags and content…
</catalog>
 closing tags are required
 case matters

11.  elements must be properly nested
<physdesc>
<extent>10 boxes</extent>
</physdesc>
<physdesc>
<extent>10 boxes</physdesc>
</extent>
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kylemacdonald/3199283481/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iguanajo/297386921/

12.  Look at the album information on your sheet of paper
 In pairs, create xml tags for the information that you
see
 e.g.
◦ <title></title>, <albumtitle></albumtitle>
◦ <artist></artist>, <singer></singer>, <band></band>
 10 mins to create tags
 5 mins to feedback
archiveshub.ac.uk

13. <catalog>
<cd>
<title>Lungs</title>
<artist>Florence and the Machine</artist>
<genre>indie</genre>
<year>2009</year>
</cd>
<cd>
<title>Slash</title>
<artist>Slash</artist>
<genre>rock</genre>
<year>2010</year>
</cd>
</catalog>

14.  A Document Type Definition or Schema defines the
building blocks of an XML document
 It specifies elements and attributes and defines how
they can be used
 People can agree to use a common DTD/Schema for
interchanging data

15. XML file DTD or Schema Valid XML
Blue
Elephant
Papers
……………………
…………
Blue
Elephant
Papers Browse
List

18.  International standard, supported by the W3C
 Open, licence free and platform neutral
 Human and machine readable
 Hierarchical structure (good for archive descriptions)
 Can be used for data exchange
◦ XML is the main basis for defining data exchange languages
◦ Meaningful tags facilitate extraction – data can be manipulated as
required
 Government mandates XML for data exchange (e-GIF)
 XML has been widely adopted commercially as well as in the public
sector

19.  EAD = Encoded Archival Description
 EAD is XML for finding aids
 A data structure standard – not a content
standard
 EAD Working Group (EADWG)

20.  Allows finding aids to be indexed, searched, retrieved and
navigated
 Compatible with ISAD(G)
 Flexible enough to deal with all types of finding aids
◦ single or multi-level, long or short, lists or calendars etc.
 Can create new finding aids as well as converting old ones to
standardised form
 Can share data between systems

21. <ead>
<eadheader>
</eadheader>
<archdesc>
<did></did>
</archdesc>
</ead>

22. <ead> EAD root element
<eadheader> EAD file information wrapper
</eadheader>
<archdesc> Finding aid wrapper
<did></did> Core collection information wrapper
</archdesc>
</ead>

23. <archdesc>
<eadheader>
<did>
sub-fonds descriptions

24. <archdesc level="fonds">
<did>
<unitid>GB 0001 Foster</unitid>
<unittitle>Papers of Dr Foster</unittitle>
<unitdate normal = "1820-1833">1820-1833</unitdate>
<repository>University of Gloucestershire</repository>
<physdesc>
<extent>1 box</extent>
<physfacet>Four folders of letters, 230 folios</physfacet>
</physdesc>
<langmaterial><language langcode=“eng”>English<language>
</langmaterial>
<origination>Dr Foster</origination>
</did>

25.  EAD version 1 DTD
 EAD 2002 DTD
 EAD 2002 Schema
 Available from http://www.loc.gov/ead/
 Human-readable version: EAD Tag Library (Society of
American Archivists)

26.  Library of Congress Official EAD site:
http://www.loc.gov/ead/
 Tag Library: http://www.loc.gov/ead/tglib/index.html
 EAD Roundtable Help Pages:
http://www.archivists.org/saagroups/ead/

27.  It is XML, which is an international standard
 It is a simple and effective way of structuring content
and providing meaning
 Machines can manipulate the content in all sorts of
ways
 It is a great format to store finding-aids

28.  Not many UK archives currently using EAD as a storage format
 EAD will increasingly be used as an export format from
proprietary database systems like CALM, for use in XML-based
gateways such as Aim25 and the Archives Hub
 New software becoming available all the time, which makes it
easier to create, search and display XML – much of this is
open source and often free

30.  Effective cross-searching requires:
◦ Interoperability
 which requires
◦ Common standards

31.  Differences in how EAD is used
 Encourages interoperability but still requires work to
ensure seamless cross-searching
 EAD is flexible and includes a large number of tags
which has advantages and disadvantages

32.  XML is an international standard for sharing
information
 EAD is the XML language for archival finding aids
 EAD is not a content standard
 EAD will become increasingly important