Introduction to Encoded Archival Description (EAD) at Metro, April 2012

1. Metropolitan New York Library Council
1

2. Outline
I. The Basics
II. Finding Aid
III. Implementation
Break
IV. Exercises
2

3. Introductions
3

4. I. The Basics
4

5. What is EAD?
XML standard for encoding finding aids
I. Basics
5

6. 6
XML standard for encoding finding aids
I. Basics - What is EAD?
XML (eXtensible Markup Language):
a set of rules for structuring data via markup

7. 7
XML standard for encoding finding aids
I. Basics - What is EAD?
Tag:
<unitdate era=“ce”>2011</unitdate>
Attribute:
<unitdate era=“ce”>2011</unitdate>
Element:
<unitdate era=“ce”>2011</unitdate>

8. Elements and attributes defined by a
Document Type Definition (DTD) or a
Schema
<bioghist> <bionote>
8
I. Basics - What is EAD?
XML standard for encoding finding aids

9. <ead>
<eadheader>
<titleproper>Guide to the
Papers of Joseph Roth
</titleproper>
</eadheader>
</ead>
9
XML standard for encoding finding aids
I. Basics - What is EAD?

10. XML standard for encoding finding aids
Defined set of containers for descriptive data
EAD : DACS = MARC : AACR2
10
I. Basics - What is EAD?

11. XML standard for encoding finding aids
A description of records that gives the
repository physical and intellectual control over
the materials and that assists users to gain
access to and understand the materials (SAA)
Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
11
I. Basics - What is EAD?

12. What is EAD?
XML standard for encoding finding aids
I. Basics
12

13. What is EAD?
EAD encoding is not a substitute for
sound archival description!
I. Basics
13

14. II. Finding Aid
14

15. EAD Finding Aid Structure
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE ead SYSTEM "ead.dtd">
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="lbi2010.xsl"?>
II. Finding Aid
15

16. EAD Finding Aid Structure
<ead>
<eadheader>Information about repository and
finding aid</eadheader>
<archdesc>Description of archival
materials</archdesc>
</ead>
II. Finding Aid
16

17. Common Tags
• Structural and content tags
<eadheader>Many other tags</eadheader>
<date>July 4, 1776</date>
II. Finding Aid
17

18. Common Tags <eadheader>
• Finding aid author
<filedesc><titlestmt>
<author>Processed by Stanislav Pejša.</author>
</titlestmt></filedesc>
II. Finding Aid
18

19. Common Tags <archdesc>
• Biographical information
<bioghist><p>Joseph Roth was one of the most prominent
Austrian writers of the first half of the 20th
century.</p></bioghist>
• Controlled vocabulary
<controlaccess>
<geogname encodinganalog="651$a" source="lcsh"
authfilenumber="n 79040121">Austria</geogname>
</controlaccess>
II. Finding Aid
19

20. Common Tags <archdesc>
• Description of Subordinate Components
<dsc>
<c01 level="series">
<c02>Folder 1
<c03>Item 1</c03>
<c03>Item 2</c03>
</c02>
<c02>Folder 2</c02>
</c01>
II. Finding Aid
20

21. Common Tags <archdesc>
• Description of Subordinate Components
A Component <c> provides information about the content,
context, and extent of a subordinate body of materials.
Each <c> element identifies an intellectually logical section
of the described materials. The physical filing
separations between components do not always
coincide with the intellectual separations.
From EAD Tag library <http://www.loc.gov/ead/tglib/elements/c.html>
II. Finding Aid
21

22. Common Tags <archdesc>
• Description of Subordinate Components
<dsc>
<c01 level="series">
<did>
<unittitle id="serII">Series II: Addenda</unittitle>
<unitdate normal="1985/1996">1985-1996</unitdate>
</did>
<c02>Subordinate elements, such as folders</c02>
</c01>
II. Finding Aid
22

23. Common Tags <archdesc>
• Description of Subordinate Components
<c02>
<did>
<container type="box">2</container>
<container type="folder">1</container>
<unittitle>Articles</unittitle>
<unitdate>1985-1994</unitdate>
</did>
</c02>
II. Finding Aid
23

24. Common Tags <archdesc>
• Digital Archival Object (<dao>)
<c02>
<did> […]
<unittitle>Articles</unittitle>
</did>
<dao
href="http://www.archive.org/stream/josephroth_07_r
eel07#page/n218/mode/1up" actuate="onrequest"
linktype="simple" show="new"/>
</c02>
II. Finding Aid
24

25. EAD Finding Aid
II. Finding Aid
25

26. oXygen Setup
26
II. Finding Aid
1. Start the oXygen XML editor program
2. Open “JosephRoth.xml” found in the EAD
folder on the desktop

27. oXygen Setup
27
II. Finding Aid

28. III. Implementation
28

29. III. Implementation:
Creating EAD
29

30. Archivists’ Toolkit
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
30

31. Archon
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
31

32. oXygen
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
32

33. NoteTab
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
33

34. Dreamweaver
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
34

35. EADitor
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
35

36. Notepad
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
36

37. EAD Tag Library
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
37

38. SAA Standards Portal
III. Implementation: Creating EAD
38

39. III. Implementation:
Using EAD
39

40. Now What?
III. Implementation: Using EAD
40

41. XSLT
III. Implementation: Using EAD
41

42. XSLT
42
III. Implementation: Using EAD

43. EAD to HTML
III. Implementation: Using EAD
43

44. EAD to HTML with DC
III. Implementation: Using EAD
44

45. EAD to HTML
III. Implementation: Using EAD
45

46. EAD to PDF
III. Implementation: Using EAD
46

47. EAD to MARC
III. Implementation: Using EAD
47

48. Other Uses
• Integration with other standards (e.g. EAC-CPF)
• Open Archives Initiative – Protocol for Metadata
Harvesting (OAI-PMH)
III. Implementation: Using EAD
48

49. Other Uses
• EAD consortia
• Metadata for digitized collections
• Faceted searching
• Bulk updates
III. Implementation: Using EAD
49

50. Why Use EAD?
• EAD is an internationally-adopted standard
• EAD paves the path to a structured data future
Combs et al, 2010: Over, Under, Around, and Through: Getting Around Barriers to
EAD Implementation
III. Implementation: Using EAD
50

51. The Future of EAD
• Alpha release of new schema, documentation,
and migration tools, August 2012
• Public presentations (SAA Annual Meeting,
webinars, etc.), August 2012
• Beta release of schema, documentation, and
migration tools, January 15, 2013
• New version of EAD released with tag library and
migration tools, July 1, 2013
2012-03-19 email to EAD listserv from Technical Subcommittee for EAD
III. Implementation: Using EAD
51

52. Relax!
III. Implementation: Using EAD
52

53. IV. Exercises
53

54. Exercise Setup
54
IV. Exercises
1. Start the oXygen XML Editor program
2. Open “JosephRoth.xml” found in the EAD
folder on the desktop

55. Exercise How To
55
IV. Exercises

56. Exercise How To
56
IV. Exercises

57. Exercise How To
57
IV. Exercises

58. Exercise How To
58
IV. Exercises

59. How does this work? XSLT!
59
IV. Exercises

60. Exercise How To
60
IV. Exercises
1. Make the change in the XML
2. Hit the red arrow to transform the XML to
HTML
3. Examine the HTML in the browser

61. Processing the
Joseph Roth Addendum
You are a processing
archivist at the Leo Baeck
Institute. You have been
asked to process an
addendum to the Joseph
Roth Collection, and to
update the EAD finding
aid accordingly.
IV. Exercises
61
Austrian writer Joseph Roth (1894-1939)

62. Exercise 1: Housekeeping
Update the information in the <eadheader>
section to reflect your contribution.
IV. Exercises
62

63. Exercise 1: Housekeeping
<ead><eadheader><filedesc><titlestmt>
<author>Processed by Stanislav Pejša.
Addendum processed by [your name].</author>
IV. Exercises
63

64. The head archivist tells you that there is an error in
the biographical information. Roth’s mother’s
first name is Maria, not Mario.
Fix this typo.
IV. Exercises
64
Exercise 2:
Biographical Information

65. <ead><archdesc>
<bioghist><p>
Find “Mario” and replace with “Maria”
</p></bioghist>
IV. Exercises
65
Exercise 2:
Biographical Information

66. Looking at the existing controlled access points,
you realize that the subject term for Roth’s
birthplace, “Brody, Galicia” is incorrect. The
proper LC term is “Brody (Ukraine)”.
Correct the term.
IV. Exercises
66
Exercise 3a:
Geographic Information

67. <ead><archdesc><controlaccess>
<geogname>
Find “Brody, Galicia” and replace with “Brody
(Ukraine)”
</geogname>
IV. Exercises
67
Exercise 3a:
Geographic Information

68. Add the LC authority file number for “Brody
(Ukraine)”.
IV. Exercises
68
Exercise 3b:
Geographic Information

69. Go to LC authorities: http://id.loc.gov
Search for Brody (Ukraine)
<ead><archdesc><controlaccess>
<geogname encodinganalog="651bb0$a"
role="subject" source="lcsh"
authfilenumber="n88212572">Brody
(Ukraine)</geogname>
IV. Exercises
69
Exercise 3b:
Geographic Information

70. IV. Exercises
70
Exercise 3b:
Geographic Information

71. The addendum you are given is one folder,
consisting of material in Polish from a 2002
conference about Roth.
Add this folder to Series II: Addenda, and update
the rest of the finding aid accordingly.
IV. Exercises
71
Exercise 4:
Adding a New Folder

72. The addendum you are given is one folder,
consisting of material in Polish from a 2002
conference about Roth.
Add this folder to Series II: Addenda, and update
the rest of the finding aid accordingly.
IV. Exercises
72
Exercise 4:
Adding a New Folder
"

73. What needs to be added?
Where in the finding aid?
IV. Exercises
73
Exercise 4a:
Adding the Folder

74. <ead><archdesc><dsc><c01 level="series">
<c02>
<did>
<container type="box">2</container>
<container type="folder">3</container>
<unittitle>Polish conference</unittitle>
<unitdate>2002</unitdate>
</did>
</c02>
IV. Exercises
74
Exercise 4a:
Adding the Folder

75. Does the date information need to be updated?
IV. Exercises
75
Exercise 4b:
Updating the Dates

76. Series-level date:
<ead><archdesc><dsc><c01 level="series"><did>
<unitdate normal="1985/2002"
type="inclusive">1985-2002</unitdate>
NB: Also at the collection level (high-level did), in
the arrangement note, and in the title.
IV. Exercises
76
Exercise 4b:
Updating the Dates

77. Collection-level date:
<ead><archdesc><did>
Arrangement note date:
<ead><archdesc><arrangement>
Title date:
<ead><eadheader><filedesc><titlestmt>
IV. Exercises
77
Exercise 4b:
Updating the Dates

78. Find the existing language information, and see if
you can understand the format. Add Polish to
the list of languages, at both the series and the
collection levels.
IV. Exercises
78
Exercise 4c:
Updating the Language

79. <ead><archdesc><did> and
<ead><archdesc><dsc><c01 level="series"><did>
<langmaterial>This series is in <language
langcode="ger">German</language>,
<language langcode="eng">English</language>, and
<language
langcode="pol">Polish</language>.</langmaterial>
IV. Exercises
79
Exercise 4c:
Updating the Language

80. <language langcode="pol">Polish</language>
ISO639-2 code
(id.loc.gov)
IV. Exercises
80
Exercise 4c:
Updating the Language

81. Add one sentence to the Series II scope note
reflecting the additional folder.
IV. Exercises
81
Exercise 4d:
Updating the Series II Scope Note

82. <ead><archdesc><dsc><c01
level="series"><scopecontent><p>This series
consists of material that was added to the
collection after the inventory was drafted and
the bulk of the collection organized. […] Also
included are materials from a 2002 conference in
Poland.</p></scopecontent>
IV. Exercises
82
Exercise 4d:
Updating the Series II Scope Note

83. Link to the digitized version of the material in the
additional folder using this link:
http://bit.ly/x7944b
IV. Exercises
83
Exercise 5:
Adding a link to the digital object

84. <ead><archdesc><dsc><c01 level="series">
<c02>
<did>[…]</did>
<dao href="http://bit.ly/x7944b"
actuate="onrequest" show="new"/>
</c02>
IV. Exercises
84
Exercise 5:
Adding a link to the digital object

85. The head archivist has asked you to print out
copies of your EAD finding aid for the reading
room. Create a print-friendly HTML file.
IV. Exercises
85
Exercise 6:
Creating a Print-Friendly File

86. Find a stylesheet and save it in your EAD folder.
(We’ve done this for you – thanks Syracuse!)
Change the stylesheet declaration:
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="eadprint-su.xsl"?>
IV. Exercises
86
Exercise 6:
Creating a Print-Friendly File

87. IV. Exercises
87
Exercise 6:
Creating a Print-Friendly File

88. The head librarian has asked you to supply a MARC
record for your archival collection. Generate a
MARCXML record from this EAD.
IV. Exercises
88
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

89. Find an appropriate stylesheet.
(We’ve done this for you)
Set up a new transformation scenario.
IV. Exercises
89
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

90. IV. Exercises
90
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

91. IV. Exercises
91
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

92. IV. Exercises
92
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

93. IV. Exercises
93
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

94. IV. Exercises
94
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

95. IV. Exercises
95
Exercise 7:
Generating a MARC Record

96. IV. Exercises
96
Questions?

97. Resources
97

98. EAD Tools
Resources
98

99. Tinker!
• Gentle Introduction to XML
• EAD Cookbook
• A free XML editor
• Library of Congress EAD files
Resources
99

100. Download via Slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/archivistkevin/metro-ead
Twitter @archivistkevin
Thank you!
100