EAD and finding aid hosting tools

6/23XML + XSLT for Libraries

Today

• Your impressions of current HTML finding aids• Background on Iowa’s finding aid migration• Iowa’s EAD template• Archon database for hosting finding aids• Migration workflow

• In classcontinue Assignment 4: Encode finding aids in EAD

Iowa’s current finding aid interface

• What are your impressions of the finding aids in their current format?

• What was your user experience browsing the collections like?

• What kind of functionality should be added?

Iowa’s finding aid migration

• Ongoing project that began Spring 2008• Convert thousands of HTML finding aids from– Special Collections– University Archives– Iowa Women’s Archives (IWA)

• Project Team: EAD Migration Task Force – representing DLS, Web Apps, Cataloging, Archives,

ITS

Goals for EAD implementation

• Improve user experience– Add access points– Unite content of the three archives– Link with digital content

• Standardize descriptive practices• Structure data

Implementing EAD at Iowa

• My role– get familiar with EAD standard– get familiar with archival content– learn from best practices and implementation plans at

other institutions– develop EAD template for Iowa:

http://slis.uiowa.edu/~jlee/239/sampledocs/EAD-TemplateNotes.doc

– help develop implementation plan• Iowa chose to use Archon to edit, store, and host

finding aids

What is Archon?

• Archon is an open-source tool developed by The University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana

• Archon is a database structured to mimic EAD’s structure– Information is stored in pieces that are mapped to

EAD elements

What does Archon look like?

• Archon’s site: http://www.archon.org/index.php

• Our installation: http://archon.lib.uiowa.edu/

Strengths of Archon

• Assists in migration process– If you can get your content into the Archon database in

the right pieces, you have EAD finding aids.– Option to export in EAD XML.

• Strong staff interface for creating new finding aids– Archivists do not have to encode in XML.

• Customizable– The user interface and the underlying structure of the

database can be changed.

Limitations of Archon

• While structured after EAD, Archon is a rigid subset of the elements– It represents Illinois’ EAD template, not ours.– Customization may cause problems during

upgrades.

• The staff interface is a bit clunky and slow– Mainly a publishing platform, does not offer many

management features

Three stages of implementation

1. Migrate existing HTML finding aids into Archon

2. Develop user interface: http://test.lib.uiowa.edu/archon/basicsearch.aspx

3. Train archivists how to use Archon to write new finding aids

Other tools for implementing EAD

• eXtensible Text Framework (XTF): http://www.cdlib.org/inside/projects/xtf/

• Archivist’s Toolkit: https://wikis.nyu.edu/lm1394/ArchivistsToolkit/index.php/FAQ/GeneralQuestions#whyUseAT

Take a break

In Class

• Continue withAssignment 4: Encoding finding aids in EAD

• Use Iowa’s template as a guide: http://slis.uiowa.edu/~jlee/239/sampledocs/EAD-TemplateNotes.doc