Post on 24-Feb-2016
description
Connecting Community to Collections with Online Finding
AidsUtah Library Association Conference Layton, UT • May 2011
THE NEED FOR “FINDABILITY”
Utah Valley University Sutherland Archives
Utah Valley University
Digital Collections started 2006.
Campus Archives started 2004.
Processing Took Priority!!!
Basic means of access
I created catalog records and inventory lists for each physical collection.
Sample Inventory List
UVU Sutherland Archives Finding
Aids
I eventually created in-depth print finding aids for each collection.
But there had to be a better way…
Added Links to Finding Aids in
Catalog Records• I inserted links to PDF copies into the
catalog records of archival collections.
Access Finding Aid through Catalog
There STILL has to be a better way…
• My finding aids are not searchable• They are not “found” by Google, etc.• Only someone searching UVU
Library’s catalog will find them and our collections
• I’ve heard of making finding aids searchable online with EAD…What is it?
• I need it, how do I get it, and how do I use it????
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITYHow We Did It
Online Finding Aids
• Since 1996, the Fife Folklore Archives at USU Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives has hosted online finding aids. • Before we hosted our guides, we made sure that each included well defined descriptive matter.
• Descriptive matter for our finding aids include:• Collection Overview
• Creator• Title• Dates• Collection Number• Quantity (size)• Summary• Repository Information
• Biographical Note/Historical Note• Content Description (Scope & Content)• Collection Use (Restrictions/preferred citation, etc.)• Administrative Information (Provenance)• Subjects (This came later. . .when we moved to EAD.)• Collection Inventory (Container lists)
• Box • Folder• Item information/description
Online Finding Aids
• First efforts were encoded in HTML/PHP• This afforded content access by search engines, like Google• Easy to print register (for both in-house and patron use)• Unique look to brand us• But no archival standards—although we followed in house/SAA guidelines (defined descriptive
matter)
• Online presence led to increased visibility of collections• Australian mother seeks lullabies for her developmentally challenged child• Researcher seeks folk song/citation information for Bob Dylan biography• Cowboy poetry enthusiasts seek poems• In-house use ease for researchers and SCA staff• Increased reference services—mostly via web
HTML
PHP
USU Move to EAD
• In 2007-8 USU (along with others in the Mountain West Digital Library) began to encode and host finding aids in EAD.
• Encoded Archival Description (EAD) is an XML standard (set of rules) used to encode archival finding aids.
• EAD is maintained by the Library of Congress in partnership with the Society of American Archivists. Many repositories in the US, England, Australia and other places have adopted and implemented EAD.
• EAD originated in 1993 (1.0 version was released in 1998) at the University of California at Berkeley. The project's goal was to create a standard for describing collections held by archives and special collections, similar to the MARC standards for describing regular books.
EAD file in XML
Finding aid text is encoded using EAD and XML markup so the finding aids can be shared, searched and viewed electronically.XML is the markup language that allows EAD files to be read and exchanged electronically.
At USU we use Oxygen XML editor.
USU Move to EAD
• Through funding from a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant, in partnership with the Utah Manuscripts Association (UMA), USU was able to migrate 550 existing online registers to EAD. • Folklore• Manuscript• Photographs• Archives
• The move was exciting,but not without
growing pains…
Challenges • Problems using CONTENTdm software
• Lack of permanent URLs• Unable to keep same URL if need to update finding aid• Could not replace finding aid, had to reload as new object• New object given a new URL• URL recorded in catalog records, online references, etc., became broken links
• Limits on number of characters in a record• Had to split large finding aids into multiple parts
• CONTENTdm EAD upload option inadequate• Had to upload one file at a time• Did not allow links to digitized content• Did not import some needed EAD fields (bioghist, accessrestrict, etc.)
• Had to create our own program (actually a script) for uploading EAD files into CONTENTdm• Program crosswalked EAD data into Dublin Core fields before uploading • Made EAD data searchable in a Dublin Core metadata record• Allowed us to link to a digitized content• Allowed us to import batches of files rather than one file at a time
• Now working with NWDA to host EAD files, but will be harvested by MWDL
• Search engine (Google) issues• Conversion Challenges
• For some partners, inconsistent descriptive matter complicated conversion into EAD and made outsourcing difficult
EAD Benefits
• Help standardize how archival information are represented & or presented in an electronic environment
• Enable effective searching & retrieval
• Display & exchange of the information contained in an archival aid
• Future migration potential/ease
• Participation in a regional/topical consortium• Allows for more robust searching options (for directed researchers)• Professional networking and collegial support
William Osei-Poku, “Encoded Archival Description: EAD– INFO 653 Short Paper 2.” Selected Works: Bepress. http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=raspino&sei-redir=1#search=%22encoded+archival+description%22
USU EAD Portal
digital.lib.usu.edu/ead.php
UTAH STATE ARCHIVESHow We Did It
The Beginning
• EAD 1.0 (2000) Conversion of hundreds of existing files Software: XMetal, transformation to
HTML pages and PDF for printing• EAD 2002 (2008)
LSTA grant + development of new software
Processed Containers moduleWorkspace for linking containers to location and describing contents
“Automagical”
Output
• One-button generation
• Strange Characters
• Validation
Finding Aid Review
• According to Best Practice Guidelines Adding
o abstractso browsing terms
Notes in right fields Imported container lists
Uploading to MWDL
• Successes Extraction script
automating process Sharing collections
• Challenges Importing
o File management – New and Replace
Updatingo Avoiding duplicates
Online Everywhere
• Utah State Archives Website Pages in Research section Government Agency information
• Mountain West Digital Library• Web/Google Searching
Google35%
Archives42%
Direct17%
Courts6%
Traffic SourcesApr 2011
Digital Too
• Container list data digital metadata
• Links in container lists to digital objects
Being Analyzed
• ArchivesZ Project: Visualizing Archival Collections - What is in all those boxes?
• Data analysis in 2009
Collection size• http://archivesz.org
/
Outcomes• 1,718 migrated
now 1,867• Most popular…
Top 5 rep. 10% of all views but there’s a “long tail…”
Prison Commitment Reg-isters
Birth Certificates
Salt Lake Death Register
Brigham City Sexton's Record
Death Certificates
COLLABORATING ON FINDING AIDS
LSTA Project for creating EAD files and a statewide search portal
Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project
• Funding: Library Services and Technology Act grants program
• Timeframe: 2007-2008 • Principal Investigator: Bradford Cole
at Utah State University Library
Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project
Brigham Young
University
Weber State
UniversityUniversity
of Utah
Utah State University
Utah State Archives
Utah State History
Six partners created EAD files:
Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project
A local EAD collection
Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project
Display of an EAD finding aid
Best Practice Guidelines
See LSTA project wiki: lsta.lib.byu.edu
Encoding Tools
• Tool created by LSTA grant at U of U: xEAD
http:// lsta.lib.byu.edu• Other commercial tools:
Oxygen XMLhttp://www.oxygenxml.com
Archivist’s Toolkithttp://www.archiviststoolkit.org
AXAEM http://www.axaem.com
xEADEncoding tool from Univ. of Utah
EAD validationsoftware
BPGilyzer adapted by BYU
EAD uploading process
for CONTENTdmExtraction of fields from EAD
XSL stylesheet for displaying EAD files
An EAD file in XML
Same file rendered for the Web with
XSL
Training materials
Procedures developed by U of U trainers
Local searching
Weber State – search on phrase
Local searching
Weber State
Local searchingWeber State
Mountain West Digital Library
Utah State
University
Brigham Young
University
Weber State
University
Utah State
ArchivesUtah State
History
University of Utah
Statewidesearch portal
Harvest of metadata to central portal
Statewidesearch portal
Statewidesearch portal
Statewidesearch portal
Statewidesearch portal
Links back to local repository
Statewidesearch portal
Portlet
Statewidesearch portal
Statewidesearch portal
Statewidesearch portal
New EAD collections
• Utah Valley University Library• Westminster College, Giovale Library• Salt Lake County Archives• Open to you, too!
Mountain WestDigital Library
• Repository hubs that are supporting EAD: University of Utah, Marriott Library Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier
Library Brigham Young University, Lee Library Weber State University, Stewart Library Utah Valley University Library Utah State Archives
• To set up a partnership, contact Sandra McIntyre, sandra.mcintyre@utah.edu
Collaboratingfor the future
• Grant project was too short• Need is expanding to many others• More training needed• Need economies of scale for tools
and processes
New collaborative project proposed
• IMLS planning grant proposal, 01/2011 Principal investigator: Greg Thompson, U
of U Three multi-state EAD programs:
o Mountain West Digital Libraryo Northwest Digital Archiveso Rocky Mountain Online Archive
Planning for combined search capability and one set of tools (probably NWDA’s system)
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?Utah Valley University
Most Important Points
• Finding aids, whether print or online, are essential for archival collection usability;
• Online finding aids will increase the visibility and “findability” of collections;
• Encoded Archival Description (EAD) is the accepted standard by which to put finding aids online;
• There are resources available for help and support!
Challenges
• Do I have the time to commit to learning and implemeting EAD?
Challenges
• EAD Software--Everyone uses something different! xEAD? XMetaL? Archivist’s Toolkit? oXygen? AXAEM
Resources for Help
Brigham Young
University
Weber State
UniversityUniversity
of Utah
Utah State University
Utah State Archives
Utah State History
Cooperative Effort among institutions, with help from LSTA Grant and Utah Manuscripts Assn., may help me also!
Resources For Help
The Society of American Archivists
has an EAD Help Page
http://www.archivists.org/saagroups/ead/
Resources for Help
• So does the Library of Congress!
• http://www.loc.gov/ead
Resources for Help
The Utah Manuscripts Association has a wikihttp://lsta.lib.byu.edu
Resources for Help
• Utah Manuscripts Association EAD “Triage Team”
• Melissa Ferguson, current UMA President ,
mferguson@utah.gov Gina Strack gmstrack@utah.gov Cory Nimer cory.nimer@byu.edu Gordon Daines gordon.daines@byu.edu
Resources for Help
• Mountain West Digital Library digitization hubs at www.mwdl.org
• Repository hub managers can help answer basic questions and put you in touch with trainers
Is It Worth It?YES!!!
Presenters
• Catherine McIntyre, Utah Valley University(801) 863-8821 • mcintyca@uvu.edu
• Sandra McIntyre, Mountain West Digital Library(801) 585-0969 • sandra.mcintyre@utah.edu
• Gina Strack, Utah State Archives(801) 531-3843 • gmstrack@utah.gov
• Randy Williams, Utah State University(435) 797-3493 • randy.williams@usu.eduEndorsed & sponsored by: Archives, Manuscripts, and Special Collections (AMSC) Roundtable and Technical Services Roundtable