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Transcript of Archives hub ead 2010_lesson
Introduction to EAD
Lisa Jeskins and Bethan RuddockArchives HubMimas
By the end of today’s session we will have given you an introduction to:
• XML• EAD• EAD Editor
Objectives
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
What is XML?
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
What is Interoperability?
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
Something to remember about XML
XML XML technologies
is used by to createDetailed description to view in a browser
Summary entry to view in a browser
PDF for print
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
XML provides structure
XML: elements
<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>
Title Alice in Wonderland
Author Lewis Carroll
Extent 1 volume
Format hardback
Content in a database
<books><title>Alice in Wonderland</title><author>Lewis Carroll</author><extent>1 volume</extent><format>hardback</location></books>
XML: Structure
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
Valid XML must be well-formed
elements must be properly nested
<physdesc><extent>10 boxes</extent></physdesc>
<physdesc><extent>10 boxes</physdesc></extent>
Valid XML must be nested
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kylemacdonald/3199283481/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iguanajo/297386921/
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
Exercise
archiveshub.ac.uk
<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>
Possible Answers
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
Document Type Definitions/Schemas
What about display?
XML file DTD or Schema Valid XML
Blue Elephant Papers
……………………
…………
Blue Elephant Papers
Browse List
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
Why use XML?
EAD = Encoded Archival Description
EAD is XML for finding aids
A data structure standard – not a content standard
EAD Working Group (EADWG)
What is EAD?
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
Why use EAD?
<ead>
<eadheader></eadheader>
<archdesc><did></did>
</archdesc>
</ead>
Basic EAD file structure
<ead> EAD root element<eadheader> EAD file information wrapper
</eadheader>
<archdesc> Finding aid wrapper
<did></did> Core collection information wrapper
</archdesc></ead>
Basic EAD file structure
EAD beetle
<archdesc>
<eadheader>
<did>
sub-fonds descriptions
<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>
Hub <did> EAD2002
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)
EAD DTD
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/
EAD Documentation
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
EAD is a good thing because…
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
EAD in the real world
UK Archives
Effective cross-searching requires:
◦Interoperability
which requires
◦Common standards
Cross-searching
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
EAD in the Hub and Aim25
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
Summing-up
Any Questions?&
Hands on