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The Archivists’ Toolkit

This project aims to support archival processing with key functions like accessioning, description, and output production. The application features output-neutral data, customization, and modularity, ensuring ease of use and security. The design includes modules for administration, ingestion, accession, description, names, subjects, locations, and audit tracking. Functional modules cover EAD version 1.0 and 2002, MARCXML, and provide various descriptive and administrative outputs. The toolkit supports authority control for names and subjects, while the audit tracking allows for record monitoring. The search module allows for resource search based on ID, title, creator, and subject. The technology behind the toolkit includes a MySQL back end and a Java desktop client for cross-platform usability. It is an open-source project available on SourceForge for collaboration and development.

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The Archivists’ Toolkit

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  1. The Archivists’ Toolkit Lee Mandell Brad Westbrook Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  2. Overview • Project objectives • Overview of features • Functional modules • Application architecture and technology • Demonstration example Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  3. Project Objectives To build digital tools that will: • Support archival processing in a manner that promotes efficiency and standardization • Integrate key functions in the archival lifecycle: • Accessioning • Description • Subjects and name management • Location management • Produce outputs such as EAD, EAC, METS, MARCXML and various administrative outputs • Be deployable in a range of archival settings Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  4. Application Features • Output neutral data • Modular • Customizable • Easy to use • Secure • Stand-alone or multi-user network • Context-sensitive help • Open source Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  5. Design Overview • Administration/Project Management • Ingest • Accession • Description (Resources, Surrogates) • Names • Subjects • Location • Audit Tracking • Search Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  6. Application/Project Management • Establish repository record • Manage users • Customize default fields, required fields, input forms • Create project definitions Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  7. Ingest Module • EAD version 1.0 and 2002 (XML) • MARC XML Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  8. Accession Module • Preliminary descriptive information • Some collection management fields • Descriptive and administrative outputs: • Accession record • Accession receipt • Acquisitions report • Processing reports • More… Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  9. Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  10. Description Module • Archival resources and surrogates • Inputs based on DACS, ISAD(G) • Outputs: • MARC XML • MODS • Printed finding aids • More… • EAD • METS • Dublin Core • Collections guide Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  11. Location Module • For tracking “permanent” locations • Accommodate a range of practice • Outputs: • Location record • Shelf list • List of all locations for a resource Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  12. Names Module • Authority control for names (personal, family, and corporate/conference) • Includes fields for contact information, biographical/historical note • Supports see also and see references • Outputs: • Source record • Sources list • EAC record Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  13. Subject Module • Basic authority control for subjects • Can create records in advance or on an as-needed basis • Outputs: • Repository subject guide Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  14. Audit Tracking • Uniquely identifies each record • Allows repository to track creation and editing of records Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  15. Search Module • For moderated use in reference setting • Features: • Search for resource by resource ID, title, creator, or subject • Search for resources, resource components, surrogates, and surrogate components by keywords in title • Search for locations by resource ID Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  16. Archivists’ Toolkit: Application Architecture and Technology Lee Mandell, Design Team Manager Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  17. Back End (database) • Developed with mySQL • Will work with many SQL databases both open source and commercial • Partial list: DB2, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, Informix, Ingres ... • Why SQL and not other technologies like xml and object databases? • Maturity of SQL databases • Likelihood of local IT departments having SQL expertise • Many existing open source projects to integrate into the projects. Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  18. Front End (Client) • Needs: Cross platform (Mac OSX, Windows 98+, Linux), open source, sophisticated user interface capabilities • Solution: Java desktop client • Many more user interface options than a web based client • Will run on any computer with Java 5 (1.5) installed • Client and database can be installed on the same computer or on different computers. • Single machine configuration • Local network configuration • Wide area network configuration Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  19. Open Source • SourceForge • Project will be listed by the end of the year. • Source code will be available in an early alpha version early next year for viewing only • When we enter beta testing we will be open to other developers joining the effort • Anyone will be able to download the source code and use it as they wish. • We hope a developer community will grow out of the project Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  20. The Great Divideor in technical termsThe Paradigm Mismatch Java Object Oriented Programming Language SQL Relational Database Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  21. HibernateA persistence layer • An open source project to bridge the differences between Java and relational databases • Saves us from rolling our own • Allows easy swapping of back end databases Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  22. A Live Demonstration Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

  23. http://archiviststoolkit.org/ Archivists' Toolkit - CDL Presentation, October 17, 2005

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